Sadiq Khan: I’m proud the colours of the Israeli flag lit up City Hall’
The mayor of London said he understood why some in the community in London were 'petrified' about further attacks following the brutal Hamas terrorist atrocities in Israel
Sadiq Khan has said he understands how the community in London has been left feeling “petrified” of further attacks here, in the aftermath of the Hamas atrocities in Israel.
Speaking at an interfaith event at a Liverpool synagogue, the mayor of London also said he was “proud” to have seen London’s City Hall lit up with the colours of the Israeli flag on Monday night, adding:”It’s really important we show solidarity to Israelis who have lost their lives.”
Khan continued:”I am hoping that people in Israel know that there is love for them around the world, know that there are people thinking of them, and who have them in their hearts and prayers.
The mayor, a practicing Muslim, also issued his strongest condemnation of those attempting to justify the Hamas terrorists’ barbaric attack on the Jewish state, quoting from the Koran and a verse that says:’If you kill one innocent person, it’s as if you have killed the entire mankind.”
City Hall in east London was lit up last night in the colours of the Israeli flag. @SadiqKhan has just completed an exclusive interview with @lmharpin in which he speaks of his pride at the display of solidarity and his fears of Jews being targeted in the capital pic.twitter.com/wJsLtE4MPr
— Jewish News (@JewishNewsUK) October 9, 2023
Referencing the decision to light up his City Hall headquarters, Khan said the terror attacks represented an occasion when it was impossible to remain impartial over “geo-politics” in the Middle East.
“There are times when you have got to be partial,” he said. “I have no problem with showing the Israeli flag on City Hall yesterday.
“I am really proud the lights of the flag were lit up at City Hall and across London.”
Khan said of the Hamas onslaught that has seen over 700 Israelis killed, and left thousands more injured:”There are lots of innocent people who have died in Israel over the last 48 hours.
“Those responsible, who claim to follow Islam, I would dispute that. They have killed the entire mankind.”
Khan said the actions of Hamas had made the possibility of peace with Israel “much harder.”
The Labour mayor said:”I cannot understand how anybody does not think this leads to escalation of violence, what they did.
“I am afraid peace is now further away than it has been for a long, long time.”
He later also said he wished to send a personal message of “support, sympathy and solidarity” to all Jewish News readers in the aftermath of the devastating terrorists.
Khan had arrived at Princess Road Synagogue in Liverpool on Monday, where he was attending Labour’s annual conference.
Reports had emerged of a kosher restaurant in Golders Green being vandalised, but this was later confirmed not to be an antisemitic incident.
But nearly in the same area “Free Palestine” had been daubed on bridges and walls sparking concern in the community, only days after activists had taken to the streets waving Palestine flags.
Khan said:”We need to understand why people who are in Golders Green, and could be hundreds of miles away, will be petrified when they see that screenshot of that shop’s windows being smashed.”
Khan confirmed he had been speaking with the Metropolitan Police since news first broke about the devastating terrorist attacks on Israel, and again over the vandalism in Golders Green.
He said the police have been “brilliant” and “knew straight away once we saw what happened in Israel that there could be problems in London.”
Khan added:”There is a very good reason there are more police in and around those communities. We can assure you the police are here.”
Referencing own position on the attacks by Hamas, and the failure of some politicians to be clear, Khan said:”The first point of any conversation is you have got to call out wrong when you see wrong.”
His comments seemed to an attack on the failure of politicians such as Jeremy Corbyn to one again condemn the Hamas terrorists.
Khan praised current Labour leader Keir Starmer for his strong stance in support of Israel this week, adding this would “not have been the case” in previous recent years.
He continued:”I’ve got no hesitation in saying what Hamas did is wrong. Put aside, it’s a proscribed organisation.
“This attack on civilians, women, children, is just wrong. That’s really important.”
Khan said:”Even if you are pro-Palestinian rights, there can be no justification for what happened 48 hours ago, there just can’t be.”
The mayor said he could not see how Hamas’ strategy would achieve anything other than an “escalation of violence.”
He said:”It’s difficult to comprehend. How does that (Hamas strategy) not lead to another generation living in fear and suspicion.”
Khan said it was “important” that politicians elsewhere “showed leadership at such times.”
He said the lack of a middle east peace process was now “so big” an issue “we need the US to now play a huge role.”
Monday morning’s Jewish Labour Movement event at the shul was organised wth conjunction Laura Marks, co-founder of the Nisa Nashim organisation who work to strengthen bonds, particularly between the Jewish and Muslim communities.
In attendance were Muslim, Jewish and Christian councillors in the city for the Labour conference.
In the aftermath of the dreadful attacks in Israel, the mayor had made a point of speaking members of the Jewish community at the Labour conference, checking on whether they had family members affected by events in Israel.
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