Sadiq Khan: ‘There’s no justification for what Hamas have done’

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has told Jewish News that it is “possible to be both pro-Palestinian rights, and to be appalled at the actions of Hamas”.

He said: “Even if you are pro-Palestinian rights, there can be no justification for what happened on Saturday, there just can’t be.”

Khan said that he felt the pain of bereaved parents in the Middle East, and added that he particularly did so as a father. “I left the Labour Party conference a day early, because I missed my daughters, and I think that any parent will hug their kids extra hard after this weekend’s terrible events”.

The mayor said he understood how the community in London had been left feeling “petrified” of further attacks here, in the aftermath of the Hamas atrocities in Israel.

He came specifically to a restaurant in Golders Green in north west London on Tuesday to talk to Progressive rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy, and to pledge his support for the Jewish community.

Before he left Liverpool, the mayor spoke at an interfaith event at Prince’s Road Synagogue. He told those present that he was “proud” that London’s City Hall had 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. 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 practising Muslim, also issued his strongest condemnation of those attempting to justify the Hamas terrorists’ barbaric attack on the Jewish state, quoting a verse from the Koran that says: “If you kill one innocent person, it’s as if you have killed all mankind.”

Mr 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 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.

In London, the mayor said that “within an hour of Hamas’s barbaric actions in Israel the deputy commissioner [of the Metropolitan Police] was on the phone to me, because we both know that when there is a rise in tensions in the Middle East it often leads to antisemitic hate crimes going up, like night follows day.

“Even before we knew how bad Hamas’ actions were, the police had organised for more police officers to be present in those communities where we know there were concerns, and my office reached out to the rabbis, the Board and other community leaders, to make sure we were in touch.
What we don’t want is Jewish people cowering in their homes, not going to places of worship or school.”

He said there would be “a visible” and strengthened police presence, not just this week and next, “and potentially for the next few months as well”.

And he urged people to report any instances of antisemitism, whether physical or verbal attacks. “One of the reasons I am here [in Golders Green] is that these kinds of attacks can lead to a chilling effect in the Jewish community. It is a tiny community and we have to show ally-ship and support the Jewish community, be seen at Jewish businesses and with our Jewish friends”.

The mayor dismissed “whataboutery” narrative surrounding the conflict and pledged that where people were clearly breaking the law — for example in expressing support for Hamas, which is a proscribed organisation in Britain — then “it is very important for the police to enforce the law. In the past there have been concerns from the community about the police not being pro-active. [I believe] that the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner want to be more pro-active and take action. We want to make sure that anyone involved in criminal activities knows there are consequences”.

Referencing his 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 be an attack on the failure of politicians such as Jeremy Corbyn to condemn the Hamas terrorists.

Khan praised current Labour leader Keir Starmer for his strong stance in support of Israel this week, adding that “this would not have been the case” in recent years.

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?”

Mr 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, that “we need the US to now play a huge role.”

Monday morning’s Jewish Labour Movement event at Prince’s Road synagogue was organised in conjunction with Laura Marks, co-founder of the Nisa Nashim organisation, which works to strengthen bonds between the Jewish and Muslim communities.