Keir Starmer condemns ‘unthinkable’ Hamas atrocities as he backs Israel’s right to besiege Gaza – while Labour leader blasts BBC for not describing attackers as ‘terrorists’ and demands Wembley’s arch is lit up white and blue
Sir Keir Starmer today condemned ‘unthinkable, shocking and appalling’ atrocities by Hamas as the Labour leader backed Israel’s right to besiege Gaza.
Nearly 1,600 are estimated to be dead on both sides after Hamas launched an attack on Israel by sending fighters across the Gaza border and firing thousands of rockets.
In retaliation, Israel has cut off supplies of electricity, food, fuel and water from Gaza, launched airstrikes and is soon expected to launch a ground offensive.
Sir Keir, speaking on a series of TV and radio interviews this morning, supported Israel in responding to the Hamas attack ‘within international law’.
The Labour leader also said waving a Palestinian flag on British streets could be ‘provoking’ in the current circumstances.
He urged the BBC to ‘explain’ why it calls Hamas a militant group rather than labelling them terrorists.
And he demanded that Wembley’s arch is lit up in the colours of Israel’s flag during England’s football friendly against Australia on Friday night.
Sir Keir Starmer condemned ‘unthinkable, shocking and appalling’ atrocities by Hamas as the Labour leader backed Israel’s right to besiege Gaza.
People carry their belongings around destroyed buildings and debris at the Al-Karama neighborhood after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City
The Labour leader demanded that Wembley’s arch, pictured in March last year, is lit up in the colours of Israel’s flag during England’s football friendly against Australia on Friday night
Speaking to Times Radio, Sir Keir said the news continuing to emerge from Israel was ‘unthinkable and shocking and appalling’.
‘The murder of men, women and children in cold blood, it’s terrorism by Hamas that needs to be called out as such,’ he said. ‘And Israel obviously has right to defend herself.
‘But I think it’s important now that all responsible Middle East states call this out for what it is, call out terrorism and make it clear that we stand with Israel in what is a very, very dark time.’
Asked on LBC radio if a siege of Gaza was an appropriate response by Israel, Sir Keir replied: ‘I think that Israel does have that right. It is an ongoing situation.
‘Obviously everything should be done within international law, but I don’t want to step away from the core principles that Israel has a right to defend herself and Hamas bears responsibility for the terrorist acts.’
Sir Keir’s wife Victoria is Jewish, and the Labour leader revealed they have family in Israel who are being affected by the events.
‘We have extended family in Israel and this will be typical of many people in Israel, families, communities, they have a deep sense of shock at what is happening,’ he said.
‘Fear overladen with a real anxiety that somehow they felt that with the Israeli intelligence and security – they always know they are under threat – but they felt there was a protection there and there’s huge anxiety that on this occasion that didn’t seem to operate in the way that they wanted.’
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has told police chiefs that waving a Palestinian flag on British streets ‘may not be legitimate’ if it is deemed to be a show of support for acts of terrorism.
Sir Keir acknowledged that flying a Palestinian flag could be an issue, depending on the circumstances.
‘It’s very important that at times like this we don’t conflate peaceful discussion of Palestinian issues with Hamas,’ he added.
‘Now, the flags is a different situation. It really depends on the circumstances. If it’s provoking or encouraging attacks that might be one thing, there might be other situations.’
The Labour leader urged the BBC to explain why it calls Hamas a militant group rather than labelling them terrorists.
BBC bosses are facing calls to review its editorial guidelines amid anger – including from Government ministers – at the corporation for not directly referring to Hamas as a terror organisation.
The guidelines state that journalists should not use the term terrorist without attribution – meaning it is permitted only when used by others – and that words such as ‘bomber’, ‘attacker’, ‘gunman’, ‘kidnapper’, ‘insurgent’ and ‘militant’ should be used to describe perpertrators.
The 367-page document adds that terrorism ‘is a difficult and emotive subject with significant political overtones and care is required in the use of language that carries value judgements’.
Sir Keir said the BBC ‘needs to explain why it isn’t’ referring to Hamas as a terror group.
‘I said “terrorism” and “terrorist”, and to me that’s obviously what we are witnessing,’ he added.
‘I think other channels may not be either, but I’m not across all the detail of that.’
The Labour leader called for Wembley to light its arch with the colours of Israel’s flag during the men’s football friendly between England and Australia on Friday.
‘I do think they should be on the arch because I think the message has to go out that we stand with Israel, the UK stands with Israel, and that is a manifestation of that support,’ he said.
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