Labour MP Andy McDonald has been suspended from the party after making comments deemed “deeply offensive” in relation to the Israel-Gaza war. McDonald used the phrase “between the river and the sea” during a speech at a pro-Palestinian rally, a phrase which critics argue calls for the destruction of Israel. McDonald will now sit as an independent MP pending investigation.
During his speech, McDonald said, “We will not rest until we have justice. Until all people, Israelis and Palestinians, between the river and the sea, can live in peaceful liberty”. The phrase “from the river to the sea” refers to the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman recently urged police chiefs to consider interpreting the chanting of this phrase as an “expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world”. However, pro-Palestinian activists say that the chant is calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza, not for the destruction of Israel itself.
A Labour spokesperson said McDonald’s comments were “deeply offensive, particularly at a time of rising antisemitism which has left Jewish people fearful for their safety”. They announced that the Chief Whip has suspended the Labour whip from McDonald pending investigation.
This incident follows ongoing tensions within the Labour party over its position on the Israel-Gaza war. While leader Sir Keir Starmer has not called for a ceasefire, he has backed humanitarian pauses to help aid reach Gaza, aligning him with the UK government, US and EU. However, dozens of Labour councillors and senior figures have called for a formal ceasefire
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More