I don’t know whether to lie or cry.
As Jewish people here in Britain and all over the world light the first candle of the menorah this evening, I want to wish you all a very happy #Hanukkah. pic.twitter.com/hCKXJEAvOJ
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 12, 2017
Ok, I laughed. He sounds like he is auditioning as host of a children’s show.
But what I found interesting is how he described the story of Hanukkah. He mentions “freedom fighters”, and I have to wonder whether he had some of his friends in mind when he uttered those words.
And while he did mention that the word Hanukkah means “dedication,” he omitted the fact it refers celebrates to the rededication of the Jewish Temple. You know, the one in Jerusalem thousands of years ago.
Yes, that would have been awkward for Corbyn. About as awkward as his timing.
A Labour activist who tweeted “Israel has no right to exist” and suggested Jewish people are stingy is spearheading a new group for Muslims in Labour which Jeremy Corbyn helped launch last night.
John McDonnell, Dawn Butler, Andy Slaughter, Rupa Huq, Wes Streeting and Afzal Khan were also present at the launch of the Labour Muslim Network, hosted in parliament by Ali Milani, an NUS Vice President who was criticised for past anti-semitic comments. In 2012, Milani posted a tweet suggesting Jewish people are stingy: “Nah u won’t mate it will cost you a pound #jew”. He also sent messages stating:
“Israel has no right to exist.
“Israel is a land built on ethnic cleansing and colonialism. Oppression is something your people should know about.
“So lecturer asks the class today ‘nobody in this room would ever want to go to war right?’ My hand rises. ‘Who?’ Me: ‘Israel’.”