TEL AVIV – In comments to Breitbart Jerusalem, Hamas said on Monday that it “welcomed” Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn’s reported refusal to condemn the Islamist organization.
Taher A-Nunu, a spokesman and senior Hamas official, further said Hamas views Corbyn’s willingness to engage with his Gaza-based group as a “painful hit that the Zionist enemy received.”
Al-Nunu said Corbyn’s refusal to disavow talks with Hamas serves as proof that the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sactions (BDS) campaign is succeeding.
Al-Nunu, who heads Hamas’s media section, told Breitbart Jerusalem:
We welcome the declaration of the Labour Chairman and see his engagement as a very important statement that is also a painful hit that the Zionist enemy received. It comes as part of the international boycott campaign that the enemy (Israel) is suffering from. This campaign is succeeding on both the economic and political levels and it comes at a moment that the enemy is facing difficulties in justifying its crimes against the Palestinian people.
Al-Nunu divulged that Hamas met recently with unnamed Western leaders “who expressed their understanding about Hamas’s positions and Hamas’s resistance to the occupation, especially in the 1967 borders.” The 1967 borders refer to the West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern sections of Jerusalem.
Al-Nunu added that Corbyn’s stance on his group shows “that freedom movements are still appreciated and respected.”
The Hamas spokesman continued:
We consider the statements of the Labour leader to be an important message to people in Western countries that Hamas is not and will not be considered a terrorist group and our struggle is reduced to the borders of occupied Palestine.
He claimed that what he termed the “Zionist campaign to define Labour party leaders as anti-Semitic” is a “desperate move that reflects the weakness and confusion of the Zionist entity.”
On Monday, the Telegraph reported that Corbyn, who has referred to Hamas and the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah as “friends,” refused to disavow either organization. The embattled Labour leader’s office released a statement that Corbyn plans to continue to talk to both terrorist groups.
Reported the Telegraph:
Faced with calls to reject both Hamas and Hezbollah on Sunday night, Mr Corbyn’s spokesman issued a statement which read: “Jeremy Corbyn has been a longstanding supporter of Palestinian rights and the pursuit of peace and justice in the Middle East through dialogue and negotiation.
“He has met many people with whom he profoundly disagrees in order to promote peace and reconciliation processes, including in South Africa, Latin American, Ireland and the Middle East.
“He believes it is essential to speak to people with whom there is disagreement, particularly when they have large-scale support or democratic mandates.
“Simply talking to people who agree with you won’t help achieve justice or peace.”
Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, Mark Regev, stated on Sunday: “You’ve had too many people on the progressive side of politics who have embraced Hamas and Hezbollah.
“Both of them are anti-Semitic organisations, you just have to read Hamas’ charter and it’s like chapters straight out of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
“I’d ask the following question: if you’re progressive, you’re embracing an organisation which is homophobic, which is misogynistic, which is openly anti-Semitic, what’s progressive about that?”
Aaron Klein is Breitbart’s Jerusalem bureau chief and senior investigative reporter. He is a New York Times bestselling author and hosts the popular weekend talk radio program, “Aaron Klein Investigative Radio.” Follow him on Twitter @AaronKleinShow. Follow him on Facebook.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.