Labour Candidate Apologises For Claim Israel ‘Allowed’ Oct. 7 Attack To ‘Green Light’ Gaza Campaign
Labour candidate for Rochdale, Azhar Ali (second right), is joined by Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham (right) in Rochdale as he launches his campaign for the up-coming Rochdale by-election, triggered by the death of Sir Tony Lloyd. Picture date: Wednesday February 7, 2024. 75265904 (Press Association via AP Images)
Azhar Ali, Labour’s candidate for the upcoming Rochdale by-election, apologised Monday after a recording emerged in which he suggested that Israel “allowed” the October 7th attack by Hamas.
The comments surfaced in a secret recording obtained by the Mail On Sunday. During the recording, made at a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party, Ali reportedly claims that Israel both knew and allowed Hamas to attack its citizens in order to “green light” its military campaign in Gaza.
He said: “The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel 10 days earlier… Americans warned them a day before [that] there’s something happening… They deliberately took the security off, they allowed… that massacre that gives them the green light to do whatever they bloody want.”
In a statement issued Monday, Ali said: “I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant and false. Hamas’ horrific terror attack was the responsibility of Hamas alone, and they are still holding hostages who must be released.”
He continued: “October 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Jews in the UK and across the world are living in fear of rising antisemitism. I will urgently apologise to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments. The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmer’s leadership, he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs.”
Despite the apology, the Conservative Party called on Labour to suspend its by-election campaign and remove Ali’s party membership. Labour’s national campaign coordinator, Pat McFadden, condemned the remarks as “completely wrong” but confirmed Ali would not be withdrawn from the ballot paper.
