‘You Love Jew Haters’: TalkTV Chaos As Irate David Mencer Attacks James Schneider Over Gaza Stance
The fiery but, otherwise, civil Thursday night debate between David Mencer, former Director of Labour Friends of Israel, and ex-Labour advisor James Schneider descended into chaos and took a personal turn as Mencer began calling Schneider a Hamas supporter and claiming he “loves Jew haters.”
The discussion centred around the Labour Party’s current division over how to respond to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Both men have ties to the Labour Party. Mencer served as a public affairs executive for various Labour MPs in the 1990s and was the director of the Labour Friends of Israel lobbying organisation until 2005. Schneider, on the other hand, advised former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Mencer began by referencing pro-Palestine protests in London from the previous weekend. He said: “We already saw 100,000 people marching [chanting] ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.’ That means the eradication of my people, people here in Israel.”
Schneider, who was present at the said demonstration, added: “I was there and it wasn’t frightening at all.”
Mencer quickly retorted: “James, you’ve had your turn. Now it’s my chance. It’s time to expose your hypocrisy. It’s time to expose your love of Jew haters and it’s time to put an end to Hamas. All right thinking people, all genuine people would agree with that notion, while, of course, protecting the lives of hostages and, of course, of ordinary Palestinian.”
As the Labour head-to-head collapsed into insults, First Edition host Iain Collins stepped in to give Mencer, who still works as a media consultant, a warning. “All right,” he said, “that last comment may well be seen as a yellow card. I think, from James, I mean your love of Jew haters. I think you would wish to refute that unequivocally.”
Remaining calm, Schneider said: “I mean, yes, it’s absurd. I mean I’m not getting into his ridiculous ad hominem stuff, which is offensive, false, idiotic. And, most importantly, we are talking about a conflict where people are dying. I don’t care if this bloke doesn’t like me. I don’t care if I like him. It’s in…”
Interrupting Schneider, Mencer said: “You support evil Hamas and I do not. And right thinking people…”
Schneider responded: “Okay, I obviously don’t support evil Hamas. If he were listening to what I’m saying…”
Even after Collins interruption, however, during Schneider’s opportunity to defend himself against the accusations, Mencer continued to shout about Hamas in the background: “Child killers, rapers, child beheaders, yes, evil Hamas, James. You support them.”
Exasperated, Schneider retired from the confrontation.
“No, no. I don’t,” he said. “Anyway, I’ll just let him run out of steam.”
