A Scottish Labour councillor who was suspended and then reinstated by the party after reportedly posting antisemitic comments online has blamed the “Zionist ‘powers that be’” for his previous censure.

Councillor Terry Kelly, who represents Paisley North West on Renfrewshire Council, was suspended last month after it was claimed he had made antisemitic and anti-Zionist comments online, including one in which he described Israel as a “war criminal state”.

He was suspended pending an investigation, but - in a move that caused rival SNP councillors to label the inquiry a “sham” with “no evidence” - Mr Kelly was reinstated last week.

After being welcomed back into Labour, Mr Kelly wrote about the accusations against him on his blog: “This was a classic smear against me and others in the party by a coalition consisting of Israeli Zionist extremists, opportunistic right-wing Tories and the usual fetid SNP suspects.

“The Zionist ‘powers that be’ in Israel are very strong, very determined and utterly ruthless, and the last thing they want to see is a Labour Prime Minister in Number 10 who has a decade’s long commitment to Palestine, and opposition to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land.”

He continued: “Remind yourselves of what Zionist Israel, which is one of the most powerful countries in the world backed by American money, tried to do to Jeremy Corbyn”.

A Board of Deputies spokesperson said the organisation was “deeply concerned” by the councillor’s reinstatement.

He said: “In the wake of various Labour inquiries into antisemitism in recent months, we are disappointed that it seems lessons have not been learned and mistakes are being repeated.

“We will be requesting an explanation of this alarming decision."