A Labour MP has "fully disassociated" herself from a now-deleted social media post made this week in which she posed with a notorious anti-Zionist and claimed the next Labour government will "recognise the state of Palestine."
In a post to Twitter on Wednesday, Rupa Huq, who is the MP for Ealing Central, posed with a group of pro-Palestine activists with the caption: “Thanks to constituents for coming into Parliament today to lobby me on Palestinian issues. Official government policy has long been a two-state solution but progress has sadly stalled. The next Labour government will recognise the state of Palestine.”
In a now-deleted Tweet, Ealing Central MP Rupa Huq poses with a notorious anti-Zionist and claims the next Labour government will recognise Palestinian statehood (Credit: Twitter)
Among those present in the photo was activist and former editor of Palestine News Hilary Wise who has in the past asserted that the allegations of antisemitism made against Jeremy Corbyn was an “orchestrated smear”.
In a statement shared with the JC, Rupa Huq said: "MPs are regularly "green carded" by constituents who arrive at parliament without an appointment who may request to see their MP. This individual was part of such a group. Having been made aware of this individual’s previous comments, I wish to fully disassociate myself from these opinions and make an unreserved apology for any offence caused. I have also deleted the tweet."
Huq’s remark makes no mention of her assertion that the next Labour government would recognise Palestinian statehood.
During Labour’s annual conference in 2018, Wise also urged delegates to watch the Al Jazeera-produced documentary The Lobby to “see what we are up against”.
Of that documentary, which attempted to prove the Israeli Embassy was behind plots to interfere with UK democracy, she said: “If you want to know how that orchestration (of alleged antisemitism smears) works you need to watch [The Lobby],
“Just watch the programme so we can see what we are against,” she added.
Wise also retweeted a video in February of protestors chanting “F**k Keir Starmer.”
In September of last year, Huq had the party whip withdrawn for five months for saying ex-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng was “superficially black”, for which she received widespread condemnation.
Three years prior, Huq was cleared by a panel over “antisemitic bullying” when an ex-staffer alleged that she repeatedly asked him why his bag was adorned with Israeli flags, referring to the Star of David badges pinned to it.
That staffer also alleged that Huq later “banned” him from writing policy responses after insisting that something he wrote on the Israel-Palestine conflict was too pro-Israel.
