UK
New MP allegedly once told a Gaza rally: ‘Let’s make Israel burn’
Adnan Hussain was elected as an independent for Blackburn
July 7, 2024 11:55
Adnan Hussain was elected as an independent for Blackburn
July 7, 2024 11:55The newly elected MP for Blackburn who won his seat on a Gaza ticket once told a rally, “let’s make Israel burn”.
Adnan Hussain, who was elected as an independent, promised during the campaign to speak out “against the injustice being inflicted against the people of Gaza”.
The Telegraph reported that speaking at a “Free Palestine” rally in Bradford in 2014, the now-MP claimed Israel’s military operation in the summer of that year amounted to a “holocaust”.
He told activists: “Every corporation… that supports Israel, let’s stop their funding. Let’s stop the funding.
“They let Gaza burn, they hate Gaza… Now let’s make Israel burn, let’s make Israel burn. We will stop their funding...
“United we stand, divided we fail. We will raise. We will show Israel that we do not support its holocaust. We will never support its holocaust.”
While he continued to use the term “genocide” during the election campaign, Hussain has not talked about Israel “burning” or used similar violent language in recent years.
In the Gaza war of 2014, Israel launched an offensive after three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and murdered in the West Bank by Palestinian terrorists with links to Hamas.
Some of the deadliest fighting in the region for decades then unfolded between the Israel Defence Forces and Hamas terrorists.
Explaining his remarks at the 2014 rally, Hussain told the Telegraph that he was “speaking from a place of very high emotion triggered by what I very clearly state in the speech in question - a genocide”. He added that he was calling for a boycott of Israel and that his reference to “burning” should be “interpreted in this vein”.
Hussain said that he concluded his speech by expressing solidarity with “Jewish brothers and sisters”.
“In hindsight, and with the maturity of at least ten years since the speech in question, I’d use my words much more carefully, in order for room for nuance not to arise,” he said.
“The speech itself, other than a potential failure in adequate articulation of my point, carries a very positive, and inclusive message when listened to as a whole. I call for harmony between all racial and religious groups, Muslim, Christian and Jewish.
“However as far as my stance on the genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza goes, and my belief that all arms must be halted to Israel until this ugly chapter is brought to a close, and those complicit are brought to justice before the World Court, my views have not altered, in fact, given the situation on the ground in Gaza right now, they have in fact strengthened.”