Twickenham’s Green Party candidate, Tanya Williams was speaking at the Amnesty International hustings last year. Vice president of The Board of Deputies of British Jews Alex Brummer told SW Londoner (16 April, 2015) that Williams’ comments were ‘unacceptable,’ and made the baseless claim that they would fuel anti-Semitism.
Responding to a question on how she would tackle Israel’s violations of international law, if elected, Williams had explained she would fight for effective sanctions:
It needs to be pointed out that they are a racist state and an apartheid state. South Africa got its act together after decades of campaigning and I hope Israel may eventually too – I think it is time to stand up to the myth that Israel and Palestine are both equal participants in this conflict.
She said that the UK should stop supporting Israel, both politically and from a trade perspective:
It seems to have become politically correct, when talking about one side, to say ‘the other has done this’.
Brummer’s response was to deny well-documented and ongoing violations of international laws, and attempt to deflect condemnation of Israel onto Williams, claiming her comments were motivated not by a commitment to upholding human rights, but by racial prejudice:
They are based on falsehoods, ignorance and sheer prejudice against Israel and its supporters.
Remarks like this can only fuel antagonism against the British Jewish community at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise.
Richmond and Twickenham Green Party stood by Williams, releasing the following statement:
The Green Party fully endorses the comments made this week by Tanya Williams in an open forum focusing on human rights that invited a range of opinions. Her remarks fully reflect Green policy on the conflict between Palestine and Israel as stated in our manifesto as follows:
We seek a just, sustainable and peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, based on mutual recognition of the rights to independent statehood for Palestinians and Israelis. We condemn human rights violations by both parties and the oppression and disproportionate use of aggression by the Israeli government against the people of Gaza.
We seek to suspend the EU–Israel Association Agreement.
