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Jeremy Corbyn branded an 'antisemite' by Likud official

Likud Foreign Affairs Director Eli Hazan's comments were challenged by the CST's Mike Whine

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A row has erupted at a conference in Budapest discussing the fate of Europe's Jews, after a senior official in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party branded Jeremy Corbyn "an antisemite."

Speaking in a discussion about European migration to an audience of politicians, academics and security experts, Likud Foreign Affairs Director Eli Hazan also warned of a coalition between far-left and far-right extremist parties in Europe.

But his controversial comments were quickly challenged by the Community Security Trust's Government and International Affairs director Mike Whine who told the conference: "I need to say something about that."

Mr Hazan launched his outspoken attack on the UK Labour Party leader after being asked for his thoughts on the impact of the BDS movement.

He said: "I want to add one thing regarding the political parties in Britain, specifically in Britain and what is connected to what happened in Hungary.

"There is no doubt about Jeremy Corbyn being an antisemite. He took over British Labour Party. And it happened here surprisingly, the connection between the extreme left wing and the extreme right wing.

"We must focus on that for a second. It confirms what has happened here (in Hungary) with Jobbik and this new alliance. And we must deal with it. This is a danger not just for the Jews. This is a danger for Hungary, for Europe and for the European Union.

"We cannot ignore that, and we must fight against it."

Mr Whine, looking visibly angered, then said: "Jeremy Corbyn has not taken over the Labour Party - he was elected as leader so he didn't take it over.

"Secondly, he is not antisemitic. He is anti-Israel but not antisemitic and you should differentiate between the two.

"I would say of course anti-Zionism often acts as a cloak for antisemitism. But he is not antisemitic. He is surrounded by people who are anti-Zionist or anti-Israel and there is a growing problem of antisemitism within the Labour Party.

"But this is as much to do with the removal of the barriers of entry into the Labour Party for the extreme left which took place under his predecessor Ed Miliband and not under Corbyn.

"Previously there had been strong barriers in preventing extreme left individuals from joining the party."

But Mr Hazan then insisted: "I'm not sure - what is anti-Zionism leads to antisemitism.

"You see what Jeremy Corbyn has done not just against the state of Israel - but against Jews as well."

The Likud official also made controversial comments about Israel's treatment of what he called the "260,000 infiltrators" from Africa and negotiations over their deportation "taking them back to Africa."

He praised Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's policies to "get them to leave Israel."

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