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JVL co-founder calls BBC interviewer's questions about Jeremy Corbyn 'absurd' in heated exchange
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi refuses to answer Justin Webb's question
August 14, 2018 11:23
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi refuses to answer Justin Webb's question
August 14, 2018 11:23A Jewish Jeremy Corbyn supporter has refused to answer why the Labour leader has "again and again" appeared alongside people those who support violence, in a heated-on air exchange with the BBC about why he attended a wreath-laying for the Black September terrorists.
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi told Today presenter Justin Webb his questions were "absurd" as he pushed her on why he attended the event in Tunisia in 2014 if, as she said, he "opposes all forms of violence".
The wreath-laying has triggered a huge row and condemnation by two widows of athletes who were among the 11 murdered at the 1972 Olympic Games by Black September.
After Mr Corbyn's spokespeople said the Labour leader did not pay tribute to Black September terrorists, he said he was "present" at the service but did not know if he was "actually involved" in the laying of a wreath for them.
Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday, Ms Wimborne-Idrissi, the co-founder of Jewish Voice for Labour, said the row was a “cooked up example of people trying to attribute guilt to the Labour Party leader by association”.
When challenged by Mr Webb, Ms Wimborne-Idrissi accused him of “barracking” her, maintaining that Mr Corbyn “opposes all forms of violence”.
She went on to attack Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who condemned Mr Corbyn’s presence at the memorial service, and Marie van der Zyl, the President of the Board of Deputies, for her support of the internationally-recognised definition of antisemitism, which Labour has so far refused to adopt.
She said: “Again and again Marie van der Zyl and her group refused to condemn the violence of the Israeli State. This is just tit-for-tat, it gets us nowhere. I’m sorry I don’t think we should be engaging with this. She wants to talk about the IHRA definition, doesn’t she?
“She raised the IHRA definition. The IHRA definition – and we can see this now – the pieces that Marie van der Zyl and the Board of Deputies and others who support Israel are desperate to see introduced are specifically those which make it impossible for Palestinians and their supporters to campaign for peace and justice.”
When asked whether she thought it was “odd” that Mr Corbyn had been pictured at the Tunis event, Ms Wimbourne-Idrissi said it was an “absurd” question.
Mr Webb put it to her most people would be "horrified" the wreath-laying, adding: "When you say he opposes all forms of violence, don't you find it odd he's so often been on stages and at places where people who support violence happen to be... isn't that a bit odd?"
Ms Wimbourne-Idrissi responded by saying: “Netanyahu supports violence. Netanyahu is guilty of governing a regime which recently – a few weeks ago – slaughtered almost 200 Palestinians.
Mr Webb said: "But that's not an answer to that question."
"But I can't answer that question, it's an absurd question," she said.
"Why is it absurd? Again and again he is at these ceremonies, pictured at them," Mr Webb replied.
Earlier in the programme, Mrs van der Zyl called for Mr Corbyn to apologise to “the widows and victims” of the 1972 terrorist attack.
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