By, Marcus Dysch
1 min read
ByMarcus Dysch, Marcus Dysch
Controversial Liberal Democrat MP David Ward will not face disciplinary action after using Twitter to post an Israel-related message which included an antisemitic trope.
Mr Ward took to Twitter on Saturday night, telling followers: “After Commons Palestine vote what next? Need to expose Pro-Israel control of MPs against recognition.”
The Bradford East MP encouraged followers to watch journalist Peter Oborne’s 2009 Dispatches documentary on pro-Israel groups in Britain.
The documentary attracted widespread criticism after it was broadcast on Channel 4 amid fears it would stoke antisemitic feeling.
Mr Ward also called for the European Union to enforce sanctions on Israel. “Encouraging signs US going cold on Israel - lesson for Israel - you reap what you sow,” he tweeted.
A Liberal Democrat spokesman said: “The tweet specifically related to David’s concerns some supporters of Israel actively lobbied MPs to try to prevent the recognition of Palestine.
“It is in no way a suggestion Jewish people are trying to control MPs.”
The party’s chief whip will not take any action.
Mr Ward did not respond to a JC request for a further explanation of his messages.
Mark Gardner, Community Security Trust communications director, said: “No doubt David Ward will furiously deny meaning any such thing, but the old antisemitic accusation of Jewish money controlling compliant politicians inevitably comes to mind when Israel is similarly accused.
“If Ward does not wish to be misunderstood then he must avoid such provocations: but he already knows that, as do his party leaders.”
Matthew Harris, a former vice-chair of Lib Dem Friends of Israel, responded to Mr Ward telling him: “Your language risks echoing antisemitic lie about Jews ‘controlling’ politics.
“Do you seek to ‘expose’ those pro-Palestinian groups that spend big money on lobbying MPs?”
MP John Woodcock, the former Labour Friends of Israel chair, said Mr Ward was “a disgusting little man” who should be expelled by the party.
Mr Ward had been due to visit Gaza this week, but the planned trip was postponed due to security fears following violence in the northern Sinai area of Egypt.
The fact-finding mission, backed by the Council for European-Palestinian Relations, would have included a number of British MPs and peers, as well as those from the European Parliament.
Mr Ward said he hoped the visit would be rearranged. “In the meantime, I will continue to speak out against the oppression of the Palestinian people,” he said.
He has repeatedly caused controversy with his comments on Israel and the Holocaust and was briefly stripped of the party whip last year for a lack of “proportionate and precise” language when discussing such issues.
