The new non-executive director of the Bank of England, Paul Nowak, accused Israel of killing “unarmed demonstrators” in Gaza, one week after Hamas announced the vast majority of those shot were its members, the JC has found.
Nowak, who has been the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress since 2022, was given the top role at the central bank earlier this month by Chancellor John Healey.
The incident Nowak was apparently referring to in his tweet occurred on May 14, 2018, during protests in the Strip which were dubbed the “Great March of Return”.
A total of 62 Palestinians are reported to have been killed, which initially prompted controversy as they were unarmed.
However, on May 16, Hamas had stated in interviews that 50 of those killed were its members. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) similarly claimed three of the deceased.
Hamas official Salah Bardawil said during an interview on Palestinian television: “In the last rounds of confrontations, if 62 people were martyred, 50 of the martyrs were Hamas and 12 from the people.
“I am giving you an official figure. 50 of the martyrs in the recent battle were from Hamas...
“How can Hamas reap the fruits if it pays such an expensive price?”
Government in Brexit chaos. Unarmed demonstrators shot dead in Gaza. Iran nuclear deal undermined. Trade wars loom as a result of economic nationalism. Our Foreign Secretary’s priority? A personal jet. Oh & to be specific, one that isn’t painted grey 🙄😞 https://t.co/5re9m9ryKQ
— Paul Nowak (@nowak_paul) May 23, 2018
The announcement was widely reported by Israeli media, while a Hamas spokesman told CNN on May 18 that, while the exact numbers could not be confirmed, “the protests are peaceful and include all political and military factions”.
Nonetheless, on May 23 Nowak authored a tweet criticising then-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, in which he referenced the incident without mentioning the terrorist affiliations of those involved.
“Government in Brexit chaos. Unarmed demonstrators shot dead in Gaza. Iran nuclear deal undermined. Trade wars loom as a result of economic nationalism,” he wrote.
“Our Foreign Secretary’s priority? A personal jet. Oh and to be specific, one that isn’t painted grey.”
Nowak has also continued to post about the conflict in the years since.
On September 21 last year, the day the UK recognised a Palestinian state, Nowak tweeted: “Recognition of Palestine is a welcome and crucial step on the path to peace with a two-state solution at its heart.
“The UK government must now do all it can to ensure the Israeli government ends its assault on Gaza. Solidarity to our sister unions in Palestine."
He also backed Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband’s announcement of sanctions on West Bank settlements, saying: “Important and right for the UK government to stand up for international law. The TUC has long called for a ban on trade with the illegal settlements.
“Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank are aimed at destroying any vestige of a peace based on a two-state solution.”
A spokesperson for the TUC said: “Investigations by the UN, Human Rights Watch, and B’Tselem found substantial evidence that, at the protests within Gaza between March and May 2018, Israeli forces repeatedly shot unarmed people who posed no imminent threat, causing many fatalities.
“The TUC supports genuine efforts towards a two-state solution and a just, lasting , and comprehensive peace. We advocate for a safe and secure Israel, and a safe, secure and free Palestine.”
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