Lipman: Miliband pandering to anti-Semitism masking as anti-Zionism
Maureen Lipman has stepped up her attack on Ed Miliband over his party’s recent approach to Israel, accusing him of “pandering to the anti-Semitism masking as anti-Zionism” and “vote seeking”.
The celebrated actress’ latest comments came in a message read out to dozens of activists protesting outside Labour Friends of Palestine’s dinner in Westminster, which was addressed by the Labour leader.
Earlier this month, in an article for Standpoint magazine, she announced she would not be voting Labour for the first time in the wake of Labour’s backing for a parliamentary motion for recgnition of a Palestinian state and criticism of Israel’s recent operation in Gaza.
And in tonight’s message she said: “He is vote-seeking and the Jewish vote is one and a half percent only. Our funding is far less important than that of the unions – and the unions have already voted for the new state.
“Mr Miliband will be joining the Jon Snow, Alexei Sayle, Miriam Margoyes, Annie Lennox, Roger Waters..Tonge brigade – all of whom bleed for the Palestinians and refuse to recognise the impossible position that Israel has been placed in..four thousand rockets, countless lives lost, anation’s psyche altered forever.Shame on you, Ed.”
Lipman added: “Inadvertantly or not, he is pandering to the anti-Semitism masking as anti-Zionism, which is once again sweeping across Europe.”
The said she would welcome a Palestinian state but it was impactical to do so before borders are defined in negotiations.
While she doubted Miliband would get a bacon sandwich at the LFPME dinner, she said: I hope in time and with reflection, he getshis just desserts.”
Activists from Sussex Friends of Israel and the Pro-Israel Response Group claim that LFPME has in the past advocated boycotts of Israeli settlement goods – counting to a 2011 article on the organisation’s website.
LFPME did not respond to questions from the Jewish News about whether they remained its position.
Miliband has consistently opposed boycotts.
He also used a Facebook posting earlier this month to insist that events in the Middle East can never excuse anti-Semitism following arise in incidents during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
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