London – A British MP facing disciplinary action after accusing “the Jews” of atrocities against Palestinians has issued a public apology for causing “unintended offense,” the Evening Standard reported Saturday.
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David Ward posted an item on his website on Friday accusing the Jewish people of “inflicting atrocities on Palestinians … on a daily basis.”
In a new post, David Ward said he “never for a moment intended to criticize or offend the Jewish people as a whole, either as a race or as a people of faith, and apologise sincerely for the unintended offense which my words caused.”
He added that his “criticisms of actions since 1948 in the Palestinian territories in the name of the State of Israel remain as strong as ever.”
Ward stated that he does “recognize of course the deep sensitivities of these issues at all times, and particularly on occasions of commemoration such as this weekend.”
The British parliamentarian added that he raised the issue of treatment of Palestinians in order to make clear that “everybody needs to learn the lessons of the Holocaust.”
“I will continue to make criticisms of actions in Palestine in the strongest possible terms for as long as Israel continues to oppress the Palestinian people,” he added.
On Friday, Ward defended comments made on his website over Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians, British daily The Guardian reported.
On Ward’s website, it stated: “Having visited Auschwitz twice – once with my family and once with local schools – I am saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza.”
According to the Guardian, the MP defended his comments, saying “I shall try to explain my position. No doubt the chief whip will explain why he feels what I have done is wrong.”
The remarks, made ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day on Sunday were described as “sickening” by the Holocaust Educational Trust.
In an official statement, Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “I am deeply saddened that at this sombre time, when we remember those who were murdered by the Nazis, Mr Ward has deliberately abused the memory of the Holocaust, causing deep pain and offense – these comments are sickening and unacceptable and have no place in British politics.”
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
He should DROP DEAD!!!!!
In plain english.
Yet another example of English hatred of the Jews.
It’s not his intentions that are the problem here. His facts are wrong.
When Britain gets out of Ireland and Scotland he can talk about occupation.
You don’t get it dummy. We are determined to defend ourselves, having learn a lesson from history that we can not count on anybody else to protect us, so we will take extreme measures to guarantee that never again will we be persecuted.
Mr. Ward what is your feeling about Syria? Enough said……..
English pufter with a title , you Brits started the whole thing.
The facts are not being published – on BBC’s website, the history of the Middle East discusses the history if Israel-Palistinian conflict, mentions the early wars yet left out the fact that all the Arab countries ganged up on Israel and lost. Not one word of that win by Israel. That omission goes a long way in the slant they display towards the Palistinians.
Please number 1-6 calm down. We have found another anti-semite that Alterg and his ilk can feel at home with.Now they need not go all the way to Iran. They may find company in Britain.
He has a point, but it is not all jews, not even all zionists, but he is correct. It is an insult to the memory of the six million kedoshim to have a state which excludes other people from equality. Nothing Israel has done yet is as bad as how the holocaust ended up, but there is a certain level of the beginnings of it. The germans also felt they were defending their land. Still, the worst palestinians are much worse than the worst zionist, but most palestinians, like most israelis, are just good people trying to live their lives.
How is Israeli treatment of Palestinians comparable to how the Jews were treated in the Holocaust? The Palestinians are not being mass murdered or sent to Concentration Camps to slave away for Israel while being on a starvation diet.
The real lesson from the holocaust is not to let anger and hatred rule the day. And I think we can tell which direction that is coming from.
This is a time to remember who we lost, say kaddish and never again! When the fanatics believe sharia should overtake Mr. Ward’s way of life as they have been doing in Mr. Ward’s neighborhood, then perhaps he will be more apt to see things in a different light.
Even the worst of the Nazis would be prepared to issue a lovely appology if he were in Modern day British society. (It’s might just be a question of style).