Corbyn Fires Back at Netanyahu’s Criticism, Slams Israeli Nation State Law

On Monday, Netanyahu lambasted Corbyn over allegedly laying a wreath on the grave of a terrorist responsible for the 1972 Munich Olympics tragedy and, in a separate incident, drawing parallels between Israel and the Nazis. These actions deserved “unequivocal condemnation from everyone – left, right and everything in between,” Netanyahu said on Twitter.

“Israeli PM @Netanyahu’s claims about my actions and words are false. What deserves unequivocal condemnation is the killing of over 160 Palestinian protesters in Gaza by Israeli forces since March, including dozens of children… The nation state law sponsored by @Netanyahu’s government discriminates against Israel’s Palestinian minority,” Corbyn wrote in response.

Earlier this month, photographs emerged of Corbyn at a 2014 cemetery in Tunisia with a wreath, standing next to the graves of people linked to the 1972 killing of Israeli athletes. On Monday the Labour Party’s press service clarified that Corbyn was visiting the cemetery to commemorate victims of the bombing of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) headquarters by Israel.

In 2013, the Labour leader reportedly said in a speech at the Palestinian Return Center that Palestinians in the West Bank were living in conditions similar to those that many experienced during WWII.

The law that Corbyn was referring to in a tweet was adopted by the Israeli Knesset in July. It describes Israel as the nation-state for the Jewish people.

The law has drawn criticism from the Palestinian minority and led the European Union to express concern. The United States also reportedly asked for clarifications to ensure that the law would not affect minorities’ rights.