The National Jewish Assembly (NJA) condemns Jeremy Corbyn’s latest attempt to smear the UK’s relationship with Israel, following the passing of his Ten-Minute Rule Bill for an “independent public inquiry” into UK military co-operation with Israel.
This tired and cynical effort is nothing more than political theatre. An inquiry was already conducted in December 2023, which demonstrated that UK involvement in Israel’s defence industry is extremely limited and confined largely to minor components in general-use aircraft. There is no “complicity,” no covert arms pipeline, and no factual basis for Corbyn’s inflammatory rhetoric about “atrocities.”
Yet here we are again – the same tired slogans, the same ideological clique of pro-Gaza MPs cheering and clapping in Parliament while wearing “Stop Arming Israel” badges. Their aim is not transparency or justice. It is to demonise Israel and poison the UK-Israel relationship through constant, relentless political agitation.
NJA Vice Chairman Keith Rowe said: “Jeremy Corbyn’s bill is flogging a dead horse. We’ve already had this conversation. There is no secret British arming of Israel. This pointless bill is solely about scoring cheap political points and pandering to the pro-Hamas mob. Parliament should not be used as a stage for obsessive, bad-faith activism.”
It is especially telling that the same MPs who clamour for endless scrutiny of Israel show no such interest in the billions of pounds funnelled by European governments to Hamas-controlled Gaza, much of which has been exploited by the terror group to fuel its war machine.
Britain’s strategic and moral alliance with Israel must not be undermined by fringe politicians who treat democratic allies as pariahs and jihadist movements as victims.
The NJA calls on Parliament to reject this divisive and unnecessary initiative outright. The UK should stand firmly with Israel, a fellow liberal democracy under siege – not enable the relentless political harassment of our closest ally in the Middle East. Enough is enough.
