Labour by-election candidate apologises for ‘deeply offensive’ Israel claims

A Labour by-election candidate has apologised for his “deeply offensive” comments, after he reportedly said Israel allowed Hamas to carry out its October 7 attack to provide grounds to invade Gaza.

Azhar Ali remains Labour’s candidate in Rochdale despite his remarks being described as “totally reprehensible” by Jewish groups and calls from the Tories to remove him.

He was recorded making the comments at a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party, according to The Mail on Sunday.

The newspaper reported that Mr Ali told the meeting: “The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel 10 days earlier … Americans warned them a day before (that) there’s something happening.

I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant and false

Azhar Ali

“They deliberately took the security off, they allowed … that massacre that gives them the green light to do whatever they bloody want.”

Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, in which 1,300 people were killed and more than 240 kidnapped. Israel has retaliated with months of attacks on the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding thousands.

Mr Ali is also reported to have said that Sir Keir Starmer had “lost the confidence” of some of his MPs on the issue.

Mr Ali, a Lancashire county councillor and former government adviser who was made an OBE in 2020 for public service, said: “I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant and false.

“Hamas’s horrific terror attack was the responsibility of Hamas alone, and they are still holding hostages who must be released.

“October 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Jews in the UK and across the world are living in fear of rising antisemitism. I will urgently apologise to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments.

“The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmer’s leadership, he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs.”

Pat McFadden, Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator, said Mr Ali’s comments were “completely wrong”.