Home > London mayor defends the use of Palestinian suicide bombers

London mayor defends the use of Palestinian suicide bombers

by Open-Publishing - Friday 22 July 2005
8 comments

Attack-Terrorism UK

By Haaretz Service and News Agencies

Less than two weeks since the London terror attacks, the city’s Mayor Ken Livingstone has sparked controversy by defending the use of suicide bombers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and charging that Israel had indiscriminately slaughtered Palestinians in acts that "border on crimes against humanity."

"Given that the Palestinians don’t have jet planes, don’t have tanks, they only have their bodies to use as weapons," Livingstone told Sky News in an interview.

"In an unfair balance, that’s what people use," said Livingstone, who has often been strongly critical of Israel in the past.

On July 7, more than 50 people died in four London bombings believed to have been carried out by suicide terrorists.

At the time, Livingstone was uncompromising in his condemnation of the terror acts.

Livingstone said that Israel has "done horrendous things which border on crimes against humanity the way they have indiscriminately slaughtered men, women and children in the West Bank and Gaza for decades."

Livingstone also said that he does not distinguish between members of Likud and Hamas, branding them "two sides of the same coin."

"I think it is the Israelis who are leading the stubborn line," said Livingstone. "The Likud and Hamas members are two sides of the same coin. They need each other in order to attract support."

"Each side emphasizes the extremism of the other in order to attract sympathy," Livingstone said.

Livingstone agreed to the interview in the wake of the media frenzy surrounding the possible visit of controversial Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who has voiced support for Palestinian suicide bombers and has been banned from entering the United States.

Livingstone denied that Qaradawi will visit London,.

"I believe it is forbidden to take human life," Livingstone said. "I will welcome and meet with senior members of the Israeli government if they come here because they serve their country’s government even though I believe they have done terrible things bordering on crimes against humanity."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/602121.html

Forum posts

  • Thank you for your clear words Mr. Livingstone. I’m sure there will be an uproar but truth has to be spoken out: the civilized world should move away from Zionist and American policies.

  • Ken Livingstone again abuses his position as Mayor of London by making a series of highly inflammatory statements. These will only encourage potential suicide bombers and contribute to further loss of life. Nice one Ken. And when are are we going to hear from the Labour party on these utterances by one of their more prominent members? A resounding silence from that quarter.

  • Livingstone has balls !!! He is absolutely correct...I wonder how long till the Mossad has him "Wellstoned" ?

  • Once again the mayor of London has open his mouth and put his foot in it. How in the world can a mayor or for that matter anyone from the city of London after loosing 50 of there people by suicide bombers, stand up and even try to defend them. Why would they even want to. These people that goes around killing women and children just for the sake of killing.

    • Not "for the sake of killing". Terror is the weapon of the weak and oppressed. They do it to bloody the nose of a brutal and illegal occupation which is both funded by the US taxpayer and reported with extreme bias by the western press.
      Israel is a rogue state (IN VIOLATION OF 68 UN RESOLUTIONS) who are not above using fake terror to influence public opinion worldwide. Friends of Israel get used. Wake up.

    • Why are there so many UN resolutions against Israel? It is obvious that the Israelis are not committing any kind of genocide and death rates on both sides are lower than many other places. The UN nonetheless spends 25% of its time condemning Israel at the behest of the Muslim countries and their European allies.

      Israel cannot be expected to take steps that will result in its destruction, STILL the goal of you know who.

    • Their are far, far more Palestinian casualties than Israeli. Israel has the high specification of weapons from the USA and UK. Palestinians in the main have stones and catapults. Suicide bombing is the act of a really desperate people.
      There have been numerous UN resolutions against Israel -none acted upon.

      When Israeli troops occupy a Palestinian area -why do they, for instance, have to go into a Primary School, destroy the few computers and smear human shit over the kids paintings ?

      It IS a Judeo-Christian crusade against Muslims.

    • Maybe, because he knows who is behind the bombings, therefore. Maybe Peter Powers gave him some insider information about the agenda of the terror trill on 7/7...
      Would be strong, if England starts to break his ties with the Zionists who made ’em win WWI.

      Gerry