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UK Labour lawmaker calls Israel a fascist state in parliament, then apologizes hours later
(JTA) — A British Labour Party lawmaker apologized hours after calling Israel’s new far-right government “fascist” in parliament on Wednesday in a show of how the party is prioritizing a unified pro-Israel stance after years of antisemitism controversy.
“Since the election of the fascist Israeli government in December last year, there has been an increase in human rights violations against Palestinian civilians including children. So can the prime minister tell us how he is challenging what Amnesty [International] and other human rights organizations have described as an apartheid state?” said Kim Johnson, who represents a district of Liverpool. She made the comment to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during the “Prime Minister’s Questions” session which is held in parliament each Wednesday.
“Well, Mr. Speaker, the honorable lady also failed to mention the horrific attacks on civilians inside Israel as well, and it’s important in this matter to remain calm and urge all sides to strive for peace, and that’s very much what I will do as prime minister and in the conversations that I’ve had with the Israeli prime minister,” Sunak responded.
Labour MP Kim Johnson has apologised after saying that the Israeli government was fascist and that the country is an ‘apartheid state’ during today’s PMQs pic.twitter.com/AMcvxYAa7x
— The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) February 1, 2023
A few hours later, Johnson spoke up again in the House of Commons.
“I would like to apologize unreservedly for the intemperate language I used during PMQs,” Johnson said while reading from a prepared document. “I was wrong to use the term fascist in relation to the Israeli government, and understand why this was particularly insensitive given the history of the state of Israel. And while there are far-right elements in the government, I recognize that the use of the term in this context was wrong.”
“I would also like to apologize for the use of the term apartheid state. While I was quoting accurately Amnesty’s description, I recognize that this is insensitive and would like to withdraw it,” she added.
Labour leader Keir Starmer has sought to move his party past the years of antisemitism controversy that marked his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn’s tenure. From 2015-2020, Corbyn was accused of allowing antisemitism to fester throughout Labour’s ranks, and multiple prominent Jewish lawmakers left the party.
One of those lawmakers was Louise Ellman, who said in resigning in 2019 that “antisemitism has become mainstream in the Labour party” under Corbyn.
Johnson replaced Ellman as representative of Liverpool Riverside in 2019.
“Kim Johnson’s words were completely unacceptable. Labour sees the relationship with Israel as an important one, and Keir is committed to strengthening that,” a Labour spokesperson said according to the Jewish Chronicle.
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The post UK Labour lawmaker calls Israel a fascist state in parliament, then apologizes hours later appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Some Tankers Cross Strait of Hormuz Before Shots Fired, Ship-Tracking Data Shows
A satellite image shows the ship movement at the Strait of Hormuz on April 17, 2026, in Space. EUROPEAN UNION/COPERNICUS SENTINEL-2/Handout via REUTERS
More than a dozen tankers, including three sanctioned vessels, passed through the Strait of Hormuz after a 50-day blockade was lifted on Friday, shipping data showed, before Iran reimposed restrictions on Saturday and fired at some vessels.
Reopening the strait is key for Gulf producers to resume full oil and gas supplies to the world, and end what the International Energy Agency has called the worst-ever supply disruption.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday Iran had agreed to open the strait, while Iranian officials said they wanted the US to fully lift its blockade of Iranian tankers.
Western shipping companies cautiously welcomed the announcements but said more clarity was needed, including on the presence of sea mines, before their vessels could transit.
IRAN RESUMES RESTRICTIONS
The ships that passed through the strait on Friday and Saturday via Iranian waters south of Larak island were mainly older, non-Western-owned vessels and included four sanctioned ships, according to ship-tracking data.
Iran arranged passage for a limited number of oil tankers and commercial ships following prior agreements in negotiations, a spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said.
Other ships have been seen approaching the strait and turning back as Iran said it would maintain strict controls as long as the US continues its blockade of Iranian ports.
The UK Navy reported on Saturday that Iranian gunboats fired at some ships attempting to cross the strait.
Some merchant vessels received radio messages from Iran’s navy saying the strait was shut again and that no ships were allowed to pass, shipping sources said on Saturday.
Ship-tracking data showed five vessels loaded with liquefied natural gas from Ras Laffan in Qatar approaching the strait on Saturday morning.
No LNG cargoes have transited the waterway since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28.
Hundreds of ships have been stuck in the Gulf since the conflict started and Tehran closed the strait, forcing Gulf oil and gas producers to sharply cut production.
Top producers such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq and Kuwait say they need steady tanker flows and unrestricted passage through the strait to resume normal export operations.
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Trump Greenlights Russian Oil to Ease Strain on Global Markets After War with Iran
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington, DC, US, March 27, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
i24 News – The Trump administration has authorized a 30-day emergency waiver allowing the maritime purchase of Russian oil, reversing a hardline stance in an effort to stabilize skyrocketing global energy prices.
The Treasury Department announced Friday that the license for crude and petroleum products will remain in effect until May 16, 2026, responding to intense pressure from international partners struggling with the fallout of the war with Iran.
This policy pivot comes as a surprise after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested earlier this week that no further exemptions would be granted:
“As negotiations with Iran accelerate, the administration seeks to ensure oil availability for those who need it most. We must prevent a total price collapse for consumers while the geopolitical situation remains volatile.”
Ensuring global oil availability is paramount for the US as over 80 energy facilities in the Middle East have been damaged by recent war with Iran. With the November midterm elections approaching, record-high fuel prices at the pump remain a primary vulnerability for the Republican party. By allowing Russian oil back into the maritime flow, the administration hopes to neutralize “pain at the pump” before voters head to the polls.
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UK: Islamist Group Claims to Attack Israeli Embassy with ‘Drones Carrying Radioactive, Carcinogenic Materials’
A UK man has been arrested for allegedly threatening a group of Jews while wielding an ax on Rosh Hashanah. Photo: Tony Webster / Wikimedia Commons.
i24 News – British police officers in protective clothing were seen investigating a “security incident” near the Israeli embassy in London on Friday, after a jihadist group put out a video showing it launching two drones allegedly carrying radioactive and carcinogenic materials toward the embassy.
“There is an increased police presence in Kensington Gardens and officers are assessing a number of discarded items. As a precaution, some of the officers who have been deployed are wearing protective clothing. We recognize this may concern local residents and the wider public,” police said in a statement.
“Counter Terrorism Policing London are aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claims to have targeted the nearby embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances,” the statement further read. “While we can confirm that the embassy has not been attacked, we are carrying out urgent inquiries to determine the authenticity of the video and to identify any potential link between it and the items discarded in Kensington Gardens.”
The incident comes amid a steep hike in antisemitic attacks in Britain targeting Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions.
The group that released the video was identified as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, a shadowy entity with suspected ties to Iran. It has already claimed seven attacks against Jewish institutions, including an arson attack in London where four ambulances owned by the Hatzolah charity were torched.