Jeremy Corbyn reportedly called on Western governments to “confront the Zionist lobby” following the arrest of Raed Salah

An article apparently written by Jeremy Corbyn has been uncovered that calls on Western governments to confront “the Zionist lobby” following the arrest of the alleged prolific antisemite and blood-libeller cleric, Raed Salah.

The article was published in the Morning Star on 1st July 2011 after Mr Salah, the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, was arrested and detained for 21 days on the orders of the then Home Secretary, Theresa May, after entering Britain despite a travel ban. He later won a partial victory in a claim for damages, however none of the antisemitism allegations were overturned.

In the article, rediscovered by investigative journalist Iggy Ostanin, Mr Corbyn allegedly criticised “the hysteria” that followed coverage of the ban in the Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Daily Telegraph and Jewish Chronicle, writing that: “This bizarre turn of events seems to indicate that the right-wing press has more power than rationality.”

He concluded that: “It’s time that Western governments stood up to the Zionist lobby which seems to conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism” and signed off as the Labour MP for Islington North.

In April 2012, Mr Corbyn warmly praised Mr Salah who claimed that Israel planned the 9/11 terrorist atrocities and who has, according to the Court of Appeal, even promoted the antisemitic blood libel that Jews bake bread using the blood of non-Jewish children. Yet Mr Corbyn said that: “Salah’s is a voice that must be heard” and publicly told Mr Salah that: “I look forward to giving you tea on the terrace [in Parliament] because you deserve it!”

A Labour Party spokesperson told the Jewish News that: “There was widespread criticism of the attempt to deport Raed Salah, including from Jews for Justice for Palestinians, and his appeal against deportation succeeded on all grounds.” However that is a deeply misleading statement as the appeal was on technical grounds and the court agreed that Mr Salah promoted the antisemitic blood libel.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has begun pre-enforcement proceedings against the Labour Party following a formal referral and detailed legal representations from Campaign Against Antisemitism, which is the complainant. The pre-enforcement proceedings are a precursor to opening a full statutory investigation.

In recent months, eleven MPs have resigned from the Labour Party over antisemitism.

Almost 50,000 people have now signed our petition denouncing Jeremy Corbyn as an antisemite and declaring him “unfit to hold any public office”.