Mittwoch, 22.08.2018 / 22:55 Uhr

Jeremy Corbyn und die Hamas

Von
Thomas von der Osten-Sacken

Fast täglich werden neue Skandale um den Vorsitzenden der britischen Arbeiterpartei bekannt. Jeremy Corbyn scheint der Inbegriff des antiisraelischen Linken in Europa und benimmt sich auch so.

Das finden inzwischen auch Leute, die sich durchaus einem propalästinensischen Lager zurechnen. So etwa rechnet John Strawson mit Corbyns Nähe zur Hamas in einem Beitrag für die Times of Israel ab:

Although Corbyn now regrets calling Hamas “friends” it is evident that his brotherly relations with them run deep.

Instead of supporting those forces in Palestinian and Israeli society that promote peace and reconciliation Corbyn has helped legitimise a violent, racist and terrorist organisation.

Yet Hamas is a nasty anti-Semitic authoritarian organization. It styles itself as a “resistance” movement, yet it should not be forgotten Hamas carried out a murderous campaign against the Oslo peace agreements between 1994-5 killing over 120 Israeli civilians and maiming many more. It rejects substantive negotiations with Israel. Despite winning the Palestinian legislative elections in 2006 it rejected its mandate and decamped to Gaza in June 2007 which was promptly turned into a military base to attack Israeli civilians. As Israel had disengaged from Gaza in 2005 there was an opportunity to develop the strip economically and socially. Instead Hamas has set out to destroy any semblance of democracy or the rule of law and has condemned the population to atrocious conditions. The idea that Hamas is a liberation movement is grotesque. Yet Corbyn has spent years trying to normalise Hamas and to convince a generation of activists that solidarity with the Palestinians means solidarity with Hamas.

Instead of supporting those forces in Palestinian and Israeli society that promote peace and reconciliation Corbyn has helped legitimise a violent, racist and terrorist organisation which has divided and weakened the Palestinians. Corbyn’s protestations that he is a peace-maker are fake. He has studiously avoided working with the many brave Israelis and Palestinians who have put their reputations – and often their lives – on the line to foster cooperation and peace between both peoples. Corbyn has chosen another path; to side with his ‘brothers’ who are committed to violence and terrorism.