First Minister stops short of condemning protests on October 7 anniversary
The First Minister has stopped short of condemning protests on the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks.
After Sir Keir Starmer criticised the demonstrations as “un-British”, Eluned Morgan refused to echo the Prime Minister’s comments, instead calling for “sensitivity” from pro-Palestine protesters on Tuesday.
Writing in The Times, he said pro-Palestine protests have been used by some as a “despicable excuse to attack British Jews”.
Protests
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, urged Baroness Morgan to condemn protests taking place on Tuesday.
He said: “Last week, on Yom Kippur, we saw an atrocious, murderous, barbaric antisemitic attack in Manchester, at the Heaton Park synagogue.
“And, of course, today marks the second anniversary of the atrocities of the October 7 massacre in Israel, carried out by Hamas terrorists.
“The Jewish community, understandably, here in Wales, and across the UK, is fearful of yet further attacks, and they feel intimidated and hurt by the disrespectful behaviour of some terrorist-supporting protesters who continue to fuel hatred on our streets.
“Will you join me today in condemning those who are taking part in such protests?”
Extreme sensitivity
Baroness Morgan said: “I think we’ve got to use extreme sensitivity on this day of all days.
“I think that it is important that we all, as politicians, appeal for calmness and for kindness, and to make sure that we stand together with our communities across the nation and calm the temperature down on this.
“It is our responsibility as leaders within our communities to make sure that we are appealing for people to calm down and not to raise the temperatures at a really sensitive time.”
Mr Millar added: “The UK Prime Minister and the Home Secretary have called for protests to be called off today.
“I agree with them, but you haven’t.
“So, can you tell us, will you call for protesters to stay at home and not be on our streets, on today of all days?”
Lady Morgan said: “I think it’s important that we support people’s rights to protest.
“I think that’s part of who we are as a democratic nation.
“But I do think that there are times when you need to be sensitive, and I think today is a day when you need to be sensitive.”
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‘Jewish academics working at universities across Scotland have condemned ‘unfounded, irresponsible and dangerous’ attempts to link the Manchester terror attack with pro-Palestine protests. But her boss Keir Starmer again adds ‘detention of flotilla activists (including British citizens) is a matter for the Israeli government’. What?? Eluned must be so over the political barrel that it hurts.
It’s surprising how much more ‘free’ the Welsh Labour party were before Labour took power. Aside from the money issue (which is not that much better) the Labour FM had much more latitude to walk the path they wanted to. Instead of taking a leaf out of their book they (Starmer) decided to try and copy the failed Tory policies in the name of ‘Responsibility’.
No one should have called for the protests to be turned off. Not calling out genocide, is certainly not British and it will be of little comfort to those family members of hostages that were killed by the IDF.
It is British to stand up against Israel that have been found by UN investigators to have committed war crimes amounting to genocide in at least four different ways. We should not support acts of genocide, no matter the background because nothing can justify genocide.
Surely it would be more British to say ‘7th October’?