How many Palestinians should die for Israel’s self-defense, asks UK’s Jeremy Corbyn

Former leader of the United Kingdom’s Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, has become increasingly vocal about Israel’s actions against the Hamas terrorist organization, and the casualties stemming from those actions. 

Corbyn wrote on X on October 12 that “We should condemn the targeting of all civilian life, no matter who does it. Why can't our politicians uphold this basic moral principle, and defend international law universally and equally? How many innocent Palestinian lives should be erased in the name of self-defence?”

We should condemn the targeting of all civilian life, no matter who does it.Why can't our politicians uphold this basic moral principle, and defend international law universally and equally? How many innocent Palestinian lives should be erased in the name of self-defence?

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) October 12, 2023 

Accusations against the Israeli government

On the same day as the X post, Corbyn published a piece in the Tribune Magazine where he claimed that the Israeli government has “targeted hospitals, destroyed ambulances and damaged nurseries.”

Corbyn went on to write that “We may be witnessing the beginning of the total annihilation of Gaza and its people. This is not a battle between one state and another. It is couched as an Israeli response to a non-state actor, but in fact it is a response to Palestinian people wherever they are. What is unfolding is not a conflict of equals, but the systematic starvation, subjugation and destruction of an unarmed civilian population.”

“I wonder, if Gaza is wiped off the face of the earth, whether our politicians will look back and reflect on the reality of their unwavering support. If they had any integrity, they would mourn the innocent Palestinian lives that have been erased in the name of self-defence.

“They should be ashamed of their cowardice, knowing that others will pay the price for the war crimes they refuse to oppose."

Corbyn, two days later, attended a rally for Palestine where several individuals were recorded supporting Hamas and wearing items celebrating Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israeli civilians attending a rave.

“We cannot stand by as Gaza is decimated. Today, we gathered in our thousands to mourn the loss of innocent lives, Israeli and Palestinian. We will keep marching until our political leaders wake up: ending the occupation is the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace,” Corbyn wrote on X. 

We cannot stand by as Gaza is decimated. Today, we gathered in our thousands to mourn the loss of innocent lives, Israeli and Palestinian.We will keep marching until our political leaders wake up: ending the occupation is the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace. pic.twitter.com/MtEFm8AJxe

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) October 14, 2023

It is unconfirmed if Corbyn attended the vigil held in London for the Israeli victims of the Hamas massacre, although no known sources have stated his attendance. 

We must all recognise that the targeting of civilians by military forces is a war crime, as is the deprivation of water and other necessities to sustaining life.We must end the siege of Gaza, de-escalate the conflict and end the occupation of Palestine.pic.twitter.com/rLWN8wm1gO

— Peace & Justice Project (@corbyn_project) October 14, 2023 

The speech Corbyn read at the pro-Palestine demonstration mourned those murdered in the Negev desert, but did not mention the party responsible for the brutal attack.  

In another post, made on X on October 15, Corbyn insisted that Israel “end the occupation” and accused the Jewish state of war crimes.

The collective punishment of the Palestinian people is a war crime.We will carry on demonstrating as long as it takes to stop the bombardment of Gaza, to end the occupation, and to bring about a just and lasting peace. pic.twitter.com/CIam4wTsd1

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) October 15, 2023