Keir Starmer says ‘Israel’ is not an apartheid state

London (QNN)- UK’s Labour Party leader Keir Starmer railed against Amnesty International’s report on Israeli apartheid, saying “that is not the Labour Party position.”

In an interview with the Jewish Chronicle last week, on April 4, the Labour leader was asked if he believes “Israel is an apartheid state” and whether he “agrees” with those in his party who back the Amnesty report.

“That is not the Labour Party position,” he insisted, dismissing the report and members of his party who agree with Amnesty’s findings.

Starmer also pointed to his speech about the position of his party on Israel-Palestine which he outlined in November at a meeting of Labour Friends of Israel.

Starmer spoke at that meeting alongside Israel’s far-right ambassador in London, Tzipi Hotovely.

Starmer gave no reasons to the Jewish Chronicle to explain why he disagreed with Amnesty International’s findings.

He simply said that he does not agree that ‘Israel’ is an apartheid state.

“No. I’ve been very clear about that,” he said, without missing a beat.

"That is not the position of the Labour party"

Keir Starmer says that he does not agree with a recent @amnesty report that branded Israel an 'apartheid' state. pic.twitter.com/x3HRzGE9RJ

— The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) April 7, 2022

When asked if he would say as much at a party conference, in front of members from all factions, Starmer said, “Yes, I’ve got no reason not to.”

Recalling the moment when party conference voted to accept the EHRC’s advice to set up an independent complaints process for antisemitism, he added, “It was an emotional moment for the Labour Party to make those rule changes.”

“What gave me great heart on that Saturday evening when we were there discussing antisemitism in the Labour Party was that there were a few hecklers, a small minority.”

“But it wasn’t the panel or those chairing the session that had to tell those hecklers to be quiet.”

“The whole room got up, thousands of ordinary Labour Party members got up and said, we’re not putting up with that any more.”

“For me, that’s the best evidence I’ve got today of the huge change we have brought about in the Labour Party.”

In February, the leading rights group Amnesty International released a report saying ‘Israel’ is carrying out “the crime of apartheid against Palestinians.”

Amnesty’s report details how ‘Israel’ enforces a system of oppression and domination against the Palestinians.