This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ken-livingstone-creation-israel-great-catastrophe-tv-interview-a7016156.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ken Livingstone says creation of Israel was a 'great catastrophe' in TV interview | Ken Livingstone says creation of Israel was a 'great catastrophe' in TV interview |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ken Livingstone has said the creation of the state of Israel was "a great catastrophe" which has created a situation with "potential for nuclear war". | Ken Livingstone has said the creation of the state of Israel was "a great catastrophe" which has created a situation with "potential for nuclear war". |
| The former London mayor found himself at the centre of controversy last week and was suspended from the Labour Party after suggesting Adolf Hitler supported Zionism. | The former London mayor found himself at the centre of controversy last week and was suspended from the Labour Party after suggesting Adolf Hitler supported Zionism. |
| But in newly emerged footage of an interview, filmed on 20 April and broadcast in Arabic by TV station Al Ghad Al Arabi on Wednesday, he said: “The creation of the state of Israel was fundamentally wrong, because there had been a Palestinian community there for 2,000 years.” | But in newly emerged footage of an interview, filmed on 20 April and broadcast in Arabic by TV station Al Ghad Al Arabi on Wednesday, he said: “The creation of the state of Israel was fundamentally wrong, because there had been a Palestinian community there for 2,000 years.” |
| The clip was translated by the organisation MEMRI, which describes itself as a non-profit organisation dedicated to "bridging the language gap" between Middle Eastern regions and the West. | The clip was translated by the organisation MEMRI, which describes itself as a non-profit organisation dedicated to "bridging the language gap" between Middle Eastern regions and the West. |
| In the clip, Mr Livingstone suggested some tensions in the Middle East could have been avoided by Jewish people being resettled in the UK and America after the Second World War. | In the clip, Mr Livingstone suggested some tensions in the Middle East could have been avoided by Jewish people being resettled in the UK and America after the Second World War. |
| “The creation of the state of Israel was a great catastrophe,” he said. | “The creation of the state of Israel was a great catastrophe,” he said. |
| “We should have absorbed the post-World War II Jewish refugees in Britain and America. They could all have been resettled, whereas 70 years later, the situation is still very tense, and there is potential for many more wars, potential for nuclear war,” | “We should have absorbed the post-World War II Jewish refugees in Britain and America. They could all have been resettled, whereas 70 years later, the situation is still very tense, and there is potential for many more wars, potential for nuclear war,” |
| He also made the claim that Hitler originally "wanted to deport all the Zionists to Israel". | He also made the claim that Hitler originally "wanted to deport all the Zionists to Israel". |
| "The simple truth is that the situation in Iraq today is worse than what it was under the rule of Saddam Hussein," Mr Livingstone said. | "The simple truth is that the situation in Iraq today is worse than what it was under the rule of Saddam Hussein," Mr Livingstone said. |
| "All the western interventions in the Middle East had nothing whatsoever to do with introducing democracy." | "All the western interventions in the Middle East had nothing whatsoever to do with introducing democracy." |
| He also said he chose to boycott Israeli products such as dates. | He also said he chose to boycott Israeli products such as dates. |
| "I believe that the endorsement of double standards in the Middle East was one of the causes that led to the development of the terrorist Islamic groups today," he said. | "I believe that the endorsement of double standards in the Middle East was one of the causes that led to the development of the terrorist Islamic groups today," he said. |
| "We imposed harsh sanctions on Iran for over a decade, because we believed that it was developing nuclear arms [...] On the other hand, Israel has possessed nuclear arms for 40 years. It is the first country to introduce nuclear arms to the Middle East. | "We imposed harsh sanctions on Iran for over a decade, because we believed that it was developing nuclear arms [...] On the other hand, Israel has possessed nuclear arms for 40 years. It is the first country to introduce nuclear arms to the Middle East. |
| "But we have still not acknowledged that, and not imposed sanctions upon it." | "But we have still not acknowledged that, and not imposed sanctions upon it." |
| Al Ghad Al Arabi has been broadcasting from London since 2013. The station was also launched in Cairo in November 2015, with a ceremony attended by Tony Blair. | Al Ghad Al Arabi has been broadcasting from London since 2013. The station was also launched in Cairo in November 2015, with a ceremony attended by Tony Blair. |
| Mr Livingstone is one of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's oldest political allies, but Mr Corbyn was forced to move against him after his attempt to defend the Labour MP Naz Shah backfired, leading to the former London mayor himself being accused of racism. | Mr Livingstone is one of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's oldest political allies, but Mr Corbyn was forced to move against him after his attempt to defend the Labour MP Naz Shah backfired, leading to the former London mayor himself being accused of racism. |