Corbyn faces backlash over attendance of memorial for Palestinian activists

Jeremy Corbyn appeared to admit to being present at a wreath-laying ceremony for Palestinian activists suspected of being behind the Munich Olympics massacre.

The Labour leader has faced calls to quit over his controversial visit to the Palestinian Martyrs’ Cemetery in Tunisia in 2014.

Mr Corbyn said he had been present when a wreath was laid to “those that were killed in Paris in 1992” but he did not “think” he was involved in laying it.

Israeli secret service Mossad was accused of killing terrorists behind the Olympics atrocity.

It was blamed for killing Atef Bseiso, a Palestine Liberation Organisation intelligence chief linked to the attack, in the French capital in 1992.

Asked about the incident during a visit to Walsall he said: “A wreath was indeed laid by some of those who attended conference to those that were killed in Paris in 1992.

“I was present when it was laid. I don’t think I was actually involved in it (laying it).

“I was there because I wanted to see a fitting memorial to everyone who has died in every terrorist incident everywhere because we have to end it.

“You cannot pursue peace by a cycle of violence. The only way you pursue peace is a cycle of dialogue.”

Palestinian terrorist group Black September killed 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid earlier suggested that Mr Corbyn should quit over the issue.

The widows of Israeli athletes murdered by terrorists said they were “extremely disturbed” by claims about the visit.

Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger said: “Being ‘present’ is the same as being involved.

“When I attend a memorial, my presence alone, whether I lay a wreath or not, demonstrates my association & support.

“There can also never be a ‘fitting memorial’ for terrorists. Where is the apology?

“Being ‘present’ is the same as being involved. When I attend a memorial, my presence alone, whether I lay a wreath or not, demonstrates my association & support. There can also never be a ‘fitting memorial’ for terrorists. Where is the apology?

The row erupted after The Daily Mail published pictures of the Labour leader holding a wreath in the cemetery, which it said were taken in front of a plaque honouring the founder of Black September.

Labour said previously that Mr Corbyn had made clear he was paying his respects to the victims of a 1985 Israeli air strike on Palestinian Liberation Organisation offices in Tunis.

A tweet on the official Labour press team account on Sunday said the Munich widows were “being misled”.

“Jeremy did not honour those responsible for the Munich killings.”

Mr Corbyn said last year he had spoken at the conference and “I laid a wreath to all those that had died in the air attack that took place on Tunis, on the headquarters of the Palestinian organisations there”.

Writing in The Morning Star at the time of the visit, Mr Corbyn said that wreaths had been laid not only at the memorial, but also “on the graves of others killed by Mossad agents in Paris in 1991”.

The pictures emerged amid continuing controversy over Labour’s refusal to adopt in full an international definition of anti-Semitism, including a list of examples of anti-Semitic behaviour.

Labour launched a consultation with Jewish groups over the code, after protests that the version agreed by the party’s ruling National Executive Committee omits four examples relating to criticism of the state of Israel.

Three senior union leaders added their voices to calls from deputy leader Tom Watson for the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance text to be incorporated in its entirety into Labour’s new code of conduct on anti-Semitism.

But Mick Whelan, general secretary of train drivers’ union Aslef, who sits on the NEC, said he voted for the code because it is an advance on the original document.

He said: “For example, it adds the use of derogatory terms for Jewish people such as ‘kike’ or ‘yid’, plus stereotypical physical depictions of Jewish people, and equating Jews with ‘the ruling class’.”

Mr Corbyn said the Labour’s version of code was the “most sophisticated” of any political party.

He told reporters: “The one example that we are discussing and consulting on is one that makes sure that you can discuss and debate the relations between Israel and Palestine, the future of the peace process and, yes, make criticisms of the actions of the Israeli government in the bombing of Gaza and other places.

“But you can never make those criticisms using anti-Semitic language or anti-Semitic intentions, and that is what we are absolutely clear on.”