The Moment Israel And Palestine Ambassadors Clashed Over Corbyn's Wreath-Laying

13 September 2018, 10:00 | Updated: 13 September 2018, 10:07

The ambassadors for Israel and Palestine clashed during a historic live debate on LBC, as they discussed the controversial wreath laid by Jeremy Corbyn.

The Labour leader received a lot of criticism for appearing to lay a wreath for the Munich terrorists, who killed 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. He insists he was laying a wreath for other activists at the same cemetery.

When asked about whether he feels anti-Semitism is growing in the UK, Mark Regev, the Israeli Ambassador, told LBC: "It's clear the Jewish community here increasingly has concerns.

"My Prime Minister put out a statement criticising Mr Corbyn on an issue which is very sensitive to Israelis because it was apparently a ceremony for the murderers of the Munich athletes - not only were they bound and tortured, but their bodies were mutilated. It was a terrible atrocity and it has a very serious raw nerve in Israel."

He then turned the question to his Palestinian counterpart, Manuel Hassassian, asking: "On this issue, we have a problem with you and your government. You too honour the murderers of Munich.

"The whole international community at the Olympic Games united in remembering the Israeli athletes. And yet you choose to remember the murderers and to call them heroes, why is that?"

Professor Hassassian responded of Corbyn: "He went to put a wreath on the martyrs of an Israeli air-raid on Tunisians and Palestinians in Tunis. This is what he did."

When asked about the Palestine government honouring the Munich murderers, the Professor insisted: "When did we honour them? I mean, are we honouring them every day?"

But Mr Regev had a follow-up: "You have streets and squares in the West Bank named after the murderers of Munich."

Professor Hassassian said: "I'm not aware of that."