Jonathan Arkush, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the representative organisation of the UK Jewish community, has reacted to Israel’s decision to deny entry to Palestine Solidarity Campaign chair Hugh Lanning.
He said: “Mr Lanning chairs a pressure group known as Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). A recent report highlighted how PSC’s members and supporters are riddled with antisemitism. PSC gives every impression of denying Israel’s right to exist and therefore implies an objective to seek its destruction. Israel is Britain’s most dependable ally in the Middle East with eight million citizens who are Jewish, Christian and Muslim. Mr Lanning has been pictured with the leaders of Hamas and apparently enjoying their company. Hamas is a violent terrorist entity which is openly antisemitic and, for good measure, hates Christians too. In refusing Mr Lanning’s entry, Israel has exercised the same power that the United Kingdom has to deny admission where it would be conducive to the public good. If the Palestine Solidarity Campaign wants to avoid being treated like a pariah, it has to stop behaving like one.”