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Nick Clegg urged to act after Lib Dem peer says Israel will not last for ever

Party leader urged to condemn Lady Tonge, who said Israel would ‘lose support and then they will reap what they have sown’

So, rather than retract her latest abhorrent remarks about Israel, Baroness Tonge (pictured), aka Jenny Tonge, the virulently anti-Israel life peer dubbed “Jihad Jenny” by some commentators, has quit the Liberal Democrats (but will, of course, continue to sit in the House of Lords).

Known for a series of truly egregious remarks about Israel over the years, some of which have prompted allegations of antisemitism, for sharing platforms with people widely regarded as extremists, and for her unashamed appearances on Iran’s PressTV, her remarks at the recent hate-fest against Israel at Middlesex University featuring the notorious Ken O’Keeffe, drew a barrage of criticism from various sides of politics, with Labour leader Ed Miliband (hardly the warmest friend of Israel himself) joining the fray by tweeting:

“No place in politics for those who question existence of the state of Israel. Nick Clegg must condemn Jenny Tonge’s remark and demand apology.”

The remarks so widely condemned were these delightful sentiments:

“Beware Israel. Israel is not going to be there for ever in its present form. One day, the United States of America will get sick of giving £70bn a year to Israel to support what I call America’s aircraft carrier in the Middle East – that is Israel. One day, the American people are going to say to the Israel lobby in the USA: enough is enough.

Israel will lose support and then they will reap what they have sown.”

She also remarked that when the Israel lobby “decide to go for you, they will go for you in a big way. I bear the scars.”

The Jewish Chronicle reports that

‘[P]olice are investigating comments made at the event by former US marine Ken O’Keefe following allegations that he incited racial hatred when comparing Jewish audience members to Nazis.

Baroness Tonge was sitting next to Mr O’Keefe as he screamed at audience members, said Israel “must be destroyed” and claimed Mossad was “directly involved” in the September 11 terror attacks on the United States.

She made no attempt at the time to distance herself from his remarks, and launched her own tirade against Israel which has today been widely condemned from figures across the political spectrum.’