Speaking at a meeting of Respect Party activists in Leeds on August 2, Galloway slammed Israel for the massacre of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and urged party members to issue a boycott of Israeli goods, services, academics and tourists.
"We reject this illegal, barbarous, savage state that calls itself Israel. And you have to do the same," he added. The Respect MP had distinguished between Israel and the world's Jewish population earlier in the speech."We have declared Bradford an Israel-free zone...We don't want any Israeli goods. We don't want any Israeli services. We don't want any Israeli academics coming to the university or the college," Galloway told activists.
West Yorkshire police said they are currently investigating two separate complaints they received over the comments attributed to Galloway.
Ron McKay, a spokesperson for the Respect Party who also attended the meeting, defended Galloway's comments on Thursday, saying they were "quite reasonable."
The investigation comes as London's Tricycle Theater has also ended its eight-year association with a Jewish film festival over the Israeli war on Gaza."The Israeli administration is engaging in mass murder, slaughter and war crimes," McKay said.
Israel launched its recent military offensive on the Gaza Strip on July 8. Reports showed that the Israeli regime has been using weapons containing British-made components in the war, which has claimed the lives of at nearly 1,900 Palestinians, including 400 children.
Galloway took the Bradford West seat following a by-election in 2012. The co-founder of the anti-war Respect Party was expelled from the Labour Party in 2003 after he fiercely rapped former British Prime Minister Tony Blair for his decision to go to war in Iraq.
MOS/HJL/HMV
My foot! The police received nada. This is like the political correct "it's offensive to... (insert group of choice, usually Muslims) rubbish. How to go after a knowledgeable, fearless orator that can make regular people take notice... & possibly, POSSIBLY think? Why, say you received "legitimate" complaints of course!
I'm thinking of making a complaint to the police about "weapons containing British-made components" used by the Israelis against Palestine (not synonymous with Hamas), a nuclear weapons state receiving billions in aid from a foreign power, against a non-nuclear state that's receiving the same treatment as let's say... (there's many to choose from, big & small) native Americans? But with more sophisticated methods. Am I naive or stupid in thinking that under laws set up since "donkeys years ago" an investigation should be underway?
Don't get me started on that rogue "state" (that's right, state gets quote marks & not rogue) called America. They supply most weapons of every kind all around the world (about 80%) & that's not even a "Conspiracy theory", any chance of an investigation on them? (fat load of good that'll do)