On Tuesday David Ward, Lib Dem MP for Bradford East, tweeted on Tuesday: ''The big question is - if I lived in #Gaza would I fire a rocket? - probably yes''. The comment was bound to provoke negative reaction among our Israel supporting Westminster elite. Some MPs, such as Nadhim Zawahi have even gone so far as to alert the Metropolitan police and call for an investigation! The Liberal Democrat Party have condemned Ward's behaviour, acknowledging the tweets as incitement to violence and threatening immediate disciplinary action.
Thankfully however, Ward seems to have gotten off light with an apology: "I condemn the actions of Hamas, and my comments were not in support of firing rockets into Israel.
If they gave the opposite impression, I apologise. "However, while I defend the right of Israel to exist and defend itself, I will continue to speak out for the rights of the Palestinian people who are facing untold suffering. More must be done by the world community to end this humanitarian crisis and protect the families living in Gaza. I can understand their plight and desperation. However, what an awful sign of the times we live in where such opinions, essentially expressing empathy with an oppressed people, are stifled behind walls of political correctness.
David Ward should be congratulated for his honesty and pro-Palestinian outlook in the face of the Westminster mob that condemn him.
This is not the first time that Ward has gained publicity for his Tweets. July 2013 saw him temporarily suspended for calling Israel an 'apartheid state'. Hundreds have died so far during the Israeli ground offensive into Gaza and many world leaders, even David Cameron have had to come out and urge the Israeli Government to show restraint, after a series of public demonstrations condemning Israeli brutality around the world, that are still continuing.
Previously the PM stated that the UK are staunch supporters of Israel's right to defend itself. Perhaps the large donations the Conservative party receive from Friends of Israel may have something to do with this. In any case, as the violence escalates, the public have been turning slowly in favour of Palestine and world leaders must follow next. Hopefully in future David Ward will be able to walk around proudly for showing his support for the Palestinian people.