Jeremy Corbyn would be happy to buy goods from Israel and does not support a blanket boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) policy, his spokesman has said.
In remarks to The Guardian Corbyn’s spokesman said supporting BDS was not Labour party policy.
“Jeremy is not in favour of a comprehensive or blanket boycott,” he said. “He doesn’t support BDS. He does support targeted action aimed at illegal settlements and occupied territories.” Asked if Corbyn would be happy to buy Israeli goods himself, the spokesman said: “Yes.”
Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, said last week that the party did not support boycotts of Israeli products.
Praising the Israeli Labor party, she said: “Theirs is a positive vision of how a Labor-led government can build a more peaceful, more prosperous and more progressive future both for Israel and its neighbours.
“A constant rejoinder to all those who somehow believe that opposition to the policies of an individual Israeli government can ever justify a hatred of the nation and its people, or a boycott of its products, its culture or its academics, or a denial of its right to defend itself from military assault and terror attacks. That sort of bigotry against the Israeli nation has never been justified and it never will be.”
Jeremy Corbyn has been a lifelong supporter of the Palestinian cause and a critic of Israel. However, he has been less vocal on the issue since he became Labour leader.
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