George Galloway investigated after he says Israeli tourists aren't welcome in his constituency

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      The British MP for Bradford West, George Galloway, is back in the news after declaring that the area he represents should be called 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 declared in a recent speech in Leeds. “We don’t even want any Israeli tourists to come to Bradford even if any of them had thought of doing so. We reject this illegal, barbarous, savage state that calls itself Israel—and you have to do the same.”

      That's prompted an investigation by the West Yorkshire police.

      These remarks by George Galloway prompted a police investigation.

      A police spokesperson is quoted in the Telegraph saying there have been two separate complaints filed against Galloway.

      It's not the first time that Galloway has stirred up controversy. Earlier this month, he announced that he's holding his own public inquiry into the BBC's coverage of the war between Israel and Hamas. Galloway has claimed that as a publicly funded organization, the BBC has an obligation to cover the conflict in an unbiased manner.

      In February 2013, Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland chairman Paul Charney criticized the Respect MP when he walked out of a meeting after learning that a student on-stage with him was from Israel.

      "George Galloway's refusal to debate with an Israeli student is absolutely disgraceful and clearly xenophobic," Charney said at the time, according to Scotland's Sunday Herald. "The incident shows a man consumed by hatred of Israel, who undermines freedom of speech as he fears his lies and demonization of Israel being exposed."

      Galloway, however, defended himself against charges of racism in a speech last year at Oxford Union.

      Galloway said "the greatest people on the Earth were Jews", referring to their historical contributions toward the advancement of civilization.

      He also described how Jewish activists worked alongside him in the battle to overturn apartheid in South Africa.

      "They don’t have to be on the side of racism," he said.

      George Galloway responds to a question about whether he's a racist.

      In 2010, Galloway visited Vancouver as part of a cross-country tour of Canada. 

      Comments

      16 Comments

      SPY vs SPY

      Aug 9, 2014 at 10:22am

      Israel uses bombs and bullets to Pacify and Kill Palestinians. And the World sits on its hands.

      Galloway uses words and the Police Investigate.

      The Shadow and Ghosts of the Holocaust - are all that stop the EU and the USA from Invading Israel and putting an end to:

      The Military Colony in Palestine - Called Israel

      Gaza only had 60,000 residents - until Israeli Tanks and Guns pushed most of the Palestinian Owners of the Siani onto a very small strip of land we call Gaza.

      Disliking Israels wars of Occupation and Hating its actions in Gaza and the West Bank - are not Anti-Semetic or Racist.

      The last Israeli Prime Minister who made a Reasonable and Valid Peace Offering to the Palestinians - was SHOT AND KILLED BY AN ISRAELI ZELOT.

      liamlum

      Aug 9, 2014 at 11:43am

      Good for George, standing up for his beliefs . In fact I am standing with him, I feel he is correct.

      Forest

      Aug 9, 2014 at 12:17pm

      I know that Galloway is a notorious shit-disturber (and thank god for that!), but why on earth would his unbridled criticism of Israel's unbridled war on Gaza draw a police investigation? Over-reaction, much? Or just further evidence of US., Canada's and Britain's contradictory fidelity to Zionist practices of occupation and apartheid.

      FYI: Your counter does not work

      Aug 9, 2014 at 5:12pm

      I voted yes for both Spy vs Spy and liamlum and it increased BOTH the yes and the no by one vote each.

      Martin Dunphy

      Aug 9, 2014 at 5:41pm

      FYI:

      It worked fine for me. (I voted you up.)

      RUK

      Aug 9, 2014 at 6:06pm

      @Forest

      Well Forest, according to the quote above, which you are free to dispute as a Zionist invention (like 9-11 and fluoride), Gorgeous George is not just rejecting Israeli govt policy but actual Israeli citizens, some of whom, POSSIBLY, have not personally exterminated a Palestinian. Today. And telling them that none of them are welcome, including for example members of Peace Now.

      RUK

      Aug 9, 2014 at 6:10pm

      Actually, the whole thing is quite funny in that Galloway, like the good Islamist-backed Hamas supporter that he is, has been quoted as saying that he does not even recognize Israel. In which case, one wonders how he would even know that an Israeli was within his precincts.

      Gregg

      Aug 9, 2014 at 7:17pm

      Galloway is on record denying that muslim societies oppress gays. That is all you need to know about that rabid pro islamist.

      alyn21

      Aug 10, 2014 at 9:20am

      George Galloway is a leftwing crackpot who never met a dictatorship he did not like.
      The is the same idiot who said that he mourned the loss of the Soviet Union.
      Even Saddam Hussein thought he was wierd.

      Panem et Circenses Ashkenazi Style

      Aug 10, 2014 at 9:55am

      Seemingly unafraid of harmless Hamas rockets, how brave indeed are those Israel people who enjoying gathering on hills overlooking Gaza to eat popcorn and watch as US manufactured Hell Fire missiles and laser guided bombs destroyed the lives and property of impoverished and starved Palestinian civilians. These victims include hundreds of children being killed in mass genocide, as laser guided bombs and rockets are fired deliberately hitting schools, hospitals. and mosques as people desperately trying to save their owns lives and the lives of others are murdered. All this is done of course with Israelis claiming the right of Israel to defend itself from "terrorists enemies".

      The Israelis love to cheer "Death to the Arabs" and yet seem to have no fear of Hamas rockets as they gather for the show. When questioned on Israel's massive crimes of war and terrorism, they only cry "Anti-semitism!!" Meanwhile those critical of these huge crimes are labeled "rabid anti semites", like Galloway even though the Israeli Jewish majority are really Ashkenazi Israel Jewish people and are actually for the most part originally from Russia, Germany, Poland, and the US and are not Semites at all. The sad story Israel doesn't want to broadcast to the Goyim Christian cattle and Sabbath Goyim is that Israelis actually have no legitimate claim to Palestine at all (and the State of Israel was founded illegally by taking land without compensation to real land title holders) whereas the Palestinians actually do have a legitimate claim. It's also hard for a country to meaningfully "recognize Israel's right to exist" especially when your country basically no longer exists and is under a sixty five year brutal military occupation.

      I guess the Roman circus was something like that where Romans could enjoy the show eating snacks and cheer while watching Christians being raped by Gladiators and then ripped to pieces by lions at the colosseum. The Gaza show is free for Israelis but Romans probably had to pay to get into the the colosseum.

      http://www.buzzfeed.com/dorsey/israeli-crowd-cheers-as-missile-hits-gaza...