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MP David Ward has Lib Dem whip withdrawn over 'Jews' comment MP David Ward has Lib Dem whip withdrawn over Israel comment
(about 1 hour later)
Liberal Democrat MP David Ward has had his party's whip withdrawn over controversial comments he made in the lead-up to Holocaust Day in January. Lib Dem MP David Ward has had the party whip withdrawn over comments he made about Israel.
Mr Ward said "the Jews", who had suffered during the Holocaust, had inflicted "atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel" within a few years. He posted a tweet at the weekend calling the country an "apartheid state" and saying that "Zionists" were "losing the battle".
He also posted a tweet at the weekend, calling Israel an "apartheid state". It comes after a long-running dispute with the party's leadership over his use of language and comments he made about "the Jews".
Mr Ward is said to be "disappointed" by the Lib Dem leadership's decision. Mr Ward said he would not apologise for his tweet.
The MP for Bradford East wrote on his website in January that he was "saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps, be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza".The MP for Bradford East wrote on his website in January that he was "saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps, be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza".
'Disappointed' 'Strength of feeling'
This led to a complaint to the Lib Dems from the Holocaust Educational Trust.This led to a complaint to the Lib Dems from the Holocaust Educational Trust.
Mr Ward initially defended the comments and said his party's response - reprimanding him - had been "regrettable", but later apologised for the "unintended offence" which his words had caused. At the weekend, Mr Ward posted a tweet, asking: "Am I wrong or are am I right? At long last the #Zionists are losing the battle - how long can the #apartheid State of #Israel last?"
He insisted that neither he nor his comments had been anti-semitic. Following a meeting on Wednesday with Mr Clegg and chief whip Alistair Carmichael, the party whip was withdrawn until 13 September.
Following a meeting on Wednesday with Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and chief whip Alistair Carmichael, the party whip was withdrawn until the autumn. This means he has been expelled from the parliamentary party, although the Commons will rise later on Thursday for the MPs' summer break.
This means he has been expelled from the parliamentary party, although the Commons will rise later for the MPs' summer break. In a letter to Mr Ward, Mr Carmichael wrote that he had felt "immense disappointment" at the latest comments.
Mr Ward is said to be "really disappointed" at the decision. He said: "We were in unanimous agreement that questioning the continued existence of the state of Israel fails the test of language that is 'proportionate and precise'.
The BBC understands that the party was also angered by another tweet by Mr Ward at the weekend, in which he asked: "Am I wrong or are am I right? At long last the #Zionists are losing the battle - how long can the #apartheid State of #Israel last?" "We want to be clear with you that in this process we are not concerned about your views and opinions on the policies of present or previous Israeli governments, nor the situation in the Israeli-occupied territories, nor the strength of feeling with which your views are held.
"As we have sought to impress upon you repeatedly, we are having to decide on whether language you chose to use in January and February, and now this month, is language which brings the party into disrepute or harms the interests of the party."
'Regrettable'
Mr Carmichael continued: "It is also immensely frustrating for us to find ourselves constantly responding to questions about disproportionate and imprecise language from you.
"These interventions cause considerable offence rather than addressing questions of political substance about the plight of the Palestinian people and the right of Israel's citizens to live a life free of violence."
But, questioned about his tweet at the weekend, Mr Ward told the BBC: "I will not apologise for describing Israel as an 'apartheid state'."
He initially defended the comments he made in January, saying the party's response - reprimanding him - had been "regrettable", but later apologised for the "unintended offence" which his words had caused.
He also insisted that neither he nor his comments had been anti-Semitic.
Mr Ward, who visited the West Bank in December last year, denied in March that he had been ordered by the party leadership to attend "language classes".Mr Ward, who visited the West Bank in December last year, denied in March that he had been ordered by the party leadership to attend "language classes".
He served 26 years a councillor in Bradford before being elected to Parliament in 2010. He is a member of the Commons Education Select Committee.He served 26 years a councillor in Bradford before being elected to Parliament in 2010. He is a member of the Commons Education Select Committee.