What happened
London's Muslim Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has faced criticism for using his statement marking the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre to condemn Israel. Khan initially called the 2023 slaughter an atrocity and offered condolences to grieving families, but then shifted his focus to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
He stated that the UK government should apply more pressure on Israel to keep the prospect of a two-state solution alive. However, his comments were met with backlash from various groups, including Israel's embassy in London, which accused Khan of tainting a day of mourning by attacking Israel.
Other critics, such as Alex Hear, chair of Labour Against Antisemitism, and Gavin Stollar of Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel, argued that Khan failed to comfort the Jewish community and instead used the occasion to criticize Israel. The Campaign Against Antisemitism called Khan's statement
