British MP Slams Secret Filming, Sharing of Video of Her in Knesset Meeting

By Staff, Agencies

A Senior Labor MP has condemned the secret filming of a UK parliamentary delegation's visit to "Israel" after private conversations were shared online by "Israel’s" deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel.

Emily Thornberry, who serves as chair of parliament's foreign affairs select committee, asked the UK government to intervene on Tuesday after a video was posted on Instagram without her “knowledge or consent” by "Israel’s" deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel.

When discussing her recent trip to "Israel" with the foreign affairs select committee, Thornberry asked Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer: “Would you expect, minister, if there was a visiting delegation of members of parliament to the House of Commons, for the delegation to be videoed without their knowledge or consent?”

Falconer replied: “Certainly not. I think that'd be very unusual.”

Thornberry then said: “Or for it to be put onto Instagram and indeed briefed to, let's say, the Daily Telegraph in disparaging terms.”

Falconer said: “I'm not familiar with the details, but clearly if someone was visiting the House of Commons, we want to show them courtesy.”

Thornberry then replied with: “It would be particularly bad, wouldn't it, if it was the deputy foreign minister of ‘Israel’ who would be videoed in the UK and for disparaging comments to be made about her evidence or a private meeting that she'd had, let's say, with us?

“Because the opposite has just happened to us and a video of us at the Knesset meeting the deputy foreign minister has been posted on Instagram.

“We understand that, I mean, certainly we had no knowledge that it was being videoed and assumed, of course, that it would never happen and I have to say I've just found out about it, and to say that I'm cross might be an understatement.”

During the 60-second clip, which was still online as of 18:00 GMT on Tuesday, a visibly irate Haskel asked Thornberry if she would visit the West Bank if elections were held there tomorrow.

“If we agree in any way to a two-state solution, the Palestinian Authority is going to take control of Gaza, it’ll be in the hands of Hamas again. So, the fact is you’re asking me to give Gaza back to Hamas.”

The video then jumps to a different angle of Haskel where she says: “When people come and tell us you have to do the two-state solution now, for us it means you give it [control] to Hamas back. And that’s something we won’t accept.”

On Monday, the UK urged "Israel" to restore Gaza’s electricity supply, warning that failing to do so risked breaching international law.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said Downing Street was “deeply concerned” by reports that "Israel" had cut off Gaza’s electricity and urged "Israel" to reverse its decision.