Israel Matzav

British MP receives death threats for defending Israel

Conservative MP John Howell is under police protection after receiving death threats as a result of an email exchange about Israel with a constituent being posted to Facebook.

Pro-Palestinian activist Harry Fear, from Watlington in Oxfordshire, sent Howell an email on March 10 asking what he was doing “to see that Israel halts the military actions that are taking place in defiance of international law and basic human decency.”

A photograph of a building exploding accompanied the email with a caption stating: “Only a few hours ago, Israel felt it necessary to inflict this destruction and death on the [Gaza] Strip.”

Responding to the email, Howell said: “And what is your position, Harry, on the 100 rockets which have landed in Israel over the weekend?” Fear posted the question, together with the MP’s reply, on his blog and Facebook page. He included the MP’s contact details and instructed people write to Howell “civilly, expressing discontent with his conduct.”

The Conservative MP said he received around 30 emails; some were “worrying.”

“There are a huge number of emails from pro-Palestinian and Arab fanatics, some from the UK and some clearly not, some equally threatening,” Howell said.

One email said: “You will suffer the consequences of this corruption and callousness.”

There was also a series of emails from some calling himself “Jihad Alshamie,” who told him: “It is people like you who deserve to die.”

“The last thing I want to appear as is a drama queen, but you have to take seriously a threat when it says, ‘I would like to see you dead,’” Howell said.

That's what we keep saying about Iran. I wonder why Conservative party leader and Prime Minister John Cameron isn't listening.

Religion of tolerance?

Labels: Britain, death threats, Gaza

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:48 PM