Benjamin Netanyahu speaking via live video conference at Washington Summit of Christians United for Israel. July 23, 2018. Michael Brochstein/Press Association. All rights reserved.
Over several months, claims of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and its leadership have persisted and caused intense controversy. A less explored aspect is the view of the matter held by Israel's government, and especially by prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu. His direct entry to the fray via Twitter was widely reported, but less so has been Israeli foreign policy and security thinking in relation to Jeremy Corbyn and the "problem" he represents.
The immediate context to this is the war in Syria and Iran's prominent role. A few days ago Iran's defence minister Amir Hatami met his Syrian counterpart General Ali Abdullah Ayyoub in Damascus. They agreed a further period of close military cooperation, thus confirming Iran's continued support for the Assad regime in the face of frequent Israeli airstrikes against its units in the country. The meeting, in part a deliberate response to Donald Trump’s bellicose rhetoric, was observed closely in Jerusalem.
