James Cleverly has suggested that the police may still make arrests of pro-Palestinian protesters in London who were photographed yesterday glorifying terrorist atrocities.
A number of protesters were pictured wearing black paratrooper images, a symbol meant to glorify the attacks last weekend by Hamas which saw the indiscriminate murder of Israelis.
He was pressed by Sir Trevor Phillips on Sky News on why protesters with the image were not arrested.
Mr Cleverly said: “The point is whether arrests may happen at all or at the event or after the event so I am not going to drift into operational policing.
“The passion people have for the Palestinian people is one that I share, however glorifying terrorism is illegal. Hamas are no friends of the Palestinian people.”
One video posted on social media showed pro-Palestinian protesters saying: “We will find every Jew. We want blood.”
Earlier in the interview, the Foreign Secretary went into some of the discussions he had with leading figures in Israel after his visit to the country following the Hamas attacks.
He explained why Israel now wants to “eradicate” or “eliminate” Hamnas permenantly from Gaza after decades of terrorist attacks.
Pressed on the issue by Sir Trevor, he said: “The conversations we have had when I was in Israel recently is that there is a feeling they have got to secure the southern part of Israel from terrorist attack.
“They have to protect themselves from terrorist attack.”
He went on: “Hamas has been a road block to peace for decades.
“They refuse to be part of the Oslo Agreement, they completely reject a two state solution, they consistently call for the eradication of the state of Israel and the targeting of Jews around the world.
“And Israel clearly feels they have got to protect themselves permanently from terrorist attack.”
However, he said that as “a friend” he had been warning Israel they needed to stay within international law.
He said: “Friends speak honestly with friends. Whenever I have spoken with the Israelis I have reinforced the point about the preservation of life and minimisation of military casualties.I know the Israelis take that seriously.
“President Herzog that their operations will be in compatibility with international law.
“Hamas clearly wants to turn this into a regional war.”
