Video footage of a Midlands councillor calling on people to “go there and fight for Palestine” has caused a storm among a local branch of the Labour party.
Labour councillor Wakas Younis weighed in on the conflict in the Middle East, saying in a video shared on Snapchat: “Why I’ve been silent? You man are silent…go there and fight for it innit cuz.”
He then adds: “Fight for Palestine cuz. Nobody [can] fight from here. All talk cuz. All talk.”
Mr Younis, who represents Tividale near Dudley, did not respond to an approach for comment.
Sandwell Council advised BirminghamLive to speak to Mr Younis’ local Labour group. The group said it acknowledged the video but added it would not be releasing a statement.
This shocking video comes after tens of Labour councillors resigned over the party’s stance on a ceasefire in Gaza.
Labour’s official position is that it does not support a ceasefire, however senior members, including Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, have broken ranks and said arms should be put down.
Israel is currently conducting ground operations in northern Gaza, in an attempt to wipe out Hamas terrorists after they invaded the Jewish state on October 7, murdering 1,400 and taking around 200 hostages.
A Labour spokesman said earlier this month: “Labour fully understands calls for a ceasefire.
“Everybody wants to see an end to this cycle of violence and suffering, we need to see hostages released and aid getting to those most in need.
“But a ceasefire now will only freeze this conflict and would leave hostages in Gaza and Hamas with the infrastructure and capability to carry out the sort of attack we saw on October 7.
“International law must be followed at all times and innocent civilians must be protected.
“Labour is calling for humanitarian pauses in the fighting.
“This is the best and most realistic way to address the humanitarian emergency in Gaza and is a position shared by our major allies, in the US and the EU.”
