Petition to expel Israeli ambassador from UK at nearly 200k signatures
Tzipi Hotovely, the Israeli ambassador to the UK, has repeatedly rejected the notion of a two-state solution and once called the Nakba – when 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced and more than 500 Palestinian cities, towns and villages were destroyed by Israel in 1948 during the country's formation – an "Arab lie".
The National told how last month, Hotovely (below) gave a keynote speech at a secret party at the British Museum organised by the Israeli embassy which was attended by Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch and hosted by Jimmy Carr.
As of 2pm on Wednesday, the petition has reached 174,427 signatures and has gathered more than 1000 signatures on Wednesday alone.
The petition was first started in December 2023 by Dr Asim Suleman, who said the "presence and influence" of the ambassador could lead to the "potential radicalisation of our UK population".
The petition reads: "As a citizen who values peace, unity, and respect for all, I find it alarming that an ambassador could potentially incite division and extremism within our society.
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"The role of an ambassador is to foster good relations between countries, promote mutual understanding, and work towards peaceful coexistence. However, when their presence becomes a source of discord rather than harmony, it's time to reassess their position.
"This petition is not against Israel or its people but against actions that could potentially harm our society's fabric.
"We urge the UK government to consider this matter seriously for maintaining peace within our borders."
The petition lists the International Court of Justice and the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network as the decision makers.
It comes after at least 26 Palestinians were killed by Israel overnight after intense attacks on the Gaza Strip, including one on a school housing displaced families.
READ MORE: 'You will be on trial': Pro-Palestine protesters target Westminster
Previous calls for the Israeli ambassador to be expelled from the UK include from independent MP John McDonnell, who, earlier this year, cited Hotovely's refusal "to recognise the Palestinian state" and being "an advocate of 'Greater Israel'".
And on Wednesday, the National told how a group of Labour MPs have visited Israel on a lobbying trip, despite the country's brutal assault on Gaza and the UK Government's previous description of the Israeli government's actions as "egregious".
The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
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