Thread by @JakeWSimons

Remember when Labour MP Kim Johnson was forced to apologise for calling Israel "fascist" and "an apartheid state"? Well, here's a surprising story for you about British diplomats in Jerusalem (thread) theguardian.com/politics/2023/…

A leading diplomat at the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, together with Foreign Office colleagues, took part in a West Bank fun run “in defiance of the Israeli foreign occupation” and in protest against the “apartheid wall”, the @JewishChron reveals

Wearing T-shirts showing a map which campaigners claimed “erases Israel”, the team was headed by the UK’s Deputy Consul General Alison McEwen last Friday.

Based in Jerusalem, McEwen, along with the Consul General Diane Corner, plays a critical role in Britain’s efforts to encourage the stalled Middle East peace process.

Despite this McEwen, 42, former deputy head of mission in Nepal, was part of a UK team that took part in this year’s “Palestine Marathon” event organised by the Palestinian Olympic Committee. The official website of the marathon says that it follows route of “apartheid wall”

As @DavidRoseUK reports, the event is promoted by a group called “Right to Movement”, which campaigns against “the many obstacles that we live daily under fascist racist occupation” and organised the marathon for four years until 2017 when the Palestinian IOC took over.

As @SCrabbPembs told @JewishChron: “I trust that the Foreign Secretary will now make clear to his own officials how incredibly ill-judged it was for them to seemingly endorse the removal of one of our closest allies, Israel, from the map.”

In a post on the Consulate General’s official Twitter account and Facebook page, the marathon was described as “incredible”. It included the hashtag #FREEDOMOFMOVEMENT, adding there was “great energy from participating runners” and it was “an important message to highlight”

The starting orders were given by Palestinian political leader Jibril Rajoub, who was jailed in 1970 for throwing a grenade at an Israeli army bus

Labour MP Kim Johnson was forced to apologise by @Keir_Starmer. When questioned by the @JewishChron, however, the Foreign Office gave us this response:

“The UK’s position is long-standing — we wish to see a viable two-state solution with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace, prosperity and security.”

🤔 (Sometimes only an emoji will do)