"It might be a stretch, of course, because how many left-wing politicians have been known to actually side with terrorists?"
London, September 18 - Video footage and photographic evidence of British Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn delivering the keynote address at an event dominated by supporters of terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah might result in people thinking he agrees with their aims and methods, analysts reported today (Friday).
A 2012 "Al-Quds Day" rally to express opposition to Jewish control of Jerusalem featured the Labor politician as the main speaker, as his organization Stop the War UK was the major sponsor of the event. Hezbollah flags and chants promoting terrorism could be seen and heard throughout the rally, and Corbyn said nothing to indicate his objections. In fact a consistent record of supporting individuals and organizations committed to terrorism throughout his political career - including describing Hamas and Hezbollah as his friends - has the potential to cause observers to conclude that Corbyn, as well, accepts terrorism as a legitimate means of advancing various causes, say experts.
"Associating publicly with known Holocaust deniers, IRA supporters, and avowed antisemites, while pointedly not calling them out for objectionable behaviors and attitudes, can prompt some to wonder whether such a person harbors sympathies for those odious views," explained political commentator Bedd Fellowes. "It might be a stretch, of course, because how many left-wing politicians have been known to actually side with terrorists?"
If the characterization sticks, say commentators, Corbyn will face an even more difficult battle for the premiership when current Prime Minister David Cameron's term ends. Cameron's convincing victory this past spring surprised pollsters who had described a dead heat in the weeks leading up to the election, an upset that brought about the resignation of Labor leader Miliband and a further weakening of the party. Corbyn's selection as party leader last month poses a challenge to Labor, which must contend with its leader's suspected sympathies for terrorism in addition to the quotidian challenges of building a workable alternative to Tory power. That task will be rendered more formidable if Corbyn continues to neglect to provide an adequate counter to footage and photos of him embracing proud terrorists, which could, under some circumstances, be understood as implying that he and his party embrace proud terrorists.
"While not necessarily a fair assumption on the part of those audiences, Corbyn must still do something to address those concerns," said Fellowes. "Political considerations and ideological principles might keep him from disavowing those associations, but at the very least I foresee him taking the very specific steps of ignoring the criticism, insulting those who level the accusations, and going on the offensive to dismiss all those who question him as racist, Islamophobic, colonialist, intellectually dishonest brutes."