Israeli Krav Maga taught to British lawmakers after murder of MP
The June killing of UK Labour MP Jo Cox brought about the offered courses on the self-defense technique developed for the IDF.
By JPOST.COM STAFFKobi Lichtenstein (right) demonstrates how to disarm an enemy using Krav Maga.(photo credit: Courtesy)
The killing of British MP Jo Cox in June has led to the teaching of Israeli style self-defense model Krav Maga to parliamentarians in the UK.Two MP's and 18 aides attended the first training session in Westminster last week of the self-defense technique which is used by the Israeli army and Mossad, the Jewish Chronicle reported.The free lessons have been offered following the attack on Labour MP Cox, who was stabbed and shot outside her constituency office.According to the UK's Daily Mail on Sunday, the company Parli-training developed the initiative.The founder, Mendora Ogbogbo, said MP's were being shown “techniques where if someone comes at them with a knife or a gun, they can disarm the weapons and then run. They are not being taught how to fight.”A second all-day session has been scheduled for November.The self-defense system was developed by Hungarian Jewish expert, Imi Lichtenfeld, who combined boxing, martial arts and street-fighting in order to defend against anti-Semitic attacks in pre-war Europe.Later on, Lichtenfeld became chief fitness instructor for the IDF after he made aliya in the early 1940's and developed the technique know as Krav Maga, Hebrew for 'contact combat.'Krav Maga has also become popular in recent years as a workout model along with its practice by A-list Hollywood celebrities including Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Daniel Craig and Ashton Kutcher.
