Galloway fired from talkRADIO after tweet deemed antisemitic
TalkRadio cancelled a radio show hosted by Galloway stating, "As a fair and balanced news provider, talkRADIO does not tolerate antisemitic views."
By ZACHARY KEYSER, TZVI JOFFREBritish MP George Galloway prepares to speak to the Islamic Action Front supporters in Amman(photo credit: MUHAMMAD HAMED/REUTERS)
Former Labour MP George Galloway's contract has been terminated by talkRADIO, a national radio station in the United Kingdom, because he sent out an allegedly antisemitic tweet after the Liverpool F.C. Champions League final played against Tottenham Hotspur F.C., according to a statement by the station.In his tweet, the controversial politician expresses his delight that no Liverpool fans waved Israeli flags during the game."Congratulations to the great people of #Liverpool to the memory of the socialist miner #BillShankley to the fallen #96 to those who fought for justice for them and to the Liverpool dockers. No #Israël flags on the Cup!" read Galloway's tweet.TalkRadio cancelled a radio show hosted by Galloway stating, "As a fair and balanced news provider, talkRADIO does not tolerate antisemitic views."Galloway responded that, "The Mother of all Talkshows" will "not be silenced", adding "see you in court" and "long live Palestine," according to Sky News.The former MP defended his comment, saying that the Tottenham fans who were waving the Israeli flag were supporting a "racist state." Tottenham, well known for its connection to the Jewish community, condemned the sentiment and accused Galloway of being racist, according to the BBC."It's astounding in this day and age to read such blatant antisemitism published on a social platform by someone who is still afforded air time on a radio station on which he has previously broken broadcast impartiality rules," Tottenham said in a statement.Other officials of British-Jewish advocacy groups along with members of the Liverpool organization chimed in as well after seeing Galloway's tweet."His attempt to bring hatred into a wonderful occasion for English football has attracted the derision it deserves," said the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Marie van der Zyl. Within her statement she thanked Tottenham for calling out Galloway and for their help in removing "this poisonous and divisive figure off air.""Please don’t include Liverpool Football Club in this b******t," responded Liverpool's head of club and supporter liaison Tony Barrett in a tweet. "It’s the club of Ronnie Rosenthal and Avi Cohen. It’s the club of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane. It’s the club of Parson Jackson and Bill Shankly (with no e). It’s a club of all flags, all religions, all nations and none."
Former Tottenham Hotspur chairman Lord Alan Sugar responded to Galloway's tweet, calling it "a swipe at the Jewish community who are Spurs fans. The man is low life an anti-Semite of the highest order."Galloway responded to Sugar by inviting him on Twitter to a debate on racism in the Albert Hall, adding that his "half of the gate money will go to Palestinian kids in Gaza.""I would answer but you have blocked me you double barrel twerp. I would not be in the same room as you let alone the royal Albert Hall. You are anti-semitic and a racist," Sugar responded in a tweet, later posting a screenshot showing that he was blocked from seeing Galloway's Twitter account as well.Galloway has been vocal about his dislike for Israel and "Zionists," though fiercely denies being an antisemitic. In October 2014, he declared his constituency city, Bradford, an “Israeli free zone” in protest of Operation Protective Edge.In 2015, Galloway expressed support for a third intifada, saying "Whenever it comes, I will support it with every breath God gives me."Galloway came to prominence as a member of the Labour Party, representing Glasgow in the 1980's - leaving the parliament for good in 2015. In the early 2000's he was outspokenly against the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, making headlines for inciting Arabs in those areas to attack British troops as well as telling them to defy orders "bringing disrepute" to the Labour party - in 2003 he was expelled from the party, later re-joining parliament in 2004 as a member of the Respect Party, and eventually becoming the party's leader in 2013.His talk show, The Mother of All Talkshows, began in 2016 as a part talkRADIO's broadcasting group. His most well-known rants include vocally condemning the BBC as a "national disgrace," as well as claiming that if Scotland left the UK to join the EU, "it would not be a good thing for his fellow countrymen," surrounding recent Brexit debates.Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
