The leader of the Liberal Democrat party in the United Kingdom has fired his health spokeswoman after she suggested that the Israeli army has involved in organ trafficking during its recent humanitarian mission in Haiti.
Baroness Jenny Tonge, a one time member of the parliament of the United Kingdom, has outraged both the British Jews and her own party, after she called for an inquiry into false allegations started by an American conspiracy theorist on YouTube.
The Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, described Jenny Tonge's comments as "wrong, distasteful and provocative."
"I recognize the deep and understandable distress they have caused to the Jewish community," stated Clegg. "Following discussions with the leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, Lord McNally, I have decided that Jenny Tonge will stand down as Liberal Democrat health spokesperson in the Lords following her unacceptable comments suggesting an inquiry into highly offensive allegations against the IDF humanitarian operation in Haiti," he was quoted as saying.
Soon after the earthquake tragedy in Haiti earlier this year, Israeli army sent an aid team to help the devastated country. Working day and night, the Israelis treated hundreds of earthquake victims. It provided complex surgery and assisted with complex births that no other relief team or hospital in Haiti was capable of performing.
The unfounded claims of Israelis trafficking organs in Haiti first appeared online, on a poorly made YouTube video rant. Iranian state run Press TV, a news website that attempts to legitimize every anti-Semitic and anti-Israel story it can get its hands on, quickly published the story and tried to portray it as factual.
The false story became picked up by a variety of anti-Semitic media worldwide. Anti-Semitic organizations and individuals, such as Hezbollah and David Duke, have supported this conspiracy theory. They have been unable to proof to their allegations.
The story also showed up in the Palestine Telegraph. Baroness Jenny Tonge is a patron of the staunchly pro-Palestinian news website.
After the story was published in The Palestine Telegraph, Tonge stated that "To prevent allegations such as these – which have already been posted on YouTube – going any further, the IDF and the Israeli Medical Association should establish an independent inquiry immediately to clear the names of the team in Haiti."
The false story became picked up by a variety of anti-Semitic media worldwide. Anti-Semitic organizations and individuals, such as Hezbollah and David Duke, have supported this conspiracy theory. They have been unable to proof to their allegations.
The story also showed up in the Palestine Telegraph. Baroness Jenny Tonge is a patron of the staunchly pro-Palestinian news website.
After the story was published in The Palestine Telegraph, Tonge stated that "To prevent allegations such as these – which have already been posted on YouTube – going any further, the IDF and the Israeli Medical Association should establish an independent inquiry immediately to clear the names of the team in Haiti."
Although it started as a baseless video clip on YouTube, the blood libel has slowly been given legitimacy, first by Arab media and now by a Baroness from the House of Lords. This story shows that even today, an absurd anti-Semitic rumor can easily leak into mainstream society.
