Sadiq Khan criticised over call for ‘equivalence’ in Israel-Hamas debate

Sadiq Khan has been criticised for equating a proscribed terrorist organisation with an elected government after he suggested there must be equally strong criticism of Hamas and Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Labour Mayor of London used the same language to condemn the Oct 7 massacre, in which Hamas killed 1,200 Israeli civilians, and the bombardment of Gaza by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) that followed.

Speaking after he was sworn-in for a third term at City Hall, Mr Khan told The Telegraph: “It’s an issue of humanity and I think you’ve got to show equivalence.

“I condemn unequivocally the actions of Hamas on Oct 7; those 134 hostages must be released. At the same time I condemn unequivocally the actions of the IDF and Netanyahu; 34,000 people have perished including 14,000 children.”

His remarks came seven months on from the atrocity and were criticised as an “insult” to its victims, as Downing Street said there was “no equivalence” between the terror group and Israel’s elected leadership.

A source close to Mr Khan said he was making the point that he had been appalled by the loss of life across the conflict, whether that was the deaths of Jews on Oct 7 or those of Palestinian civilians in Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Mr Khan has gone further than Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, in his criticisms of Israel, calling for an immediate ceasefire months before Sir Keir and more recently demanding an end to arms sales to the Middle Eastern country.

Downing Street led criticism of the comments on Tuesday night and urged Sir Keir to distance himself from the comparison between Hamas and Mr Netanyahu.

A government source said: “There is no equivalence between a terrorist group and a democratic state. Starmer needs to disassociate himself from these comments immediately.”

Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, noted the Oct 7 attacks “involved the rape, torture and murder of more than a thousand innocent men, women and babies and they continue to keep hostages in captivity”.

“It’s utterly wrong and an insult to those victims to equate the brutality of Hamas to the legitimate military measures that Israel is taking in defence of its people and nation,” Mrs Braverman said.

“Israel must be supported by the UK Government to defeat Hamas and free the hostages. That’s how we end the fighting and work towards peace for everyone.”

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a former business secretary, said: “Israel must surely have the right to self defence. That doesn’t make everything Israel does right, but condemning them unequivocally and to equate them with the terrorist acts of Hamas is surely wrong.”

Speaking at the Tate Modern art gallery as he began an unprecedented third term as Mayor of London, Mr Khan vowed he would “listen more” to Londoners during the next four years and make the capital “the best city in the world to grow up in”.

He also railed against Donald Trump after the former American president last week claimed London had become “unrecognisable” because it has “opened its doors to jihad”, saying British “culture” had been eroded by tolerance of pro-Palestinian protests in London.

“You know a couple of days ago Donald Trump said London had, and I quote, ‘opened the door’ to extremism. He couldn’t be more wrong.”

Mr Khan has been criticised for his handling of weekly pro-Gaza marches on the streets of the capital, with Jews complaining that central London has become a no-go zone at weekends.

Comparing Mr Trump’s policies to those of Susan Hall, the Tory mayoral candidate he defeated on Thursday, Mr Khan added: “The truth is through the result of this election London has slammed the door shut on his brand of hard-Right populism.

“London has said no to racism, no to division and no to hate and yes once again to diversity, unity.”

Mr Khan also sounded a defiant note on his controversial green policies, which have most notably included the expansion of the ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez) to outer London, and said he would now “go even further” in introducing policies to combat climate change.

Under the Ulez scheme, older vehicles are charged £12.50 a day in an attempt to improve air quality in the capital.

Mr Khan told reporters: “I’m passionate that London maintains a position at the forefront of climate action and environmental stewardship globally.

“We’ve already made significant progress in cleaning up our air with the construction of the world’s largest clean air zone.

“And now we’ll go even further, putting air conditioning filters in primary schools, protecting and enhancing our green spaces and delivering a 100 per cent zero-emissions bus fleet by 2030.”