Baroness Jenny Tonge is changing her story—a polite way of saying that she’s a liar.
As you probably know by now, Jenny Tonge—who is a longtime devotee of Jewish conspiracy theories—was fired (or “sacked,” as the Brits say) from her position as health spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, following her statement that Israel should set up an inquiry to disprove allegations that its medical teams in Haiti “harvested” organs of earthquake victims for use in transplants. (In the words of Liberal Democrat candidate Ed Fordham: “It’s abhorrent that anyone should suggest that something as perverse and sick as this should be investigated.”)
Tonge’s statement was in response to a question in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle, which asked her to comment on an article published in the Palestine Telegraph—of which Tonge is a patron. The article, titled “Focus on Israel: Harvesting Hatian Organs,” was written by Stephen Lendman—a Far-Right nutcase who keeps company with Holocaust deniers.
That’s business as usual at the Palestine Telegraph, an online newspaper that frequently publishes anti-semitic and anti-Zionist conspiracy theories. (For a more in-depth description of the newspaper’s activities, see this post at Harry’s Place.)
Now, here’s where things get peculiar. As blogger Stephanie Gutmann recently wrote at the Daily Telegraph: “I asked Tonge how she had come to her conclusions. It turned that she had been inspired by an article on a website of a guy she called a ‘highly respected Jewish researcher’ — an ‘opinion piece’ she hastened to add (they are always opinion pieces).”
The highly respected Jewish researcher was Stephen Lendman. So, what’s the truth here? Did Tonge come to her conclusions by way of the Palestine Telegraph, or Lendman’s own website?
What’s more, the following information has been posted on various blogs sympathetic to Tonge:
In an e-mail to an anti-Israel activist that was posted on an activist message board on Saturday, the Liberal Democrat peer blamed Jewish Chronicle editor Stephen Pollard for spreading the “silly allegation” and thus damaging Israel’s work in Haiti.
Tonge said in the e-mail:
“This is total rubbish, as usual. Palestine Telegraph last week had a long piece by a Jewish American on the subject of organ donation, not an editorial piece. It said there were postings on YouTube about organ harvesting in Haiti by the large team sent out by Israel to help. The JC asked for a comment, as I am a patron of the Palestine Telegraph. I actually congratulated Israel for their prompt response to the disaster and said that if allegations were being made they should conduct an inquiry to dispel any rumors. OK? It is quite ludicrous. Organs would be useless in that situation anyway and it is a nonsense suggestion. Trouble is he [Stephen Pollard] has now spread a silly allegation and done untold damage to a really great effort by the Israelis.”
So, Tonge acknowledges that the article appeared in the Palestine Telegraph, and that it wasn’t an editorial
Why is she changing her story? To make herself sound more credible—claiming her source was an “opinion piece” appearing on the website of a “a highly respected Jewish researcher”— while also doing a favor for her friends at the Palestine Telegraph?
Making matters more interesting, the Palestine Telegraph has removed Lendman’s article from its website. You can still read the cached version here.
And, on a final note of irony, the Palestine Telegraph has just published an editorial, blaming Tonge’s dismissal on you-know-who:
It is with great sadness that we see a staunch supporter of the Palestinian people removed from her position as Health Spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. This is a clear sign of the political power that the Pro Israeli Lobby have over all political leaders and their party. This does not stop here in the UK but also extends throughout the US and the EU.
Baronness Jenny Tonge was truly a highly moral and ethical lady and a true friend of Palestine. She now has made the eternal sacrifice in speaking from her heart whilst all the other senior political figures grovel around for Pro Israeli funds to prop up their election campaign. I feel that Jenny should now run as an independent candidate in the next election as I am sure someone with her courage would do extremely well with having any donations from those that try to manipulate politics.
Bless you Jenny and for all what you have done for the people of Gaza and Palestine.
[...] a comment » I am indebted to the ever sharp mind of Judeosphere, for spotting the discrepancy between Baroness Tonge’s accounts of how she learnt of the Offal [...]
[...] Baroness Tonge, also known as “Jihad Jenny,” has been bellowing to the world that Israel must clear its name after being accused by a [...]
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[...] is fairly popular amongst Western supporters of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, even the odd liberal Peeress read [...]
Baroness Jenny Tonge – genetis idiot
A bloody history of britain and europe:
Colonization of America: almost entire native population (between 17 and 25 mln.) has been exterminated, the rest were put in concentration camps RESERVATIONS;
Colonization of Australia: almost entire native population has been exterminated;
Colonization of New Zeeland: almost entire native population has been exterminated;
In Africa: slavery and murder of native population;
In India: hundred thousands killed;
In China: hundred thousands killed;
In Israel: stealing over 75% of Israel territory and creation of illegal palestinian arab state of Jordan; help and support of Holocaust of thousands of Jews in 1920-40s; current support for islamofascism, elimination of the State of Israel and extermination of Jews, distributing fraudulent, fake and false information and reports on Israel and Jews;
In Europe: signing 1938 Munich Agreement with Hitler that lead to WWII and death of 55+ mln. people around the world; support for Holocaust committed by Hitler and muslims under Huj Amin, mufti of Jerusalem, supervision.
Still occupies Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
In response to the German blitz on London, the British wiped out the entire city of Dresden, burning to death more German civilians (about 100, 000) including children than the number of people killed in Hiroshima.
In 1944: when the R.A.F. tried to bomb the Gestapo Headquarters in Copenhagen, some of the bombs missed their target and fell on a Danish children’s hospital, killing 83 little children.
Currently: providing support to extremists in Libya, killing civilians, including children, destroying civilian infrastructure under false slogan of “no-fly zone”
The list can go on and on and on, but the above is enough to conclude that britain is not legitimate entity, but a career-criminal gang, a pig farm of thieves, murderers and liars who have no legitimate right to exist on the Earth and must be eliminated.
It is important to respect the legitimate rights of Israel and Palestine. Denying the existence of either nation should be condemned.
I also believe that there is a desire by most people in the world to see a full and comprehensive peace in the Middle East but this vision has not been helped by Israel’s current Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu, who continues to build settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
To put the conflict into context with respect to international law and the feelings of the world, may I convey the following.
Last November, there were a further 6 UN Resolutions on Palestine and the Middle East. One resolution on Jerusalem was supported by 166 nations plus the UK. Israel disagreed. In fact, there are over 150 UN Resolutions (including 181, 191 and 194) – all remain unimplemented in full.
Furthermore the ruling of the International Court of Justice in the Hague pertaining to the ‘security barrier’, which is 3 times the length of the Berlin Wall, has been sadly ignored by Mr Netanyahu. Perhaps if the ‘security barrier’ had to be built at all, it would have been better to have constructed it on the 1967 borders – instead of inside the internationally recognised Palestinian Territories (including East Jerusalem).
Nonetheless once this ‘separation barrier’ and the settlement enterprise is completed, Palestinian communities will be separated into pockets of territory that lack contiguity, surrounded by settlements only accessible by settler only roads. ‘Natural growth’ settlements too were not acceptable as part of Phase I of the internationally agreed Road Map (2003). Day by day, the ‘security barrier’ and settlements erode the possibility of a two-state solution and the viability to bring about a fully comprehensive peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
There are 130 nations in the world that recognise Palestine including India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brazil. More recently Iceland and Thailand have added to that recognition. Lastly UNESCO’s recognition last year of Palestine (supported by France, Spain, Ireland and Norway amongst many European nations) was still a positive step forward and a counter balance to those who deny Israel or Palestine’s right to exist.
Dignity and peace is paramount for both peoples and recognition of both states ensures that those in the rejection camps are marginalized even further.