Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has declined an invitation to attend a dinner to commemorate the centenary of the Balfour Declaration in London next month, says the Jewish Chronicle.
Jonathan Goldstein, chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, said it was “deeply unfortunate” Mr Corbyn was not going to the event.
“I do think it will not have been amiss for Mr Corbyn to understand that the Jewish community will have taken great heart and great comfort for seeing him attend such an event because it recognises the right of Israel to exist,” Mr Goldstein said.
He noted Mr Corbyn had also not attended a reception for Labour Friends of Israel during the party conference last month.
Meanwhile according to reports on Monday, Labour have confirmed that Emily Thornberry, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, will attend the event.
