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'See the weak standard of our parliamentarians today, and weep for Britain,' defence think tank founder Alan Mendoza said
A Labour MP has been forced to apologise after calling for British "military action" against Israel in the Commons.
On Monday, during a debate on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Tahir Ali called for Israel to be disarmed over "atrocities that have been committed" in Gaza.
He told the Commons: "Previous governments have intervened in the Middle East to take action on human rights abuses and protect international trade routes.
"Is it not about time that military action was taken against Israel as well?"
The MP for Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley's remarks were condemned by his own party.
Mr Ali has now said he apologises "unreservedly" for the staggering intervention - though only received a formal warning by the Chief Whip.
A Labour spokesman told the Jewish Chronicle: "Tahir Ali's comments were unacceptable, and he has issued an unreserved public apology.
"The Chief Whip has formally warned him and reminded him of the standards of conduct expected of Labour MPs."
In his apology, the Socialist Campaign Group member claimed he gave an incorrect impression of his views as he deleted a video on social media he had shared of the exchange.
"In Parliament on Monday, I wrongly gave the impression that I support the use of military force against Israel," Mr Ali said in a statement, after calling for "military action against Israel".
"Those are not my views, and I apologise unreservedly. I do not support military action anywhere in the Middle East and have long been a campaigner for peace and conflict resolution."
Mr Ali's apology has not been accepted by some who pointed out how his question in the Commons was explicitly calling for military intervention against Israel.
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Lord Wolfson, the Shadow Attorney General, said: "You asked whether it was 'about time to take military action against Israel'.
"That wasn’t an inference or an implication. Nor was it an impression. It was your express position."
While the Henry Jackson Society's Alan Mendoza said the Labour MP was trying to "wriggle out" out of his parliamentary remarks.
"He said it and he should be held to account for his stupidity in encouraging the idea that we should put our Armed Forces in harm's way against not only a British ally but one of the most accomplished militaries in the world today."
"See the weak standard of our parliamentarians today, and weep for Britain," he added.
This is not the first time the Labour MP has been made to apologise for a remark since his election in 2019.
Mr Ali, a member of the Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, issued a formal apology in 2024 after he accused then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of having "the blood of thousands of innocent people on his hands" as he demanded the UK cease arms trade with Israel.
In 2022, he and several Labour MPs signed a letter urging Nato to call an end to its "eastwards expansion", a line commonly parroted by critics of the Western military alliance.
Days later, Moscow launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine - with all the Labour signatories withdrawing their support.
