A FORMER Tory minister is under investigation by the party for criticising his colleagues' support for Israel.
Sir Alan Duncan, who previously served as a minister in both David Cameron's and Theresa May's governments, said during an interview with LBC that Conservatives MPs and Lords who continued to back Israel's actions in Gaza should face repercussions.
In particular, he accused the Conservative Friends of Israel parliamentary group of "doing the bidding of Netanyahu" and said that "land theft, that annexation of Palestine" was the origin of Israel's war in Gaza.
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"There are a lot of people at the top of our own politics who refuse to condemn settlements and therefore are not supporters of international law,” he said.
“I think the time has come to flush out those extremists in our own parliamentary politics and around it.”
He also said that security minister Tom Tugendhat (below) should be sacked.
He added: ”If you read about Tom Tugendhat ... How can you have a security minister who does not believe in international law? I think he should be sacked.”
He continued: “We should stop arms sales immediately. Anything in support of what is becoming a total catastrophe in Gaza is morally unacceptable.
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“And what we have to accept is that it’s not just what they are doing now that is wrong, it’s what Israel has been doing for years that is wrong because the Israel Defence Force does not follow international law, it has been backing and supporting illegal settlers in the West Bank who steal Palestinian land.
“It is that land theft, that annexation of Palestine, that is the origin of the problem which has given rise to the Hamas atrocity and the battles we are seeing."
A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "Following his comments on LBC this morning, Alan Duncan has been informed in writing that he is under investigation by the party."
It comes after seven humanitarian aid workers - including three British citizens - were killed in an Israeli airstrike.
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