Kemi Badenoch praises Israels amazing pager attack on Hezbollah that killed dozens - as Tory leadership rival Robert Jenrick echoes Trump with Jerusalem embassy move pledge

Kemi Badenoch praised Israel over its attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon tonight, saying they an amazing thing with the pagers.

Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference the leadership candidate told members that Islamist terrorism should never, ever be appeased.

It came after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group based in southern Lebanon, was targeted by an attack on its pagers and walkie-talkies that killed dozens of people and wounded around 3,000.

They included  many fighters but also many civilians.

Israel has appeared to deny involvement with the fatal incident, with its president Isaac Herzog saying he rejects out of hand any connection to the operation. But it is widely believed to have been behind the attack.

Ms Badenoch told the conference in Birmingham she was very sympathetic to the Israeli argument because they are always criticised. 

It came after her leadership rival Robert Jenrick had earlier tried to woo Tory supporters of Israel by vowing to emulate Donald Trump by moving the British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

The former minister wore a Hamas are terrorists hoodie as he addressed a Conservative Friends of Israel event.

Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference the leadership candidate told members she said that Islamist terrorism should never, ever be appeased.

It came after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group based in southern Lebanon, was targeted by an attack on its pagers and walkie-talkies that killed dozens of people and wounded around 3,000.

It came after her leadership rival Robert Jenrick had earlier tried to woo Tory supporters of Israel by vowing to emulate Donald Trump by moving the British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

 

Just five countries currently have their Israeli embassy based in Jerusalem, which is also claimed by Palestine . The most prominent of them is the United States, after Mr Trump had it moved in 2018 when president.

Asked what the Tory partys position should be on the war in the Middle East, between Israel and Hamas, Ms Badenoch replied: My position has always been very clear, Israel has a right to defend itself.

The UK is an ally of Israel, I stand with Israel, we cannot stand with Hezbollah, we cannot stand with Hamas – we know who the bad guys are.

Islamist terrorism is something that should never, ever be appeased, it is extremely dangerous.

Israel is at the front line, it is surrounded by a lot of enemies, I think that what they are doing is extraordinary.

People said that getting the leader of Hezbollah couldnt be done.

People ask Israel to do things like be more targeted so you dont harm civilians, they did that amazing thing with the pagers, and when they did that they were criticised for it.

Theyre always criticised, so Im very sympathetic to the Israeli argument.

But we mustnt forget the Palestinian people who are not Hamas, they are unfortunately caught in the middle of this terrible war, I think that we should do all that we can to help them, I sympathise with them.

But I think if Israel can get rid of Hamas thats also going to be fantastic for the Palestinian people.

Labour has already clashed with the hardline Benjamin Netanyahu government since taking power in July.

Netanyahu has criticised the UK Governments decision to suspend some arms export licences to Israel, amid concerns they could be used in violation of international humanitarian law.

But Sir Keir later rejected his Israeli counterparts accusation that the move had been misguided.

He described Israel as a very important ally and said he had long respected and supported its right to self-defence but said Britain had to comply with international rules.

The new Labour Government has suspended about 30 out of a total of 350 arms export licences to Israel, after a UK assessment suggested they could be used to breach international rules.

All four candidates spoke at a reception for the Conservative Friends of Israel on Sunday evening, setting out their support for the nation.

Mr Tugendhat said the Conservatives should be absolutely clear that we will always stand with democracies defending themselves and hit out against Labours partial arms embargo on Israel.

Israeli special forces are already carrying out raids in Lebanon ahead of an imminent ground invasion to oust Hezbollah, officials have claimed.

Elite commandos were said to be targeting the groups infrastructure, including weapon sites and control centres, as it scrambles to recover from the loss of long-time chief Hassan Nasrallah.

They are targeting key sites which have been built across the border zone, an Israeli official told The Telegraph.

IDF tanks have massed on the northern border ahead of an anticipated incursion into Lebanon despite resounding pressure from Israels allies to de-escalate at once.

Hezbollah today said its militants were braced and ready for war, as Lebanon prepared to deploy its own army to the south, fearing a collapse into all out war.