Diplomat Arrested Over Alleged Anti-Semitic Remark

by Justin Cohen - Wednesday 11th February 2009


Just days before the Foreign Office hosts the London Conference for Combating Antisemitism, a senior diplomat in the same government department was this week facing a police investigation after allegations that he launched an anti-Semitic tirade while watching television coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.

Next week, parliamentarians from 35 countries will gather in the capital to develop strategies to fight the global threat of Jew-hatred - a scourge which increased significantly during the recent three-week conflict with physical attacks, abuse and daubings reported across the country.

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But the issue came to the fore again this week with reports that Rowan Laxton, head of the South Asia Group at the Foreign Office, had allegedly shouted 'f***ing Israelis, f***ing Jews' as he exercised at the London Business School gym on 27 January.

Within earshot of other gym users, the 47-year-old former deputy ambassador to Afghanistan, who was reported to still be working in the role this week, is also alleged to have said that Israeli soldiers should be 'wiped off the face of the earth'.

He was arrested the following week for inciting religious hatred through threatening words and behaviour. "He was questioned and has been bailed until the end of March," a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

John Mann MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group against Antisemitism, said: "I am pleased that the police are taking the alleged anti-Semitic tirade of former deputy ambassador Rowan Laxton so seriously - we have clear laws on the matter.

"Anti-Semitic hate is wrong, unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Anyone in this position should know better."

Community leaders said they would expect the Foreign Office to treat Laxton as they would anyone else in a similar position, and that would include the issue of whether he remains in post during the investigation of a serious matter such as this.

The CST's Mark Gardner said: "These allegations are extremely troubling and we hope that they will be dealt with quickly, and with the same vigour as if they had been made against any other sector of British society.

"It is for the Foreign Office to decide if the official should be suspended, but this is a very serious allegation and there must be no double standards in how he is treated."

Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor said: "The treadmill of diplomacy between our countries continues to run smoothly. The alleged abusive tirade of this one individual should not be seen as a reflection of the health and fitness of our relations.

"From the nature of our work with the British Foreign Office, we understand that the alleged unacceptable outburst expressed by a British Diplomat does not reflect the official policy of the United Kingdom and we have been informed that an internal investigation is currently taking place. If the investigation concludes that the incident actually occurred, appropriate action will be taken."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware that a complaint has been made to the police about an alleged incident involving a member of our staff.

"We are unable to comment on a matter that is currently subject to police enquiries." When asked if Laxton had been suspended from his role while the matter is investigated, they declined to comment.

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