Andy Burnham is facing a backlash from Jewish leaders and Labour figures over his pledge to impose further sanctions on Israel.
The prime minister-in-waiting used one of his first major foreign policy interventions to apologise for Sir Keir Starmer’s response to the Gaza conflict.
In an interview with The Guardian, Mr Burnham said Labour “didn’t get it right” under Sir Keir and should have demanded a ceasefire sooner.
On Friday, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council, two of the UK’s leading Jewish organisations, rebuked Mr Burnham over his remarks.
The groups said in a statement: “We have been in touch with Andy Burnham’s team to convey directly our significant concerns in relation to his remarks yesterday.
“We welcome his zero tolerance approach to anti-Semitism, affirm his assertion that there is no contradiction between fighting anti-Semitism and disagreeing with actions of the Israeli government, and share concern for the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
“However, anti-Semitism cannot be confronted without addressing all its drivers. In today’s Britain, this includes Islamist, far-Left and far-Right extremists who go beyond criticism of the Israeli government to a place of hatred directed at Jews and Israelis.”
Mr Burnham said Britain would impose further sanctions on individuals and entities and consider trade bans when he entered Downing Street a week on Monday.
He went on to claim that, while it was up to international courts to rule whether Israel was committing genocide, there was “increasing evidence” of war crimes.