Isabel Webster forced to intervene as furious debate breaks out on Israel-Hamas war

Also joined by broadcaster Carol McGiffin, the panel on Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel became engaged in a heated debate.

Eamonn began by asking Schneider: “You come at this from a perspective of being pro-Palestinian because you were a former adviser to Corbyn?”

The ex-Corbyn aide denied the claim, stating: “I'm not in favour of human rights and dignity for all people because I was an advisor to anybody else, it's not I'm particularly pro-Palestinian or particularly pro anything. I'm against war crimes and pro-dignity and justice and people's rights being carried out.

“And what we see across the papers today is, broadly speaking, cheerleading for Israeli war crimes, which were announced by the Israeli government in response to atrocities that were carried out. And violence begets more violence."

Schneider continued: “And the British state is now in support of Israeli war crimes. There are British bombs and British bullets and British diplomatic cover which are aiding these crimes against an oppressed people. And that is the situation that we have.”

Isabel responded to Schneider saying: “We just heard from the Labour Party there who even they were saying that they defend Israel's right to defend itself."

Schneider fought back against Isabel, stating: “What is defending yourself about turning a open air prison of 2.3 million people into rubble?”

Isabel stated: “It wasn’t unprovoked though, was it? Because their sovereign territory was invaded and there was a series of atrocities committed?", to which he replied “it is a war crime to engage in collective punishment."

Isabel hit back again, saying: “It’s also a terrorist act to invade another country and kill children and old ladies at point blank range.”

Schneider agreed: “Of course, absolutely horrific. And you can't justify war crimes on the basis of other atrocities. It is completely wrong."

McGiffin then became involved in the discussion sharing her view on the issue: "I don't think anyone's trying to justify anything. I think that you get involved in the complexities like you are here and you kind of forget what's actually happening, and then and it's horrific on both sides and both sides have attacked each other.

“I mean who started it, how did it happen? How did the Israelis allow this to happen in the first place? There's lots of questions that need to be answered, but you can't sit there James for the whole show and tell everybody about the legal complexities of this.”

Schneider retorted: “I'm not talking about the legal complexities, I'm talking about basic humanity. If you bomb a Palestinian, do they not die? If you prick them, do they not bleed? They are an occupied people. Because I'm saying it is not the same, does not mean that I in any way justify attacks on civilians.”

Isabel then grilled Schneider, asking: “Are you a pacifist? Is that what you're saying, that we shouldn't have military? Because, I mean, how else do you defend yourself when your country's been invaded in this situation?”

Schneider denied the comment from Isabel: “No I'm not a pacifist, and I think that people have the right to defend themselves. And I also think, as the UN does, that occupied and colonised people have the right to struggle for self-determination, including by force within international law. Now, of course, attacking civilians is not within international law."

Isabel then highlighted: “And I should point out the United Nations also saying that nothing can justify the act of terror, killing, maiming and abduction of civilians that were carried out right over the weekend by Hamas. I suppose peace talks in all of this are absolutely key.

"Is it a generation away now? Are we in a worse position? I mean, everybody we've been speaking to says it's a long way off, almost seems intractable as a result of the escalation."

Schneider replied: “Well, it's not just a result of the escalation. There've been no peace talks since 2014. Israel hasn't, hasn't been having them. The Israeli government is an annexationist government. The finance minister has said that Palestinians living in the occupied territories have three choices. They can accept subjugation by Israel, they can leave, or they can die.

“This is not a government that is interested in negotiating peace, which is why we are seeing these eruptions of violence, which is the underlying cause of this, which is what Israel's paper record, Haaretz, had the guts to say in its editorial yesterday.”