With Israel in political disarray of its own after two inconclusive elections, the British contest has elicited few comments from Israeli leaders despite deep concern among British Jews over Corbyn and media reports that some might opt to emigrate if he wins.

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Last week, Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli government had not discussed the prospect of Corbyn's election or the future of intelligence and security ties with Britain should the veteran pro-Palestinian campaigner become its leader.

But pressed on the issue in an Israeli Army Radio interview on Thursday, Katz was more forthcoming as the Dec. 12 ballot approaches.

"I won't meddle in internal elections but I personally hope that he won't be elected, with this whole wave of anti-Semitism ... I hope the other side wins," he said.

Labour Party spokesmen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Katz played down the prospect that security relations with Britain, which include intelligence sharing over Islamist militant activity, would necessarily be degraded should Corbyn take office.

"Leaders don't harm their country's own interests so fast. But we will, of course, discuss these things if they occur," Katz said.

Corbyn has rejected allegations of anti-Semitism – last week Britain's chief rabbi accused him of failing to stem the "poison" gripping Labour – while holding to policies that rile Israel.

Last year, Corbyn said he would recognize a Palestinian state if elected. In a speech on Sunday, he pledged increased oversight of British arms exports to Israel in the name of not fueling its conflict with the Palestinians.

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While on the show This Morning, Corbyn was asked multiple times by the show's co-host, Phillip Schofield, to "just say sorry" about the failure to tackle hatred against Jews in the Labour Party after Corbyn claimed that he has been handling the problem.

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Corbyn eventually said, "Obviously, I'm very sorry for everything that had has happened, but I want to make this clear: I am dealing with it. I have dealt with it."

"When I became leader of the party, there were no processes in place at all to deal with cases of anti-Semitism. I instituted those," he added. "I also made sure that for egregious cases, there was a rapid system of doing it, and I proposed that to our national executive in July. I also instituted a process of education in the party."

"Other parties are also affected by anti-Semitism – candidates have been withdrawn by the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives, and by us because of it. We just do not accept it in any form whatsoever."

Corbyn also responded to British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis's claim that Jews are "justifiably anxious" about the possibility of him becoming Britain's prime minister, saying, "I'm very happy to meet him … very happy to talk to any representatives of any part of the Jewish community in our society because I recognize that anti-Semitism is a poison, and it's very dangerous."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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Labour, Britain's main opposition party, has promised to co-operate fully with the investigation, it added.

"We contacted Labour after receiving a number of complaints about allegations of anti-Semitism in the party," the Equality and Human Rights Commission said in a statement.

"We have carefully considered the response we received from the party and have now opened a formal investigation ... to further examine the concerns."

Labour MP and Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary Dawn Butler said: "I think that it's a disappointing moment. I mean I feel some shame in the fact that we've even got any racists in our party. But we are a party of over a million people and racism is on the rise globally, and some of that is in our party and we have to rule it out."

She said it was "really important that the Labour Party builds trust within the Jewish community, and I think that this investigation will help us to do that."

Labour has been riven by allegations that the party has become hostile to Jews under Corbyn, a longtime supporter of the BDS movement against Israel. In 2012, Corbyn attended a conference with Hamas terrorists in Doha. His supporters accuse political opponents and right-wing media of misrepresenting his views.

In February, seven British lawmakers quit the party over its anti-Semitism problem.

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May told a United Jewish Israel Appeal dinner she was "sickened" by the idea that some Jews questioned whether Britain was a safe place to raise their children.

Labour has been angrily divided this year over pockets of anti-Semitism which Corbyn himself has acknowledged. Critics suggest he should step down for failing to tackle the issue.

A poll in Britain's Jewish Chronicle earlier this month said that 40% of Jews would consider emigrating if Corbyn won power in a national election.

In August Britain's former chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks called Corbyn an anti-Semite and said comments about Zionists made by him in 2013, before he was Labour's leader, were the most offensive by a senior UK politician in half a century.

Corbyn said five years ago that British Zionists "don't understand English irony" despite "having lived in this country for a very long time."

"If we are to stand up for the values that we share – then one of the things we need to do is give young Jewish people the confidence to be proud of their identity – as British, Jewish and Zionist, too," May said.

"There is no contradiction between these identities – and we must never let anyone try to suggest that there should be."

Corbyn, a veteran campaigner for Palestinian rights who has moved Labour to the Left, has pledged to eradicate anti-Semitism. This month Labour adopted an internationally accepted definition of anti-Semitism in hopes of ending the row.

Last month, Corbyn said in his 2013 comments he had been describing some pro-Israel activists as Zionists, an explanation that failed to calm the furor.

May said in her speech on Monday, "Nothing excuses anti-Semitism – not comedy, not satire, not even irony."

May said she was committed to strong economic ties between Britain and Israel.

"You can also count on my commitment to Israel's security," she said.

"I am clear that we will always support Israel's right to defend itself."

Current opinion polls show Labour roughly level with May's Conservatives.

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