An adviser to Sadiq Khan on policing accused Israel of “settler colonialism”, while another adviser accused the country of genocide, The Telegraph can reveal.

The Mayor of London has been accused of a “shocking” lack of judgement as it emerged one of his advisers responsible for scrutinising reform of the Metropolitan Police said he could “never respect Israel as a settlement or a country”.

A second adviser helping to shape Mr Khan’s equality, diversity and inclusion strategy repeatedly accused Israel of genocide, while a third shared a post claiming that Palestinians have faced a “brutal settler colonial occupation” for 75 years and are now immersed in an “anti-colonial and anti-apartheid” struggle.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism urged Mr Khan to sack all three advisers and “publicly reject” their views in light of the “startling” revelations.

“The views in these posts would be of concern coming from any member of the public, but coming from people in charge of equality, diversity and inclusion in London, and even of overseeing policing in our capital, they are totally out of order,” it said.

Mr Khan’s team said he did “not agree” with the advisers’ views, stressing the individuals concerned were “very much independent from the Mayor”.

The first adviser, Sayce Holmes-Lewis, is a member of the London Policing Board tasked with helping the Mayor scrutinise “urgent reform” of the Met after a damning report found the force was institutionally racist, sexist and homophobic.

He also trains Scotland Yard on engaging with the black community, according to his website.

Last year, before the policing board was established, Mr Holmes-Lewis said he could “never respect Israel as a settlement or a country”.

‘Israel should face boycotts for war crimes’

Sharing a clip appearing to show Israeli forces attacking a Palestinian journalist’s funeral procession, he wrote: “Absolutely sickening and disgusting. I can never respect Israel as a settlement or a country. The occupation of Palestine is unlawful & inhumane.

“We are witnessing a genocide of innocent people. We are all being oppressed by the same system of colonialism #PalestinianLivesMatter”.

In a separate tweet, also posted last year, he suggested Israel should face boycotts like Russia for its “war crimes”.

“I’m just wondering when all these Western administrations, organisations & sporting governing bodies are going to boycott Israel for their war crimes & the continual oppression of Palestinian people. Russia has been boycotted globally in record time. Don’t forget Israel either,” he said.

Mr Holmes-Lewis, an entrepreneur, mentor and activist, previously came under fire for reportedly calling Covid “the greatest hustle of all time” and warning against “climate lockdowns”.

The controversial comments, which surfaced a month after his appointment to the board was announced in September, were branded “hugely irresponsible” by the deputy leader of the City Hall Conservatives.

Challenged on the vetting process earlier this month, Mr Khan said he had been “reassured” that all the members of the policing board had undergone the “proper checks”.

The other two activists, Asma Shah and Peter Wieltschnig, are both members of the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Advisory Group.

According to its dedicated webpage, the panel “shapes, influences and guides the delivery of the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy”.

Ms Shah, a charity leader, has accused Israel of genocide, apartheid and “settler colonialism”.

On Oct 26, shortly after Israeli tanks and troops launched a “targeted raid” on Gaza, she tweeted: “Watching from the sidelines and going mad as genocide is committed in 2023 to the applause of western leaders, and humanitarians are arrested for protesting for the lives of #Palestine #settlercolonialism #Apartheid_Israel #CeaseFireInGaza”.

The term “settler colonialism” is sometimes used by critics of the Israeli state to describe the political and demographic shifts in the area since the late 19th century.

The Anti-Defamation League, an international Jewish civil rights group, has warned this is an “inaccurate” characterisation and “often serves as part of the effort to chip away at or negate Israel’s legitimacy”.

Ms Shah has also criticised Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to call for a ceasefire, accusing him of “egging on genocide”.

Asked to comment, she told The Telegraph: “My concerns are for a ceasefire in order for the killing of children and other innocents in Gaza to stop. I don’t express this hope as a member of the EDI which is a London-focused group, I do so as a human who is really troubled to keep seeing the numbers of innocents being killed rising and the world is letting it happen.

“I am in solidarity with Jews all over the world and in London too who are peacefully protesting and calling for a ceasefire.”

Mr Wieltschnig has not attacked Israel in his own words, but he recently shared a statement from the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain claiming that “over the past 75 years Palestinians have faced a brutal settler colonial occupation”.

It added: “We reject the proposition that anti-Zionism and criticisms of Israel equate to anti-semitism. The struggle for the liberation of Palestine is an anti-colonial and anti-apartheid struggle and as such is supported by millions of workers of all faiths and backgrounds, including Muslim and Jewish communities, across the world.”

‘Mayor must remove individuals from their positions’

A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “These revelations are startling. The Mayor’s EDI Advisory Group does not seem to be particularly inclusive when there are members who do not recognise the legitimacy of a Jewish state, especially the assertion that Israel, since its inception 75 years ago, has represented a ‘brutal settler colonial occupation’.

“Moreover, for someone on the London Policing Board to appear to hold similar views is even more disturbing, particularly at a time of such scrutiny in relation to the Met’s controversial handling of the recent protests. If Mr Holmes-Lewis ‘can never respect Israel as a settlement or a country,’ how can he and those he oversees respect the Jewish community that identifies so closely with the Jewish state?”

The statement added: “The Mayor must publicly reject these views and remove these individuals from their positions.”

A Conservative Party source said: “It is shocking that Sadiq Khan seems to believe it is acceptable for his advisers to hold these views and it shows once again that he is completely out of touch with Londoners’ values.”

A spokesman for Mr Khan said: “The Mayor does not agree with these views and comments. These board members are very much independent from the Mayor and will therefore have a variety of opinions that will not be in line with the Mayor’s.”

Mr Holmes-Lewis, Mr Wieltschnig and the Labour Party have all been approached for comment.