By DAILY MAIL REPORTER Rowan Laxton: He allegedly called for Israelis to be 'blown off the earth' A top Foreign Office civil servant said the Israelis should be ‘blown off the face of the earth’ during an outburst at a gym, a court heard yesterday. Rowan Laxton, 48, was allegedly heard shouting ‘f****** Israelis, f****** Jews’ at a TV news bulletin while working out. The incident happened in January, during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. Gideon Falter, who is Jewish, said he confronted Laxton, £70,000-a-year head of the Foreign Office South Asia desk. Mr Falter told Westminster Magistrates Court Laxton said: ‘It’s f****** despicable what they’re doing in Gaza’ and ‘It’s not racist. If I had my way, the international community would be sent in and if the Israelis got in the way, they would be blown off the face of the f****** earth.’ Laxton denies stirring up religious hatred. He told the court: ‘I am embarrassed. I offended somebody, I embarrassed the Foreign Office, I’ve caused anxiety to friends and family. 'I regret using foul language and I regret using imprecise language.’ He said he was upset at a TV report of the death of a Palestinian farmer. Defending, Julian Knowles said Laxton had no reason to believe anyone could hear him as he was alone on the top tier of the gym. District Judge Howard Riddle will give his verdict next Friday.Foreign Office official in court accused of anti-Semitic gym rant
Last updated at 8:35 AM on 17th September 2009
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1213986/Foreign-Office-official-accused-anti-Semitic-rant-gym.html#ixzz0RMfH3bJM
Thursday 17 September 2009
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