Jeremy Corbyn was last night engulfed by worldwide condemnation over his visit to the graves of terror leaders linked to the Munich Olympics massacre.

The Labour leader was attacked by the Israeli prime minister, relatives of the murdered athletes, Jewish groups and even his own MPs.

And his attempt to quell the row backfired spectacularly when in an extraordinary interview he appeared to admit being present at a wreath-laying for Palestinian terrorists thought to have been behind the 1972 killings, but said that he did 'not think' he was involved.

'I was there because I wanted to see a fitting memorial to everyone who's died in every terrorist incident,' he added.

The attempted denial came despite pictures, revealed by the Daily Mail at the weekend, showing him beside their graves at a cemetery in Tunisia.

Jeremy Corbyn is seen posing with a wreath under a distinctive red canopy as other politicians look on. This canopy runs alongside the graves of Salah Khalaf, Hayel Abdel-Hamid, Fakhri al-Omari and Atef Bseiso, three of whom have been linked to Black September, the group behind the 1972 atrocity at the Munich Olympic Games

His explanation was denounced by Jewish leaders and Labour MPs as an 'insult' to the families of those 'savagely murdered'.

Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Mr Corbyn deserved 'unequivocal condemnation' for his presence at the service honouring Palestinian 'martyrs'.

But in an astonishing escalation, Mr Corbyn responded to Mr Netanyahu with a series of tweets challenging his treatment of Palestinians.

And he accused the Israeli government over the killing of Palestinian protesters 'including dozens of children'.

In an article for the Mail today, Tory party chairman Brandon Lewis describes the revelations about Mr Corbyn as an 'appalling new low' and argues he is clearly not fit for public office.

Mr Corbyn appears to be adjusting the wreath, which is being held by Salman El Herfi, the Palestinian ambassador in Tunisia. He is still standing by the graves of the men linked to the terror attack

On another dramatic day yesterday:

Families of Israeli athletes killed in the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre called on Mr Corbyn to apologise and step down as Labour leader.

It emerged that the Stop the War campaign group published an incendiary article playing down the brutal killings as unintentional while Mr Corbyn was its chairman.

The BBC largely ignored the revelations about Mr Corbyn's visit to the graves of the Black September terrorists – while giving extensive coverage to the week-old row about Boris Johnson's burka remarks.

Mr Netanyahu criticised Mr Corbyn over his presence at a ceremony where a wreath was laid in memory of Palestinians suspected of being behind the Munich Olympics massacre.

The Israeli PM accused the Labour leader of laying a wreath on the grave of one of those behind the 1972 atrocity in which 11 Israeli athletes were killed, after photos published by the Mail on Saturday showed him holding the floral tribute at the foot of the memorial.

Jeremy Corbyn raises his hands in what appears to be an Islamic prayer position as he stands beside other politicians. A source said he was not praying but 'copying the others out of respect'

Writing on Twitter, Mr Netanyahu said: 'The laying of a wreath by Jeremy Corbyn on the graves of the terrorist who perpetrated the Munich massacre and his comparison of Israel to the Nazis deserves unequivocal condemnation from everyone – Left, Right and everything in between.'

The second reference was to a video which surfaced last week which appeared to show Mr Corbyn likening the situation in the West Bank to occupations during the Second World War.

Soon after Mr Netanyahu's tweet, however, Mr Corbyn hit back. He wrote on Twitter: 'Israeli PM @Netanyahu's claims about my actions and words are false.

'What deserves unequivocal condemnation is the killing of over 160 Palestinian protesters in Gaza by Israeli forces since March, including dozens of children.'

The Labour leader then tweeted: 'The nation state law sponsored by Netanyahu's government discriminates against Israel's Palestinian minority.

Mr Corbyn looks at a plaque which honours Khalaf, al-Omari and Abdel-Hamid. It describes them as ‘martyrs’ who were assassinated in 1991. A wreath that looks very similar to the one Mr Corbyn was holding in the earlier two photographs is seen beside the plaque, circled

'I stand with the tens of thousands of Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel demonstrating for equal rights at the weekend in Tel Aviv.'

Earlier, Mr Corbyn had finally been forced to address the growing row during a visit to Walsall, but his attempt to calm the situation served only to inflame it.

Asked about the controversy, Mr Corbyn said: 'A wreath was indeed laid by some of those who attended the conference to those that were killed in Paris in 1992.

'I was present when it was laid. I don't think I was actually involved in it (laying it). I was there because I wanted to see a fitting memorial to everyone who has died in every terrorist incident everywhere because we have to end it.'

Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger last night hit back at Mr Corbyn's attempted explanation.

The Israeli PM condemned Jeremy Corbyn on Twitter and urged those of the left and right to unite to in criticising the Labour leader

Mr Corbyn has hit back at Mr Netanyahu's claims, calling them 'false' on Twitter

Mr Corbyn also blasted the Israeli PM for laws sponsored by his government that 'discriminate against Israel's Palestinian minority'

Labour MP Luciana Berger - who is Jewish and has spoken out about the onslaught of anti-Semitic abuse she has received from some of Jeremy Corbyn's supporters - demanded that Mr Corbyn apologise for attending the ceremony

She said: 'Being 'present' is the same as being involved. When I attend a memorial, my presence alone, whether I lay a wreath or not, demonstrates my association and support.

'There can also never be a 'fitting memorial' for terrorists. Where is the apology?'

What has Jeremy Corbyn and his team said about the Munich wreath laying scandal? Here is how Jeremy Corbyn and Labour sources have tried to explain his presence at the wreath laying in Tunis: When reports first surfaced in last year's election campaign: Jeremy Corbyn: 'I was in Tunisia at a Palestinian conference and I spoke at that Palestinian conference and I laid a wreath to all those that had died in the air attack that took place on Tunis, on the headquarters of the Palestinian organisations there. 'And I was accompanied by very many other people who were at a conference searching for peace. The only way we achieve peace is by bringing people together and talking to them.' Saturday August 11, 2018: Presented with photos of the wreath laying, a Jeremy Corbyn source said the Labour leader was at 'a Palestinian commemoration for those killed in the bombing in Tunis'. The source insisted that the pictures did not contradict Mr Corbyn's statements. And the insider said the picture showing Mr Corbyn apparently joining in a prayer was simply of him 'copying the others out of respect'. Monday August 13 (morning) A Labour party spokesman said: 'We have got nothing to say beyond what we have already said.' Monday, August 13 (lunchtime) Jeremy Corbyn: 'A wreath was indeed laid by some of those who attended the conference to some who were killed in Paris in 1992. 'I was present when it was laid, I don't think I was actually involved in it. 'I was there because I wanted to see a fitting memorial to everyone who has died in every terrorist incident because we have to end it. 'You cannot pursue peace by a cycle of violence. The only way you can pursue peace is by a cycle of dialogue.' Advertisement

Jennifer Gerber, director of Labour Friends of Israel, said: 'Jeremy Corbyn's latest statement is a further insult to those savagely murdered at Munich and their bereaved relatives.

'He says he was paying respect to victims of terrorism when there is clear photographic evidence of him holding a wreath. Jeremy Corbyn's appalling actions, and Labour's attempted cover-up, is another truly shameful day for the party he leads.'

Families of the athletes killed in Munich stepped up their criticism of Mr Corbyn.

Michal Shahar, 69, who lives in Tel Aviv, lost her father Kehat Shorr, a shooting coach, in the massacre.

She told the Mail: 'I think he should apologise. I think for the party it is best that he resign, but [whatever happens] he must apologise.'

Ilana Romano, whose husband Yossef, a champion weightlifter, was castrated and shot dead by the Munich terrorists, said: 'Corbyn should have said, 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been there, and I apologise'.'

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn last night said: 'Jeremy did not lay any wreath at the graves of those alleged to have been linked to the Black September organisation or the 1972 Munich killings.

'He of course condemns that terrible attack, as he does the 1985 bombing.'

ce by a cycle of violence.

'The only way you can pursue peace is by a cycle of dialogue.'

But his remarks were met with a scathing response from anti-Semitism campaigners, who said he is still dodging questions.

Euan Philipps, spokesman for Labour Against Antisemitism, told MailOnline that Mr Corbyn must be honest and admit the damage the latest scandal has done to his party.

He said: 'Jeremy Corbyn's claim that he wasn't involved in the wreath-laying ceremony, when pictures exist showing him laying the wreath himself, stretches credulity.

'Mr Corbyn must first address the distress he has caused the widows of the Munich victims by being honest about what happened.

'He must then publicly admit to the damage his leadership is doing to the Labour Party, accept responsibility for its ongoing antisemitism crisis, and resign.

'We hope that all Labour MPs, members and those in the media will show the integrity that this case demands and continue to hold Mr Corbyn to account over this appalling incident.'

Jennifer Gerber, director of Labour Friends of Israel, said: 'Jeremy Corbyn's latest statement is a further insult to those savagely murdered at Munich and their bereaved relatives.

'He says he was paying respect to victims of terrorism when there is clear photographic evidence of him holding a wreath. Jeremy Corbyn's appalling actions, and Labour's attempted cover-up, is another truly shameful day for the party he leads.'

Atef Bseiso (left) was head of intelligence for the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) before his assassination outside a Paris hotel in 1992. It was widely reported he was shot because he helped plan the Munich Massacre in 1972. Hayel Abdel-Hamidwas chief of security for the PLO. He was a close adviser to Salah Khalaf, and the pair were killed in an attack in Abdel-Hamid's home in the Tunisian capital Tunis in 1991

Salah Khalaf (left) is widely believed to have masterminded the Munich Massacre. He created Black September and went on to become Yasser Arafat's second-in-command in the PLO. In 1991 he was gunned down in Tunis. FakhriAlomari was a senior member of Black September and was also implicated in the Munich Massacre. He was a close adviser to Salah Khalaf and was killed during the same attack in Tunis

File photo shows a member of the Palestinian terrorist group who seized members of the Israeli Olympic team at their quarters at the Munich Olympic Village on September 5, 1972

The scene of horror inside the apartment of the Israeli Olympic team's apartment which is riddled with bullet holes and blood covering the floor

West German policemen wearing sweatsuits, bullet-proof vests and armed with submachine guns, take up positions on Olympic Village rooftops

The remains of the helicopter which was used by Arab guerillas to escape from the Olympic village with 11 Israeli hostages. The helicopter was destroyed in a gun battle with German police