Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband threatens to sue Jewish paper over alleged Israel remarks. Photo: Wikimedia

Former British Labour Party leader Ed Miliband threatened to sue a Jewish newspaper in the U.K. if it published comments media mogul Richard Desmond said he made that were critical of Israel, the Jewish Telegraph reported on Friday.

“The former Labour leader was furious over allegations that he had made offensive remarks to Desmond about Israeli action against Palestinians,” the Telegraph reported.“The Daily Express owner had told the Jewish Telegraph that Miliband had verbally attacked Israel during a chance encounter on London’s Hampstead Heath.”

“Desmond suggested Miliband had been in such a rage. I couldn’t stop him – he was going berserk [about Israel’s actions],” according to the Jewish Telegraph.

“Miliband’s spokesman, who had seen a full transcript of Desmond’s interview, said: ‘You should expect legal action and/or a complaint to the press watchdog if you go ahead with publication,’” according to the report.

The newspaper said it had decided not to print Miliband’s comments.

Miliband came under fire from some Jewish groups in 2014 for comments he made critical of Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip last summer, such as remarking on the “horrifying deaths of hundreds of Palestinians.”

“I don’t think it will help Israel win friends,” he said in the U.S. at the time.

Miliband stepped down as Labour chairman after the party suffered a serious loss in parliamentary elections earlier this year.