Israel’s absorption (or dismemberment) of the West Bank continues apace, and the European Union does nothing to give practical form to its criticisms of a country with which it has a very close relationship.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, says that Palestine (or the West Bank at least) will be “ready for statehood” no later than August next year. Presumably he will then call upon the UN to recognise a Palestinian ‘state’.
It’s a great idea but I can’t see it getting very far. The USA is alleged already to have told Netanyahu that they will use their veto. European Union foreign ministers have indicated their support in the past, so it will be interesting to see how long it takes for them to wriggle out of any such commitment.
Past evidence suggests that Hell will freeze over before Britain and the rest of the EU dissents with the USA on matters to do with Israel.
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
ISRAEL HUMILIATES EUROPE – AGAIN
The Foreign Ministers of France and Spain, Kouchner and Moratinos, were told to take a running jump by their Israeli opposite number Avigdor Lieberman when he met them last Sunday. They put the case for a two-state solution, arguing that the failure to establish a Palestinian state would undermine Israel’s security. The response they got was total dismissal. “Israel will not be the Czechoslovakia of 2010,” said Lieberman, making clear that he regards all Palestinian land as belonging to Israel. He then ignored all diplomatic niceties by leaking details of the exchange to the media.
The Europeans should have stopped kidding themselves long ago and accepted that the Israeli government hasn’t the slightest intention of agreeing to a two-state solution. Now it is preparing the ground to defend a system of apartheid between Jews and non-Jews for years to come. Netanyahu told the Knesset on 10 October: “If the Palestinian leadership will unequivocally say to its people that it recognises Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, I will be ready to convene my government and ask for another suspension of construction (of settlements on Palestinian land) for a fixed period. Because the Palestinians expect us to recognise the Palestinian state as their nation-state, we can expect them to recognise the Jewish state as our nation-state.”
If Palestinians were to accept Netanyahu’s latest ruse they would condemn their people forever to live in a land where Jews would have rights as citizens and non-Jews would be condemned forever to be serfs, lucky if they had even some limited and uncertain privileges. The principle would apply just as much to the Greater Israel now being created as to the one confined by 1967 borders.
The thief has his hands in the open desk and is stealing the contents. It is plain for all to see, but the EU stands to one side, wagging its finger and saying “you really shouldn’t do that.” It is pathetic.
Europe’s governments should slam down the desk lid and crush the thief’s fingers.
The EU should back up its fine words with some firm deeds, suspending the Association Agreement that provides for preferential dealings with Israel until the illegal building of settlements on occupied territory is stopped. Only then will Israel pay attention. As Lieberman told the press after his meeting: “In the reality of the Middle East, only the strong survive.”
Will the EU act? Not a chance. The guilt of history stays us from curbing Israeli injustice today. We are weak, weak, weak.
The Europeans should have stopped kidding themselves long ago and accepted that the Israeli government hasn’t the slightest intention of agreeing to a two-state solution. Now it is preparing the ground to defend a system of apartheid between Jews and non-Jews for years to come. Netanyahu told the Knesset on 10 October: “If the Palestinian leadership will unequivocally say to its people that it recognises Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, I will be ready to convene my government and ask for another suspension of construction (of settlements on Palestinian land) for a fixed period. Because the Palestinians expect us to recognise the Palestinian state as their nation-state, we can expect them to recognise the Jewish state as our nation-state.”
If Palestinians were to accept Netanyahu’s latest ruse they would condemn their people forever to live in a land where Jews would have rights as citizens and non-Jews would be condemned forever to be serfs, lucky if they had even some limited and uncertain privileges. The principle would apply just as much to the Greater Israel now being created as to the one confined by 1967 borders.
The thief has his hands in the open desk and is stealing the contents. It is plain for all to see, but the EU stands to one side, wagging its finger and saying “you really shouldn’t do that.” It is pathetic.
Europe’s governments should slam down the desk lid and crush the thief’s fingers.
The EU should back up its fine words with some firm deeds, suspending the Association Agreement that provides for preferential dealings with Israel until the illegal building of settlements on occupied territory is stopped. Only then will Israel pay attention. As Lieberman told the press after his meeting: “In the reality of the Middle East, only the strong survive.”
Will the EU act? Not a chance. The guilt of history stays us from curbing Israeli injustice today. We are weak, weak, weak.
Monday, 31 May 2010
GAZA : TIME TO MEET WITH HAMAS
Israel is doing its best to maintain a news blackout to reduce the impact of its attack on the Gaza relief convoy in international waters, but the truth is getting out. Israel has once again proven that it is a rogue state.
The EU is calling for an "inquiry," but this does not do justice to the situation. In any case we know from Goldstone how Israel reacts to "inquiries" that find against it.
It is time that our words were matched by deeds. Israel must be made to realise that unacceptable actions will have consequences.
Ten days ago President Medvedev of Russia met face to face with the Hamas leader, Khaled Meshal, in Damascus.
Russia is a member of the Quartet, yet its leader has now thrown aside Quartet policy with regard to having no communication with "terrorists" and entered into talks with Hamas. This was the right thing to do, and it swept aside years of prevarication by the EU and the USA.
You cannot make peace without talking to your enemies. Even Israel should know that.
The response of the EU to Israel's assault on the Gaza relief convoy should be that it will no longer play the game by Israel's rules. Its representatives should follow in the footsteps of President Medvedev.
The EU should talk to Hamas.
The EU is calling for an "inquiry," but this does not do justice to the situation. In any case we know from Goldstone how Israel reacts to "inquiries" that find against it.
It is time that our words were matched by deeds. Israel must be made to realise that unacceptable actions will have consequences.
Ten days ago President Medvedev of Russia met face to face with the Hamas leader, Khaled Meshal, in Damascus.
Russia is a member of the Quartet, yet its leader has now thrown aside Quartet policy with regard to having no communication with "terrorists" and entered into talks with Hamas. This was the right thing to do, and it swept aside years of prevarication by the EU and the USA.
You cannot make peace without talking to your enemies. Even Israel should know that.
The response of the EU to Israel's assault on the Gaza relief convoy should be that it will no longer play the game by Israel's rules. Its representatives should follow in the footsteps of President Medvedev.
The EU should talk to Hamas.
Thursday, 4 March 2010
DON'T MENTION THE WAR!
We debate the Goldstone report on Israel's assault against Gaza in my European Liberal Democrat Group.
A proposal from me that we should formally welcome the call by EU foreign ministers for the immediate lifting of the continuing siege of Gaza is accepted. But my German colleagues are adamant that we should not include a reference to the fact that Israel has ignored the call and we should now consider what action to take.
So it is alright to express words but not alright to try and give those words meaning, or to do anything that might inconvenience Israel? It seems so. German proxy votes are marshalled to defeat me.
I bite my tongue. Words like "military occupation," "collective punishment," or "blood guilt," may be too close to home.
A proposal from me that we should formally welcome the call by EU foreign ministers for the immediate lifting of the continuing siege of Gaza is accepted. But my German colleagues are adamant that we should not include a reference to the fact that Israel has ignored the call and we should now consider what action to take.
So it is alright to express words but not alright to try and give those words meaning, or to do anything that might inconvenience Israel? It seems so. German proxy votes are marshalled to defeat me.
I bite my tongue. Words like "military occupation," "collective punishment," or "blood guilt," may be too close to home.
Thursday, 17 September 2009
A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS
Membership of the various European Parliament delegations that maintain links with our opposite numbers around the world has just been announced. I'm back as a full member on the delegation to Palestine and I'm a new, second tier, member on the one to Israel. More intrusive security checks at Ben Gurion airport beckon. Joy.
I had better keep an eye on my blood pressure. The sense of outrage at the injustice experienced by Palestinians is never diluted by frustration at their inability to unite sufficiently to speak with one voice. To that may now be added the pleasure of observing Israeli representatives avoid explaining just what future they envisage for Palestinians as they continue to change the facts on the ground with their confiscation and building programme.
While I attended my first meeting of the Israel delegation I got notice that the Jewish Board of Deputies had issued a statement following a meeting with Nick Clegg (whose support for a just settlement in the Middle East is unquestioned). It reported him as saying that he profoundly disagreed with Baroness Tonge and MEP Chris Davies on many issues (no idea which ones). "Their right to express their views did not mean that anti-Semitic comments would be tolerated."
No suggestion here that either Jenny or myself have ever made anti-Semitic remarks, but I suspect the authors intended to imply that we had. Nice.
Get real. Criticism of the policies of the Israeli government, or even of some attitudes towards Palestinians within Israeli society, is not the same as anti-Semitism.
I had better keep an eye on my blood pressure. The sense of outrage at the injustice experienced by Palestinians is never diluted by frustration at their inability to unite sufficiently to speak with one voice. To that may now be added the pleasure of observing Israeli representatives avoid explaining just what future they envisage for Palestinians as they continue to change the facts on the ground with their confiscation and building programme.
While I attended my first meeting of the Israel delegation I got notice that the Jewish Board of Deputies had issued a statement following a meeting with Nick Clegg (whose support for a just settlement in the Middle East is unquestioned). It reported him as saying that he profoundly disagreed with Baroness Tonge and MEP Chris Davies on many issues (no idea which ones). "Their right to express their views did not mean that anti-Semitic comments would be tolerated."
No suggestion here that either Jenny or myself have ever made anti-Semitic remarks, but I suspect the authors intended to imply that we had. Nice.
Get real. Criticism of the policies of the Israeli government, or even of some attitudes towards Palestinians within Israeli society, is not the same as anti-Semitism.
Friday, 4 September 2009
EUROPE'S BRAVE GOVERNMENT
Norway has refused to invest any of the $400 billion in the 'wealth fund' managed by its central bank in an Israeli company, Elbit Systems, that has supplied surveillance equipment for the Separation Wall built in part on Palestinian territory.
The Norwegian finance minister is unequivocal in saying that this is because of the direct violations of humanitarian law involved.
But Norway is a semi-detached European; a member of the economic area but with no voice at the EU table in Brussels. Pity. I wish the EU's full members would display similar courage. Where were the French when Alstom won the contract to build the new metro that serves the huge illegal Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem? Is there anything left of an ethical British policy?
The Norwegian government has a distinguished record of speaking out against the Israeli occupation. Perhaps you will never get the German government to follow suit - the accusation of anti-semitism that would immediately be levelled would cause political problems in a country struggling with the guilt of its history - but why do all the others stay silent, or refuse to back up their gentle words of criticism with any practical action?
Instead of hiding behind Obama it would be refreshing to hear at least one EU government saying loudly and clearly that EU policy in the Middle East must stop cow-towing to Israeli oppression and sidestepping the reality of military occupation.
The Norwegian finance minister is unequivocal in saying that this is because of the direct violations of humanitarian law involved.
But Norway is a semi-detached European; a member of the economic area but with no voice at the EU table in Brussels. Pity. I wish the EU's full members would display similar courage. Where were the French when Alstom won the contract to build the new metro that serves the huge illegal Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem? Is there anything left of an ethical British policy?
The Norwegian government has a distinguished record of speaking out against the Israeli occupation. Perhaps you will never get the German government to follow suit - the accusation of anti-semitism that would immediately be levelled would cause political problems in a country struggling with the guilt of its history - but why do all the others stay silent, or refuse to back up their gentle words of criticism with any practical action?
Instead of hiding behind Obama it would be refreshing to hear at least one EU government saying loudly and clearly that EU policy in the Middle East must stop cow-towing to Israeli oppression and sidestepping the reality of military occupation.
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