Israel: Defending the Indefensible

It’s monotonous the way British government ministers spout propaganda lies in an attempt to make the stink of Israel smell sweeter. Why do they feel compelled to do it?

Too many in public life have placed themselves under the evil influence of that criminal military power. The mystery is why the Committee on Standards in Public Life hasn’t put a stop to it. The Committee’s job is to

• advise the Prime Minister on ethical issues relating to standards in public life,
• conduct broad inquiries into standards of conduct,
• promote the 7 Principles of public Life.

But the Committee says it is not allow to investigate individual allegations of misconduct. That’s the role of the relevant regulator, presumably the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

Theresa May has treated us to these gems:

“We have, in Israel, a thriving democracy, a beacon of tolerance…” – December 2016. I think she means a thriving ethnocracy and a beacon of terror against the weak.

“It is when you walk through Jerusalem or Tel Aviv that you see a country where people of all religions… are free and equal in the eyes of the law.” – December 2016. Phooey, that was never the case. Now read Israel’s new nation-state laws.

“We have common values; we work together on health, counter-terrorism, cyber security; technology; and we can help each other achieve our aims.” – December 2016. Is she aware what Israel’s aim actually are?

Conservative grandee Sir Eric Pickles, CFI Parliamentary chairman, said: “It is immensely important that we speak up for the only working democracy in the Middle East. A bastion of democracy; a bastion of free speech; a bastion of civil liberties.”

Proud Muslim Sajid Javid, now Home Secretary, said in December 2012: “Israel, the only nation in the Middle East that shares the same democratic values as Britain….”

And Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, in October 2015, contributed this: “Under a Conservative government our foreign policy will be made in the Foreign Office…” Funny, I could have sworn it’s made in Tel Aviv or The Israeli embassy in London, which is under the control of propaganda mastermind Mark Regev, Netanyahu’s former chief spokesman.

I’m obliged to the Conservative Friends of Israel website for this selection of fatuous quotes.

Just last week in the House of Commons at Foreign Office Questions and Answers Sir Nicholas Soames (Churchill’s grandson) asked: “Is it not a matter of the greatest regret that our most important ally, the United States, is in clear contravention of United Nations Security Council resolution 497 by ​recognising Israeli sovereignty claims over Golan? As annexation of territory is prohibited under international law, will the Foreign Secretary send a very strong message to the United States that the British House of Commons condemns unreservedly this breach of the rules-based order?”

To which Jeremy Hunt, our nearly-new Foreign Secretary, replied: “We should never recognise the annexation of territory by force. That has been one of the great achievements since the founding of the United Nations. I do that with a very heavy heart, because Israel is an ally and a shining example of democracy in a part of the world where that is not common. We want Israel to be a success, and we consider it to be a great friend, but on this we do not agree.”

Mark Field, Foreign Officer minister, chimed in: “I think we all recognise that Israel is an important strategic partner for the United Kingdom and that we need to collaborate actively on issues of ​defence, security and intelligence. In October 2018, the Government launched the UK-Israel counter-terrorism dialogue to share best practice and insights on a wide range of capabilities. We are now committed to holding such a dialogue annually, which will help to complement the already strong operational relationship between our countries.” That, frankly, made my flesh creep.

Their unquestioning adoration simply legitimises the crimes of the racist terror regime.

And how do these Foreign Office jockeys respond to the statement by their “great friend”and common theif Benjamin Netanyahu that, if re-elected, he will annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank? “I am going to extend [Israeli] sovereignty and I don’t distinguish between settlement blocs and the isolated settlements,” said Netanyahu in a TV interview.

Palestinians of course want to establish their own state in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. After all, it’s their land and the Jewish settlements are illegal under international law. Israel has transferred about 400,000 Jews into the West Bank and another 200,000 live in East Jerusalem which is also Palestinian. That’s actually a war crime; and annexation of the whole of Palestine is one of Israel’s chief aims that Mrs May apparently wants to help the regime achieve…. as if she didn’t know.

Standards? What standards?

That high-placed individuals in Britain’s Establishment can adore and promote such a vile foreign power as an act of policy is shocking. I blame in part the Christian Church which could and should call out the evil but instead hides behind its insistence – stupidly – that interfaith dialogue is the answer.

But most of all I blame the Standards Committee which clearly hasn’t been advising the PM on good behaviour where the racist regime is concerned, nor for that matter other offenders against ethical standards in our public life.

And of course the Parliamentary Commissioner. She (Kathryn Stone) can investigate allegations that MPs have broken their Code of Conduct and its supporting rules which include “INTEGRITY: Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.” Has she ever bothered to look into the boast that 80% of Conservative Party MPs and MEPs are signed up Friends of Israel and many receive money from Israel related sources? Same goes for a good number of Labour MPs.

To be fair, though, have pro-Palestine activists ever lodged a complaint with Ms Stone? If not, what are they waiting for?

I and others complained to the Standards Committee years ago and drew a blank, noting that some members of that committee at the time were themselves associated with the Israel lobby. Isn’t it time the ‘big’ guns like the BDS movement prodded these so-called guardians of our ethics and morality? And kept prodding?

Stuart Littlewood
9April 2019

Stuart Littlewood

After working on jet fighters in the RAF Stuart became an industrial marketing specialist with manufacturing companies and consultancy firms. He also “indulged himself” as a newspaper columnist. In politics, he served as a Cambridgeshire county councilor and member of the Police Authority. Now retired he campaigns on various issues and contributes to several online news & opinion sites. An Associate of the Royal Photographic Society, he has produced two photo-documentary books – Paperturn-view.com.

Also, check out Stuart’s book Radio Free Palestine, with Foreword by Jeff Halper. It tells the plight of the Palestinians under brutal occupation.

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