How will the coalition react to Israeli murder?
Murdering aid workers and peace activists is nothing new for Israel. That the press have been forced to report this is a product of the nationality of those murdered, and that fact that it all happened on the same day. Normally, like a serial killer, they have the good sense to murder people one at time.
But, of course, Israel can’t be fully blamed for today’s incident. It’s actions are always a reaction to the responses of the international community. It is because we let them get away with murder that they feel it’s OK to massacre. Imagine, for example, if Iran had gunned down members of a peaceful aid convoy to Afghanistan. How would we react?
That isn’t a fair comparison, of course. Unlike Israel, Iran hasn’t occupied Afghanistan and dropped white phosphorous on it’s children. Unlike Israel, Iranian violence hasn’t been normalised.
And how will we react now?
It’s clear that we can expect the Tories to take their usual pro-Israeli stance. So, the question is, to what extent will the Lib Dems be able to moderate them?
We shall see.
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This is very sad.
As a british historian really the whole middle East bit bears painful and shameful examination.
I cant see how the UK will ever have the political nerve to stop meddeling and backing the one side that has systematically abused there neighbours……going back over 2000 years.
Taking recent history the British did not exactly cover themselves in glory around the first world war along with the French and Americans, compounded by our activities in the second world war, follwed by the brilliance of giving another nations land to a religious sect, then swifty followed by post war prevarication and following on the tails of America.
The least we can look for is neutrality. No support, no trade, exclusion of Israel from diplomatic, economic and political activity will never happen in the real world.
But perhaps the even handed suspension of arms deals to both sides, the limitation of flow of Israels people in to benefit from our culture, maybe, just maybe our government will have the guts to do this.
We live in hope
Cardiff Young Greens invited a Lib Dem peer to speak on Israel and its lack of criticism or accountability to the international community. She claimed that the Lib Dems are a ‘very pro-Palestine party’. We shall see just how much it matters to them now.