If Hamas attacks Israel with rocket fire and Israel retaliates, the British government has threatened to suspend some arms exports to Israel. This is, as Yuval Steinitz points out here, tantamount to inviting Hamas to launch new jihad attacks against Israel, knowing that the response from the West will be more excoriation of Israel, not resistance to jihad terror.
“UK Govt ‘Encouraging Hamas To Fire At Israel,'” by Tom Rayner, Sky News, August 12, 2014 (thanks to Hiro):
An Israeli cabinet minister has accused the UK government of ‘encouraging’ Hamas to re-start rocket fire from Gaza, following a decision to suspend some arms exports to Israel if fighting resumes.
On Wednesday night, the Department of Business confirmed it would freeze 12 licenses for arms export contracts of UK companies to Israel if “significant hostilities resume”.
Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said the decision was “exceedingly odd” and warned it could be a motivation for Hamas to refuse an extension of the ceasefire, which came into effect on Sunday night.
“I tell you honestly, I heard it, but although I have a PHD in Philosophy, I didn’t understand it. What is the message? I want to understand what is the message?”, said Mr Steinitz, addressing the Jerusalem Press Club.
“If this is the message it’s exceedingly odd, I don’t believe that this is the message.
“If Hamas will resume rocket launching at our cities tonight. If Hamas will choose to resume the fighting and the rocket attacks against Israeli civilians then Britain will put some restrictions on defence cooperation with Israel?
“I hope this is not the message because this could be very encouraging for Hamas to resume fire.”
The announcement by Business Secretary Vince Cable followed a review of licensed exports to Israel ordered by Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.
The review found 12 contracts related to components and parts that could be used by the Israeli military as part of its operations in Gaza.
Arms export licences can be suspended by the UK if there is clear risk the exported goods might be used in actions considered to be political repression, or could provoke or prolong a conflict.
“The UK Government has not been able to clarify if the export licence criteria are being met. In light of that uncertainty we have taken the decision to suspend these existing export licences in the event of a resumption of significant hostilities”, said Mr Cable.
He added: “In the event of the renewal of significant hostilities, the Government’s concern is that it may not have sufficient information to determine whether the licence assessment criteria have been contravened.
“For example, whether a serious violation of international humanitarian law has occurred and whether equipment containing UK components has been used. It therefore would suspend licences while it establishes more information.”…
richsrd sherman says
You cannot read Winston Churchill in public in England as per the directive of the dhimmi Cameron…so why be surprised ss the foundational antisemitism of 2014 England..
Huck Folder says
rs: This is a pointer for those not familiar:
WINCHESTER: CHURCHILL QUOTATION GETS LIBERTY GB LEADER PAUL WESTON ARRESTED 26 April 2014
http://libertygb.org.uk/v1/index.php/home/root/news-libertygb/6389-winchester-churchill-quotation-gets-liberty-gb-leader-paul-weston-arrested
Here is further encouragement of Israel bashing, but a little O/T:
Canadian, William Schabas, head of UN Gaza commission, dismisses anti-Israel charge
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/william-schabas-head-of-un-gaza-commission-dismisses-anti-israel-charge-1.2733740
“2014 UN Gaza inquiry
The United Nations Human ‘Rights’ Council had adopted a resolution on 23 July 2014 calling on establishment of commission of inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of international humanitarian laws CARRIED OUT BY ISRAEL [and ONLY Israel!] in 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict.”
Some unsavoury background on antisemite William Schabas:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Schabas
“During his speech at Russel Tribunal in 2013, Schabas said that it is his “profound belief, the international law can be used to demonstrate and underscore the violations committed by the state of Israel, [ONLY Israel!] and moreover can be used to hold accountable individuals who have perpetrated international crimes against the people of Palestine …WITH A BIT OF LUCK and BY TWISTING THINGS and MANEUVERING we can GET THEM before the courts”
Now let’s look at Schabas’s facebook page; let’s see who turns his crank :
https://www.facebook.com/william.schabas
Favorites Other: Al-Haq Organization مؤسسة الحق
Hmmm. Let’s look at that first entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Haq
NOT nice people, not even to your face (taqiyya ON), behind your back, ANYTHING’s possible.
So Mr. Shabas has openly stated his wishes to have Shimon Peres and Bibi Netanyahu hauled before the ICC, and his FB page shows his cosiness with ‘the islamist dark side’, yet he has the unmitigated gall to claim that he will leave his prejudices at the door. He is SO twisted that if he manages to drive his steamroller over Israel, at the behest of the CORRUPT UNHRC, it will be another farce like Durban.
richard Sherman says
Thank you….Churchill also said: “MEIN KAMPF is the new Koran”..Those words should be on a giant banner in front of 10 Downing Street!
David, Thailand says
When the right go left, the left is quite justified in moving further left.
Bye bye Britland, you were once the standard for greatness.
John Newton says
My family originated from Manchester England and I’ve always been proud of my heritage, “until the British government gave the country to radical Islam”. I have been flying the British flag in Canada “and now I’m ashamed to fly it”. I’m not a lover of Jews “but they do have the right to defend themselves against radical Islam”, which is a barbaric idioligy that is on a mission to control every country on earth. For Britain to side Hamas and radical Islam is out of fear that the radical Muslims living in Britain will riot and destroy the country even sooner than they plan to. The British politicians who have been pandering to Islam should be charged with treason and jailed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htshvId51UE
James Murray says
Still be proud. Britain has not and is not ‘giving into’ Muslim thugs.
The UK is still supplying Israel with military weapons and equipment (none which will be used in Gaza ironically), as confirmed two nights ago by Sky News and the BBC and other major British media.
The UK govt has also again reaffirmed its public support for Israel this week, and that Israel has ‘a legitimate right to self-defence’.
Richie says
I wouldnt be surprised if George Galloway is made the next PM, given the rising tide of pre Islam and anti Israel in Britain
James Murray says
Honestly, a lot of this story is hyperbole and hysteria, you’d think the UK and Europe has gone pogrom mad. That isn’t the case.
Anti-Semitism may have sadly risen in the UK, but its still at a very low level. The UK is not and has never been an anti-Semitic nation, despite what people here believe. In fact, the rates of recorded anti-Semitism in the UK and US are the same. In fact, some years the US has been ‘more antisemitic’ than the UK, and yet no sane person thinks the US is remotely anti-Semitic…..
Frankly a lot of the stories I read (like UK teachers ‘not teaching the Holocaust’, which is a legal requirement btw) are rubbish from rightwing US radio or blogs playing on the average American’s ideas and myths of Britain.
In fact, from the 19th C through the fascist 30s to today, the British people have relegated it to the extreme. They have en masse rejected those, from Oswald Mosley to the BNP, who espouse it.
In fact , its the opposite. Jewishness is celebrated and a major part of British life and culture.
If there is a rise, I would greatly attribute it to UK Muslim extremists and to some pro-Palestine groups. But as I said, despite a sad rise, anti-Semitism is very low in the UK, so people need to reign in the criticism and the hysteria.
Galloway?. Despised by millions of Brits, bar a tiny stupid minority. Even the left dislikes him, as he has exposed himself as a bigot and lunatic beyond reasonable argument.
Wellington says
Hard, virtually impossible, not to conclude that Britain is only a shadow of its former self (and I’m not talking about the loss of the Empire here but rather the loss of a frame of mind). I say this with no joy, no schadenfreude, whatsoever. Indeed, it pains me to write this about the Mother Country, which is in the process of annihilating itself courtesy of PC/MC, narcissism, pure laziness, avarice, overall ignorance and ennui.
Deeply, profoundly sad. There is still time, but if the likes of Blair, Brown and Cameron continue to rule over Britain, then, I fear, all is lost. God, it’s a long way from Churchill to Cameron——-a long way downwards.
James Murray says
The UK is still supplying Israel with military weapons and equipment (none which will be used in Gaza ironically), as confirmed two nights ago by Sky News and the BBC and other major British media. The UK govt has also again reaffirmed its public support for Israel this week, and that Israel has ‘a legitimate right to self-defence’.
Yes, we are not what we once were, but then so are you, so is the West.
And remember that conservatism is in the rise in the UK, as is anti-immigration and a dislike of Muslims.
Wellington says
But you are far more less of what you were, far more, than what America still is. Hugely so. Damn sad but hugely so.
In any case, I admire, even embrace, your optimism, but asserting, as you do, that “The UK has also again reaffirmed its public support for Israel” is almost meaningless becaue it invariably comes with a “but,” as in “Israel has a right to self-defense, but…..” What the hell is the “but” about? Nothing good, nor wise, nor in Israel’s interests I submit. Moreover, the fact that the Cameron government has suspended ANYTHING to Israel is evidence of typical European wimpiness where Israel is concerned. Even the fool Obama won’t do this. And if the British government is even worse than the Obama Administration on the matter of Israel, well then, I rest my case.
As for conservatism and general skepticism of Muslims in the UK is concerned, to what effective result I would ask. Britain needs far more right now than conservatism being “on the rise.” One knows this or should know it.
Rajivi says
I read about PC in many comments…Pl give the expanded form of PC/MC
Myxlplik says
Do the people running Brittain honestly believe Muslims have a different fate in store for the Jews in Israel, the that of the Yazidi’s?
I mean it’s not like the “Palestinians” and most other Muslims aren’t running around foaming at the mouth calling for genocide.
It’s all so disgusting.
Alice says
Well, that’s the most asinine and absurd thing I’ve ever heard.
Wetwork56 says
It is truly sad to see a nation with such great history succumb to their immigration policies passed with glee from their progressive/liberal leaders. I’m not sure if they’ve quite reached the event horizon just yet, but there has to be some Churchillian reversal in British hearts & minds soon or they will no longer be considered GREAT Britian.
richard Sherman says
You can no longer read Churchill in public in England as per the dhimmi Cameron….just ask Paul Weston
James Murray says
The UK is still supplying Israel with military weapons and equipment (none which will be used in Gaza ironically), as confirmed two nights ago by Sky News and the BBC and other major British media.
The UK govt has also again reaffirmed its public support for Israel this week, and that Israel has ‘a legitimate right to self-defence’.
Silvia says
Britain will pay dearly, so will France and Spain and the whole of Europe. Pity it will be innocent civilians that have nothing to do with their governments’ policies that will be the victims.
I just hope my own dumb government finally understands we have almost nobody we can really rely on and we become as self sufficient as possible and that includes weapons, food, medicine and and everything else.
Europe makes me wanna vomit.
James Murray says
The UK is still supplying Israel with military weapons and equipment (none which will be used in Gaza ironically), as confirmed two nights ago by Sky News and the BBC and other major British media.
The UK govt has also again reaffirmed its public support for Israel this week, and that Israel has ‘a legitimate right to self-defence’.
czar says
It’s not surprising that you people believe what israel propaganda stated. Hamas firing their useless rockets causing Israel to retaliate. Get you facts rights. The whole internet is there for you to get information from like CNN, BBC etc. Not from Islamic sites. Israel started the conflict against Gaza. Yes the incident that started it was the kidnapping of the jewish teens but that happened in the West Bank. Israel without proof immediately blamed Hamas and bombed Gaza. Hamas retaliated as expected by Israel thus fueling their true agenda of the periodic destruction of Gaza. Noticed that Israel bombed homes, mosques, factories, schools, power station, roads, sewage system and many other civilian infrastructures under the guise of targetting Hamas fighters. There are definitely rogue elements in the Israeli Forces that deliberately target these and civilians. The fight is no contest and should be called an annihilation and genocide if Israel continues with their barbaric acts. Even FAIR MINDED JEWS are against Isareli action. If you have a shred of humanity in you, you could see that israel is being cruel.
RW says
Investigations have clearly proved that Hamas funded the kidnapping and killing of those 3 youngsters. Looks like you are listening to more Aljazeera and biased news media. Israel is fighting the terrorists. Hamas aim was to cause a major kidnapping of children through the tunnels they have dug in. When they fire rockets from within the residential areas, near schools or hospitals, they become a potential targets. As Natenyahu rightly put it, Israel uses the missiles to protect its people, while Hamas uses the people to protect their rockets.
SpiritOf1683 says
I suppose those RAF and USAF air crews bombed homes, places of worship, factories, schools, power stations, roads, sewage system and many other civilian infrastructures under the guise of targetting the Nazis and the Japanese fascists. You are a buffoon and typical of those who shrill for the enemy. You would have cheered the Nazis and Japanese on had you been around in 1941.
Wetwork56 says
True SpiritOf1683,
During WWll, all islamic nations sided with and fought for the nazis. Also, during WWl the ottoman empire did the same–Turkey as well, but only after the huns outbid the British. Says alot about an ideaology whose allegiance is bought with money and not morals.
richard Sherman says
It is a war crime under the Geneva Convention for an enemy combatant to hide and/or fire weapons near civilians. If civilians are killed it is the fault of the enemy combatant hiding near those civilians…not the soldier who fired the weapon….Hamas is commiting thousands of war crimes every time they hide near a civilians. By the way there are massive expanses of open areas in Gaza.
marky says
Your lies, for your master satan (aka allah), wont work here.
SpiritOf1683 says
What else can you expect freom this Government? Cameron and his cronies must be the biggest bunch of blockheads who have ever run the UK in a line stretching back to Robert Walpole in the 1720s. If he had his way in a Commons vote, he’d have helped ISIS in Syria, and this terrorist army would now be on the Israeli border.
No Fear says
Come ON GUYS!
Any muslim will tell you: Hamas is a bunch of Zionist Mossad agents who want to make REAL muslims look bad. It’s all a Zionist plot to make muslims look bad. Same thing with ISIS. They’re not muslims, they’re Zionist agents pretending to be muslims. Especially the ones from Australia who get their kids to hold up severed heads. Real muslims don’t do that. Only Jews.
Remember guys it’s ALWAYS the Jews fault. Always.
/sarc
marky says
1. Acknowledge that you have a problem with delusional thoughts, shown by the fact your comments ignore reality.
2. Stop being a coward.. seek medical help, simply make an appointment with your doctor… you could tell him for example your above comments and no doubt many similar that fill your thoughts.
or of course your the common lying muslim doing your holy warfare laying.
I do suspect mental illness though.
James Murray says
No Fear was clearly being sarcastic, Marky.
James Murray says
Firstly, we are still supplying Israel with military weapons and equipment (none which will be used in Gaza ironically), as confirmed two nights ago by Sky News and the BBC and other major British media. The UK govt has also again reaffirmed its public support for Israel this week, and that Israel has ‘a legitimate right to self-defence’.
Secondly, a lot of this story is hyperbole and hysteria, you’d think the UK and Europe has gone pogrom mad. That isn’t the case.
Anti-Semitism may have sadly risen in the UK, but its still at a very low level.
The UK is not and has never been an anti-Semitic nation, despite what people here believe. In fact, the rates of recorded anti-Semitism in the UK and US are the same. In fact, some years the US has been ‘more antisemitic’ than the UK, and yet no sane person thinks the US is remotely anti-Semitic…..
Frankly a lot of the stories I read (like UK teachers ‘not teaching the Holocaust’, which is a legal requirement btw) are rubbish from rightwing US radio or blogs playing on the average American’s ideas and myths of Britain.
In fact, from the 19th C through the fascist 30s to today, the British people have relegated it to the extreme. They have en masse rejected those, from Oswald Mosley to the BNP, who espouse it.
In fact as I have pointed out many times, its the opposite. Jewishness is celebrated and a major part of British life and culture.
If there is a rise, I would greatly attribute it to UK Muslim extremists and to some pro-Palestine groups. But as I said, despite a sad rise, anti-Semitism is very low in the UK, so people need to reign in the criticism and the hysteria.
Lets remember that 96% of the UK remains non-muslim. 92% white European as well. And Muslims are not the largest ethnic UK population. Three parts of the UK have less than 1% muslim populations.
That no Muslim individual or group holds any great political or social power. What you DO have is a minority of extreme Muslims trying to intimidate and bully, but their antics and actions are and will be self-defeating.
Remember, empty vessels make the loudest noise…..
The Jewish population of Great Britain lives happily without any major anti-semitism. Even the depressing rise still means that levels are low.
In fact, Judaism is openly celebrated as a long standing and vibrant part of British culture. British TV ran Jewish documentaries across all five of its network channels last year.
Did America?.
British Jewish entertainers, writers, politicians and businesspeople openly celebrate their Jewishness. The London East End Jew, with his sharp wit and mouth is as well loved and known a cultural icon as the Glaswegian or the Cockney.
The current British Prime Minister is part Jewish. As is the deputy PM. As is the leader of the opposition party(Labour). So you have Jewish-descended people in the three most important political positions in the UK.
Are Obama, Biden and Romney Jewish?……
The comments about Britain are simply obnoxious. They are a disgusting slander on the vast, vast majority of the British people. Who are no more antisemitic than their American cousins.
Oh, and in 1948 the only western nation to actually fight alongside Israel WAS Britain. RAF planes supported Israelis and attacked Arab troops at Ramat David airfield. Didnt see any Americans doing the same.
The UK is the nation that rejected the naked antisemitism of the 1930’s Fascists, and continues to reject the antisemitism of the BNP and other fringe neo-nazi parties and groups. The nation that stood alone against Hitler, while America and others stood by. And the nation that liberated Belsen and saved Jewish lives.
To suggest that the British people are antisemitic OR that the jews of Britain are victims of mass cultural or physical antisemitism is a downright and disgusting lie.
RonaldB says
“On Wednesday night, the Department of Business confirmed it would freeze 12 licenses for arms export contracts of UK companies to Israel if “significant hostilities resume”.”
In spite of this, you tell us that Britain is continuing to ship arms to Israel (none used in the current hostilities) and reaffirms the right (abstractly) of Israel to defend itself.
The question of support by the US and Britain for Israel is critical. The 57 members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation is the biggest voting bloc inside the UN, and if the UN manages to pass binding resolutions of boycotts or weapons sanctions against Israel, most countries will become susceptible to internal lawsuits to sever their business and military relationships with Israel.
Also, I think a bit of reflection will show that Israel’s military situation is more precarious than we generally realize. There are thousands of rockets stockpiled against it in the north (Lebanon) as well as in Gaza. Even in 1973, the Egyptian army came uncomfortably close to defeating Israel in a conventional war. Iran is building a huge army with missiles, Turkey is holding military maneuvers hostile to Israel, and Saudi Arabia and Jordan are loosely allied with Israel in an alliance of convenience, but always unreliable.
In other words, this small country of a few million people is threatened and besieged from multiple directions. In the middle of a shooting war, with rockets being actively fired into Israel, the British Department of Business declares it will suspect licenses for military exports to Israel if hostilities resume.
Suppose the military exports involved had been critical to Israel. Would that have stopped the suspension?
Perhaps Britain is not yet down the tube, but we see the same thing in Britain as we do in the US, except somewhat less advanced: a determined push by a Muslim minority to gain power and additional immigration of Muslims, and a cultural and institutional barrier against addressing this invasion in explicit terms. In other words, we have no active defenses.
alyn21 says
It was interesting to read your comments especially coming from someone who lives in Britain. I am a Canadian and am a regular reader of websites like Jihad Watch as I imagine you are and it is through these sites that I have followed the situation in Britain as well as other European countries.
This is how it looks to me. You have a Prime Minister who talks about the great contribution that muslims have made to his country. The former head of the Church of England Rowan Williams recently stated that Islam is reviving British values. I have read about things like the recent takeover attempt of certain English schools and the police in your country who ignore calls for help from muslim girls being threatened by their families for the sake of cultural cohesion.
Also I am sure you have read about Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller being kept out of Britain while at the same time allowing in lunatic muslim preachers to spew hatred of all non muslims. Also the welfare situation when it comes to muslim immigrants sounds pretty serious.
I have also watched political shows such as Question Time on the internet, and the muslim slant to these programs is painfully obvious even to a foreigner like me.
I almost forgot my favourite story about Britain being the one about Paul Weston being arrested for quoting Winston Churchill.
Now before you get your back up let me state that my pointing out these issues does not mean I wish any harm to come to Britain. Your country and mine share a very long history together and I am sure I speak for most of my countrymen when I say that we hope that the UK continues to survive as a vibrant un islamic nation. However the signs that we are seeing do not seem to call for optimism.
Whatever Britain may have once been, is no guarantee that it is going to continue that way unless the British are willing to fight for it. Your muslim population is big enough and your politicians and your media seem to be cowardly enough to allow these people to advance, not withstandng whatever the majority of British people may or may not think.
History has proven time and time again that you don’t need a majority to cause a revolution.
Nobody wants to see Britain go down the islamic drain. However the signs are not encouraging.
Judi says
I just received an on-line petition e-mail sent by a Mary Fitzgerald of Avaaz.org asking the UK government to suspend all sales of arms to Israel (and Russia). Needless to say I did not sign it, but sent it back saying I was Jewish and I support arms sales to Israel! However, I’m sure they will receive thousands of signatures unfortunately.