

Israel and Britain

More than a slapped wrist?

Britain expels an Israeli diplomat as a row over the killing of a Hamas official rumbles on

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Readers' comments



Le Connaisseur

"Israel feels resentful towards Britain over its failure to legislate against the possibility that visiting Israeli officials could be arrested on war-crimes charges."

If Israelis has committed crimes of war, why should they not be arrested? Does a liberal democracy not mean that all a equal in the eye of the law?

Maybe if the EU started arresting Israeli officials for crimes of war, it would expose their actions for what they are.


It is time to reevaluate relationships with Israel. Current Israeli leadership have an arrogance and disdain towards the USA, UK, EU, UN and any other nation that questions Israel's policies and military overreaction towards Palestinians. The current zealotry in Israel has rationalized any violation of the Geneva Convention, International Law, human rights or even Judaic values is warranted in the interest of Israeli security. Israelis have developed a nationalism that is damaging not only Middle East peace, but also world peace.

The very security they want and claim to protect is fragile only because Israel chooses to continue a ruthless confiscation of Palestinian land, homes, farms and livelihoods. Israel then imposes a rigid, demeaning suppression of Palestians to assure they are complacent and do not react to the Israeli violence against them. Israel, although calling itself a democracy, has become a militay dictatorship for the Palestinians. Israeli policies create the very foundation for extremist Muslim groups to claim abuses by the Western nations, especially those that remain silent about Israeli abuses and violence against Palestinians.

Peace in the Middle East is far too important to be left in the hands of an arrogant nation such as Israel that panders to zealots within its own ranks. The Quartet (Russia, EU, USA and UN) must take a strong leadership role in establishing a viable, contiguous, prosperous new Palestine and champion that through the UN Security Council. The Saudi 2002 peace plan is the solid foundation for a new Palestine.

All nations need to start implementing economic and diplomatic sanctions to further express a world-wide appallment at Israeli abuses of not only International Laws and Conventions but also abuses of the very tennets of the world faiths, whether Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu or any other.


At least the expelled diplomat will not be homeless. I believe they are building 1600 new apartments in East Jerusalem. For a country that has been forging title-deeds for forty years, I should imagine passports would be easy.


Article in Telegraph: Is US the Bigger and more loyal Dog????





1) No apology from Israel, and no assurances they won't do it again.
2) They didn't use US passports - presumably the US had assurances.
3) British intelligence is still co-operating closely with Mossad.

In other words Israel is saying that they will do it again, and the risk will be borne by British passport holders, and that is fine by Milliband.

Milliband must be sacked, and concrete, effective sanctions adopted against Israel.

This is all theatre.

uncle clive

'Israel provides Britain with much needed intelligence on areas such as Iran...' Right! I suppose it was from Mossad that Britain got her intelligence about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. I think we could do without that kind of intelligence.

Vaibhav J

Le Connaisseur wrote:

If British courts are so worried about war crimes, they better start at home.

An ex-British PM, Tony Blair, has gone public confessing that he lied about the reasons for declaring war on Iraq. The entire world has seen what WMDs were found in Iraq.

Why are the British courts not trying him and George Bush for unlawfully declaring a war and associated war crimes. Probably the holier-than-thou "law-loving" courts of Britian do not see anything wrong in Britain doing as it pleases with other peoples' lives?

The Brits have to realize that they are neither the torch-bearers for global law nor the empire that can act as it deems fit. Please clean up your own homes before meddling in other nation's affairs.


Well, at least something more than the usual hot air, some actual action from the ever submissive Europeans! But quite far from the much-needed EU sanctions against Israel continuous criminal policies yet. Little by little, step by step. Echoes of South Africa.


See what happens when a nation is not constrained by a "special relationship?" They actually act in accordance with their own national-interests, the thing that states are supposed to do. The British are doing much more than expressing their anger and disappointed over this incident...they are also showing the Israelis that they should not be taken for granted. The United States could learn from Britain's expulsion here.



When England gets mad that the state of Israel put British citizens lives at risk, how can anyone say that Britain is siding with the Arabs? Are you guys that brainwashed to believe that there are only two sides throughout the world; Arab and Jew? How about the British side verses the terrorism of the state of Israel, and the Islamic terrorists.


"Besides, diplomatic expulsions are an old game with rules well understood by both sides. Israel may throw out a British diplomat but the row is unlikely to go much further. And the ejected Mossad man—or his replacement—may well be back at his post within a few months."

This about sums it up. This is nothing new, and any pledge to the contrary will not change likely conduct in the future. The same type of people threatening Israel threaten the UK, and this shared enemy provides more than enough incentive to let this issue slide.

I'm also surprised that there is any shock that allegedly Israeli assassins would not use Israeli passports- how easily do you think they would be able to assassinate the HAMAS terrorist? Would they just declare their reason for visiting as 'assassination'? Also, where was the terrorist in the hours before his death, and how did he arrive in Dubai on his own passport? It seems that the press is not asking the genuinely scandalous questions.

Paul I. Adujie

Israel Is An Outlaw And Lawless Nation, Like No Other!

1. Israel deports children of migrant workers who have lived in Israel for decades in ethnic cleansing, as Israel excuses and justifies its actions on the very tenuous ground of keeping Israel “pure” as Jewish religious nation.

2. Israel unilaterally takes properties of Arabs and reallocate land to newly arriving Jewis...h settlers on lands that are indisputably the proper properties of Palestinians in Palestinian territories and nation as contemplated by the so-called two states solution of Israel and Palestine coexisting side by side. Netanyahu compared continued expansion in East Jerusalem to doing same in Tel Aviv, he pretends ignorance of the volatile nature, the utter provocation and inflammatory nature of Israeli recent land-grabs in Palestine.

3. Israel recently took a large swath of Palestinian Arab territory and declared it as an Israel religiously relevant site and as a matter of course, Israel expect Palestinians to go away quietly

4. Israel with a population of about 5 million, receives more foreign aid than ten poorer nations on earth put together, and Israel squander these monies on erecting stone and steel apartheid walls against children, women and the elderly, all in the name of security for Israel, instead of actually examining the root causes of Palestinian resistance which arises from Israel’s land grabs and occupation and manacling of Palestinians on their on land

5. Israel is notorious worldwide as the champion and progenitor of nations which surreptitiously clandestinely procure nuclear weapons. Israel have aggressively promoted and marketed a patented nonsense also known as “strategic ambiguity” which is the idea of saying no and yes whenever asked pointed questions as to having or not having nuclear weapons and such capabilities. And so, Israel is one such nation with undeclared nuclear weapons, nuclear capability and without nuclear inspections as Israel is not a signatory to IAEA nuclear nonproliferation treaties. And yet, Israel ...



Le Connaisseur - the issue is about British domestic courts claiming universal jurisdiction (i.e. acting as an international tribunal), which is not genuinely within their capacity. The proposed reforms do not do away with this but rather would require the leave of the Attorney-General in order to file suit, which is typical in most other legal procedures on behalf of the public (e.g. prosecuting fraudulent charities, politicians accepting bribes, etc.) This is a large improvement over the current system, while allows for anyone to file suit and thus engenders 'lawfare'.

Considering that HAMAS has openly bragged about orchestrating these warrants, it might be worth considering if universal jurisdiction is truly working when it is being used as an offensive tool in the armada of intentional murderers of women and children dedicated to a goal of genocide in their charter. I can only imagine the different perspective the British would take on it if an American court summoned their politicians at the behest of the IRA.

Mike Rudd

Who was it that said being paranoid does not mean that they are not out to get you.
This explains a lot when it comes to Israel since their beginning in 48, they have been surrounded by states that have a stated policy of their destruction. And this goes for some of the Palestinian factions, which does not lead to trust in negotiations

Ed High

Israel's behaviour marks it as a pariah state. Time to treat it as such. Actions have consequences.


What is the fuss all about? That a known terrorist was killed? If targeted assassinations were a crime, why is the world silent on the US drone attacks in Waziristan? Is it because they live in hovels and not in hotels?

A country has the right to protect itself, whether it is Israel or Britain. And when war is waged by shadowy groups or "non state actors", there is very little option left except to take out the proponents of terror.


The United Kingdom is slowly drifting into a marginal state. The leadership is weak and tries to appease radical Muslims who are daily trying to bring terror and inflict damage of the UK and others. The fact that the leadership watches as Iran abuses/kills/tortures innocent women and student is shameful...but they add gasoline to the fire by mashing Israel. Iran wants nuke...said they would wipe Israel off the face of the earth...think they would hesitate to give it to a "home grown" UK nutjob to unleash in London.

The economy falters, jobs disappear and debt soars. Terrorist daily look for ways to damage the UK and the UK attacks the only people with the guts to take on radical muslims/terrorist. I think someone in the 1930's promoted appeasement...did not end well.


This is pretty funny.
-Britain expels foreign diplomat based on assumption and accusation without a shred of evidence.
-Britain is unable to explain how the identity was stolen - MI6 fail.
-Britain was unable to detect forged passports - airline security fail.
The only thing that can make Britain look even more foolish, is new evidence proving Israel's innocents.

But it's ok, at least now U.K. citizens can go on vacation to Dubai. Where they'll get arrested for showing public affection or shot during an arms deal between known terrorists.


EarlGeorge7 wrote: "Who made up the virgins and figs feast to convince these uneducated fruitcakes to blow up women and children?"

Good point EarlGeorge7. It reminds me of the one about Jerusalem being the eternal capital of the Jews even if they have to steal half of it from someone else.

Hard to credit what some people will believe, isn’t it!


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