Stuart Littlewood calls on readers to request
the Committee on Standards in Public Life to
examine whether there is undue Israeli influence at
the heart of the British government that is preventing it
from taking a principled stand on Israeli violations of
Palestinian human rights.
The British government has maintained a strict silence
The British government has maintained a strict silence
on the cruel blockade of Gaza and efforts by Israel and its
Western allies to crush the civilian population and eliminate
their democratic choice, Hamas.
Not a word of criticism has been heard from the great and the
Not a word of criticism has been heard from the great and the
good about this wickedness.
In the meantime, some 20 surgeons, academics and others,
In the meantime, some 20 surgeons, academics and others,
with knowledge of Gaza and the occupied Palestinian
territories, have written urging Britain's corruption watchdog,
the Committee on Standards in Public Life, to examine whether
there is undue Israeli influence at the heart of the British government.
One of these, David Halpin of www.doveanddolphin.co.uk,
One of these, David Halpin of www.doveanddolphin.co.uk,
is a trauma surgeon who has advised the Hamas government
on how they should investigate the use of illegal weapons by
Israel and last year led a team of seven UK doctors into Gaza.
The Dove and Dolphin Medical Centre, named after
David's charity, was opened then.
The Israel lobby's deep penetration of our political
The Israel lobby's deep penetration of our political
system, many feel, is preventing Britain from taking
a principled stand on Middle East matters, including t
he long catalogue of violations of Palestinian human right
s,the Gaza siege being a particularly nasty example.
Our minister with responsibility for Middle East
Our minister with responsibility for Middle East
affairs is a former chairman of Labour Friends of Israel.
His shadow is a member of Conservative Friends of Israel.
Indeed, a large majority of Conservative MPs and MEPs
are Friends of Israel. The lobby also claims a considerable
number of Labour MPs and ministers. The Liberal Democrat
Friends of Israel website brazenly states that its first aim is
to maximize support for the State of Israel
within the party and Parliament.
All MPs (and many parliamentary candidates) are
All MPs (and many parliamentary candidates) are
exposed to the lobby's influence and a large number
apparently carry its message into their parliamentary
work, causing damage to our democracy and harm
to Britain's interests and reputation abroad.
The regime's tentacles reach into the Standards
The regime's tentacles reach into the Standards
Committee itself, where the three political party
appointees are top-ranking Friends of Israel or
closely connected to Friends of Israel. The committee,
as everyone knows, is there to uphold the famous Seven
Principles of Public Life. The presence at the heart
of government of people pledged to promote the interests of
another country – and not declaring their dual allegiance –
undermines at least five of these sacred principles.
What will the public, already sick of our politicians,
What will the public, already sick of our politicians,
make of this,bearing in mind that for 60 years Muslim
and Christian Palestinians have been terrorized,
murdered and dispossessed by a regime so warmly
embraced in our name?
The secretary of the committee says that it is not the
The secretary of the committee says that it is not the
sort of issue that's likely to be pursued. Ducking and
weaving already, then. However, the watchdog has a
brand-new chairman, Sir Christopher Kelly, who took
over just a few days ago. Will he be up for the challenge?
Meanwhile, the Israeli government, with Britain's connivance,
Meanwhile, the Israeli government, with Britain's connivance,
continues to impose its vicious siege on innocent civilians –
including the Christian community – apparently determined
to turn Gaza into another Warsaw Ghetto. What a disgraceful
way to start the New Year.
This morning [10 January] the following email arrived from
This morning [10 January] the following email arrived from
a senior doctor in Gaza:
I am writing so fast as the charge of
I am writing so fast as the charge of
my battery will be lost while we live in
the gloom with the seldomly available
electricity. My children are studying on
candles for their exams.
Today a friend of mine, he is the
Today a friend of mine, he is the
head of pharmacy in the Ministry of Health,
asked for some life-saving medications for
a cancer patient, the very limited resources
that we have were not enough to meet his
need. I could not sleep when I went home,
thinking that additional victim will die
because we do not have money to pay
for his treatment. Two days ago the
elevator had fallen at Al-Remal clinic,
thank God there were no injuries...
Our generators are surrendering,
I lost one three days ago in Bayt Hanoun
hospital and today I need another one for
Al-Dora paediatric hospital.
There are no vegetables for the
hospitals because we can't cover the
supplier's invoice.
The disaster is with those who have no
The disaster is with those who have no
bread in their homes, yes bread and I
mean it, as I know one family like that
in Gaza, the father is a cardiac patient,
the family is nine members, two of them
are disabled, and their elder son who is a
university student found himself the bread
winner of this family at once. I swear that
they have nothing to eat unless somebody
of the neighbours send them food.
Winter is not that cold in Gaza but it can
Winter is not that cold in Gaza but it can
still chill the bones of children in the primary
school of my elder daughter, as the
principal of this school sent me a letter
saying that they need to fix the broken
windows as the wind blows the classes
and they have no financial resources.
We will see how we can manage that,
but this is not the only school.
The situation in the local market is just
The situation in the local market is just
funny, the shelves are almost empty in
many of the supermarkets of the poor
Gaza ... the people call it here in Arabic
Al-Hisar, which means the siege. This is
what we have in Gaza for the new year
of 2008.
Readers are invited to join in pressing the Standards
Committee to uphold the Seven Principles of Public
Life and banish from Parliament lobby groups acting on
behalf of foreign powers. Please write to:
Mr Charles Ramsden
Secretary to the Committee
Committee on Standards in Public Life
35 Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3BQ
email: public@standards.x.gsi.gov.uk
Stuart Littlewood is a businessman-turned-writer from
Norfolk, England. He recently published a book entitled
Radio Free Palestine about the plight of the
Palestinians under occupation. See details
on http://www.radiofreepalestine.co.uk
For a suggested letter:
2007-12-23 | Group urges Standards Committee to stamp out
Israeli influence that paralyses heart of British government
As the twenty-one month long siege of Gaza becomes a
As the twenty-one month long siege of Gaza becomes a
death sentence for yet more civilians, a group in the UK with
experience of the Occupied Territories is urging the Committee
on Standards in Public Life to examine whether there is undue
Israeli influence at the heart of British government.
The blockade stops vital medical supplies going in and prevents chronically
The blockade stops vital medical supplies going in and prevents chronically
sick patients (including children) transferring to proper hospital treatment
outside Gaza. Israel's deep penetration of our political system, says
the group, is preventing Britain from taking a principled stand on
Middle East matters, including the long catalogue of grotesque
violations of Palestinian human rights, of which the Gaza siege is
only the latest example. Conservative Friends of Israel, for example,
claim the support of 80 percent of Tory MPs.
Signatories to the letter include Mona Baker, Karl Sabbagh,
Signatories to the letter include Mona Baker, Karl Sabbagh,
Derek Summerfield and Felicity Arbuthnot.
This is a fairly long detailed doc but includes an Action Alert, a
This is a fairly long detailed doc but includes an Action Alert, a
suggested letter & numerous links
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