Friends of Lebanon News Editorial

Go to fullsize image I like bell peppers, really. But I haven’t bought any lately because my local stores are stocking “produce of Israel” bell peppers. Until Israel stops its appalling treatment of the Palestinians and Lebanese, I will never knowingly contribute even the smallest fraction of my British penny to its coffers.

The EU-Israel Association Agreement gives preferential treatment to Israeli exports (http://www.caabu.org/press/documents/eu-israel-association.html). But the recent publication of British House of Commons International Development Committee on Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories clearly indicates that “The UK and the international community need to reconsider their approach towards the government of Israel” (p12, 6.137). http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmintdev/114/114i.pdf

UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has just gone to the Middle East to “gauge prospects for progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.” But she refuses to talk to the Palestinians’ democratically elected Prime Minister because he is from the Hamas party. Perhaps she was so busy packing for her trip that she didn’t have time to read the House of Commons Report. It not only insists that “until the Israel-Palestinian conflict is solved there will be no peace in the region” (p. 53, Conclusion 3), but it also denounces the policy of isolating/penalizing Hamas and suggests that the UK should include Hamas in dialogues “in their capacity as elected representatives, not in their capacity as representatives of a particular party” (p.52, 6.142). The House of Commons Report also states that Israel’s infamous barrier wall “destroys the viability of a Palestinian state” (p35, 3.87). Will Beckett bring this to Olmert’s attention? (No problem meeting with him). We can only hope. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/05022007/325/beckett-heads-middle-east-tough-task.html

On the issue of trade, the House of Commons report states that “there could be grounds for suspending the [EU-Israel Association] Agreement because of the undermining of human rights and democratic principles by Israel. The European Parliament has also suggested that the council investigate whether Israel’s actions have breached the human rights requirement to the Association Agreement. There is an incongruity in allowing Israel to continue to benefit from a type of agreement from which Israel prevents Palestinians benefiting. Continued dialogue with Israel is certainly necessary but the Association Agreement appears to give tacit assent to the restrictions on movement and access which Israel imposes on the Palestinians. The UK should urge the EU to use the Association Agreement with Israel as a lever for change and to consider suspending the Agreement until there are further improvements in access arrangements.” (p. 21, 2.38) In the meantime, no more bell peppers. But the plot thickens.

British PM Tony Blair and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora at a press conference in Beirut

The US and UK governments have always given unconditional support to Israel. The issue, however, is growing ever more complicated as they are extending this support to particular factions within Palestine (Abbas) and Lebanon (Siniora). The US alone has offered Abbas, when counting Palestinian tax revenues released, up to $170 million. Most of this will fund "projects to transform and strengthen elements of the Palestinian Authority's security structure, specifically the National Security Forces and Presidential Guard in an effort to improve public order and fight terror in the West Bank and Gaza." Blair stated it would be a “major strategic opportunity missed for all of us, not just in the region but outside, if we don't get behind [Abbas] and back him now." http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page10613.asp.

In regard to Siniora, Blair has pledged to “work with [Siniora] in terms of training, in terms of equipment, in terms of any help that [the UK] can give.” The EU has now offered up to $520 million in aid, and the US has offered $1 billion (how much in repayable loan is yet unclear). The US will also give $40 million in military assistance to Siniora. But the message behind all of this money is clear: it is being spent to defeat Hamas in Palestine, and the Opposition Parties, primarily Hezbollah, in Lebanon. http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page10049.asp; http://theswoop.net/sys/article.php?art_ID=1031&color=1

http://beirut.usembassy.gov/lebanon/PRrodmen.html; http://uk.news.yahoo.com/03022007/325/u-s-support-10-000-extra-abbas-troops.html; http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=L2827567&WTmodLoc=World-R5-Alertnet-3; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6296729.stm; http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/11/20061101-1.html

All this political wheeling and dealing, all this building of pit-bull militaries: is this the way to a better and more peaceful Lebanon? Seems to me it is adding fuel to the fire.

Do they really expect us to believe that they are spending all this money to rebuild all the bridges they just gleefully blew up? Have they ever helped Palestine or Lebanon against Israeli aggression? On the contrary, the US/UK have facilitated, paid for, encouraged and given their blessings to all forms of Israeli aggressions. Perhaps present day Iraq is their idea of a new Middle East. Perhaps what they achieved in Iraq was in fact just what they wanted.

The House of Commons Report is one of the most sensible accomplishments of the British Government lately. No one, not even the average Israeli, benefits from this continuing madness. Here’s an idea. Instead of giving costly loans, why not encourage economic agreements with Palestine and Lebanon? Give the Palestinians not more guns, but tractors and access to their own “fertile agricultural land” (p.17, 2.25). Clear the cluster bombs from the Lebanese farmers’ fields and strike up an agreement to help them share their crops with the world. http://www.maccsl.org/photogallery.htm