Camels were never this vicious

Derek Pasquill

As the documents I leaked in 2005 revealed, the thrust of the FCO's engagement with the Islamic World appeared to be lend support to the aspirations of the Muslim Brotherhood.

It remains a mystery why the FCO should have pursued this policy - but a hatred of Jews, the Jewish people and Israel, I suggest, would certainly help to give their efforts a certain traction.

Dixon

Very big regards to Mel on keeping an eye on these critters in their home environment (their own web-sites). BUT, I do hope Mel you are keeping screen-shots of everything so they cannot simply remove things and deny they were ever there.

Terry Connolly

Thank you for your alertness.

zkharya

Zionism is the national liberation movement of a large part of the Jewish people.

It exists because for most of Christian and Islamic history, Jews have not only been regarded as an ethno-national group, they have been regarded as a entho-national group largely dispossessed of temple, Jerusalem and the land of Israel as a punishment for their rejection of Jesus and the prophets.

It is amusing that Watt thinks it strange that such beliefs have gone unchallenged in the west for so long.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that is what has been largely believed in 'the west', and 'the east' for most of Christian and Islamic history.

And its tangible consequence is that, in the 19th and 20th centuries, most European, North African and Asian Jews were regarded not so much as nationally European or, say, Arab, but as Judean, that is to say, 'Palestinian'.

With the result that most were either killed or effectively expelled: before 1914, mostly to America; after 1914, mostly to Palestine, or what became Israel.

Which is why the Jewish state of Israel is the second or largest Jewish community in the world.

Also amusing for the history of Palestinian Arab Christian, Muslim and Jewish relations: Palestinian Christians and Muslims believed, perhaps most of all Christians and Muslims, that Jews have been so dispossessed as a punishment for their sins.

And effected an apartheid against Palestinian and other Jews that effectively kept them to a tiny highly discriminated against minority.

Jews had no choice but to increase their numbers in the land against the wishes of said Palestinian Christians and Muslims, who wanted to keep them in their former state -the ideal Ottoman Millet state, according to Watt.

Perhaps if Britain had not closed Transjordan, over 70% of Palestine to Jewish immigration, the Jewish population could have been more spread out, with less friction, and some kind of Jewish autonomy Palestinian Christians and Muslims found less objectionable achieved.

But James Watt's FCO forebears scotched all hope of that.

John from Toronto

Guy should look around. If there is an illegitimate state in the Middle East it is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Greg

Nothing new! Thankfully the FCO has no influence so the anti-Semitic ramblings of its diplomats are irrelevant.

Jason from AZ

The average Brit - whether Muslim or Christian - has a hatred of Israel and Jews. Simple as that. So the Jew hatred in Britain that Melanie exposes on a regular basis should surprise no one.

Gábor Fränkl for the moment in Budapest, Hungary

I wholeheartedly support you Ms. Phillips in uncovering and opposing evil.

ab

The naive - I among them - would have thought that the kind of garbage-revisionism of history spewed by the British Ambassador to Jordan, James Watt, would have been consigned to history as a long surpassed perversion, and atavistically surviving only among the irredeemable lunatic fringes. Well, naive (or stupid) I must be because, despite learning on daily basis that precious little, if anything, has changed since time immemorial – the time of the onset of anti-Semitism - my good faith prevails. And so I add to my childish dismay the wonder about how it is that British diplomatic personnel are chosen. Overwhelming evidence notwithstanding, I still would like to think of Great Britain as a decent country, the leader of democracies, the kind of country that offered refuge to my parents from Hitler during WW II, and a country whose army my father enthusiastically joined to fight against fascism.

Israel

Oh well.

If it keeps people distracted & not talking about your debunked anti global warming mantras the better for it l suppose.

It's not like you owe an apology to all those scientists you helped to wrongly smear with all those hyped stories from hacked emails which didn't say what you deniers all said they did.

Derek Pasquill

Hague orders removal of Ambassador's Blog

Daily Telegraph story here:

http://tinyurl.com/35mk9o9

William Hague "very unimpressed" with Guy's blog on Fadlallah and orders its removal, which took place after "mature consideration."

Yes, but what about removing the recently honoured with an OBE, Mockbul Ali - Frances Guy's henchman in antisemitism?

How much "mature consideration" would this require?

James Holland

If you were the Ambassador to Jordan and you posted this blog online, any attempts you made to form good working relationships with the Jordanian elite would be scuppered. You must put his comments into context.

corin

Jason from AZ
July 9th, 2010 3:33pm

The average Brit - whether Muslim or Christian - has a hatred of Israel and Jews. Simple as that. So the Jew hatred in Britain that Melanie exposes on a regular basis should surprise no one.

Jason, that simply isn't true. The average Brit is no longer well-informed, but a surprising amount of ordinary people sympathise with Israel They just do not get heard.

The FCO is not and never has been typical of Britain. The FCO has always had a common set of interest with the Arabs. Judeo-Christian athics do not figure in this set of interests. Money and Power (theirs), Horses (for racing), Women (for breeding) and certain other forms of sex for amusement.

Suffolkbor

Jason From AZ:
There is no such thing as an average "Brit" and neither do we all hate Jews and Israel.
You appear to use any excuse to indulge in making snide remarks about the British , whom you obviously don,t like .Perhaps you would like to enlighten us as to where this dislike of us as a people actually comes from .
Were you a script writer for Mel Gibson given the anti British rants that his and other Hollywwood films are notorious for ?

Most decent people in this country would have no common cause with these overpaid , overstuffed jobsworths who are exposed on this site .

It is interesting how you put Muslims first in your aside about "Most Brits " .

I think that you should get out more or perhaps take up a hobby like making corn dollys or putting ships in bottles .

PS:
I am not a "Brit", I am English!

Beer Moth

Jason from AZ

Everyone has the right to make idiotic sweeping assertions, but why do you have to go abusing the privilege?

Daibhidh

Perhaps a study of ancient Rome's involvement in setting up the governate of Palestinia might serve as a starter to illuminate the pitch darkness that presently envelopes Mr Watt's otherwise stale (and suspended) knowledge base.

Simeon

Israel-Honestly with a name like Israel cant you get over yourself with your "Global warming" stuff!?? get your head out of the sand and be thankful that there is a woman of integrity defending a legitimate nation the nation of Israel against vitriol nonsense espoused by the likes of Frances Guy and James Watt. Who ally themselves with people who frankly want to commit genocide. Honestly get a grip. Global warming should be allowed to be challenged freely it is not a cert, and people challenging it should not be demonised.

Israel

Simeon:

"Honestly get a grip. Global warming should be allowed to be challenged freely it is not a cert, and people challenging it should not be demonised."

What, do you mean the way those who had their work smeared and who have been lied about both here and in the US by "experts" like oil company front men like James Inhofe or others like Chris Monckton?

How about all the hysterical rubbish promoted by Faux "News"?

You'd argument would carry more weight if the person you seem to be all teary eyed and genefluncting over is also a creationist (read anti-science) who also supports the lying MMR fake doctor so please excuse me if l don't take as gospel her views on global warming.

Unless of course l have recently come into contact with Glenn Beck U or the Texas School Board.

Israel

I am remiss!!!

I forgot to post this great link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070804271.html

In the Wilderness in America

Israel

So, I suppose you take the Washington Post, NY Times, MSNBC, BBC, and the Huffington Post as gospel? Ideological sycophants all.

Meanwhile, the guy at East Anglia in a recent interview pretty much shot himself in the foot about global warming, saying that there was a period in the Middle Ages when we were just as warm. Or is that putting his foot in his mouth?

Neil Turner

This is shocking

I will write to my (Conservative) MP and ask him to ask Mr Hague these questions

I suggest all those in favour of Israel do the same

Augustus

To Hell with kowtowing British diplomats in Arab countries, The IDF should free Gilad Shalit by force, and destroy all the remaining bunkers and bomb depositories in the process. After all, if Gazans chose to vote for a terrorist entity to rule over them, they must expect to be treated by other norms and values than a democratic society expects to be treated.

Wil

Brit governments have finally reduced themselves into a Monty Python skit. Even the idiot Obama isn't this delusional.

israel

In the Wilderness in America:

Your fake hubris would carry more weight but if you watched any of the "reporting" on Faux, the commentary from the likes of Ms Phillips and all those who happily regurgititated the many falsehoods about the so-called "climategate" yet still haven't risen from their pits to either comment on the fact that all involved have been exonerated or even admit that their reporting was based on falsehoods and don't think that they are wrong why should l give a pair of fetid dingoes kidneys if you have a low regard for the news sources you are trying to sneer at?

What is really funny is the fact that you seem to regard all these news sources as "left wing" ignoring the amount of neo-cons who write for The Post, the solid block of right wing human waste that is MSNBC's morning show (not to mention their own cuddly house bigot Pat Buchanan) as well as the cowardly actions of the New York Times with it's Judith Millar Iraq stories, cowering to the Bush administration over torture, delaying the reporting over warrentless wiretapping until after the 2004 election and refusal to correct the story over Andrew Breitbart's fake pimp James O'Keefe!!

ami

As pointed out on Harry's Place, after the English version of Ms Guys eulogy was deleted, the Arabic version remained. I wonder if this was deliberate or just careless? Can some Arabic speaker check if its still there?

Baron

Israel @ 8.07:

Thanks for the posting, am entirely convinced now, a great link. You can go back talking to plankton.

david gray

Any chance of Nick or Dave Boy sacking this turd.....NOT A CHANCE.

Okey

Britain is "the good cop", but it is signalling its true position through its bad "cop."
[intentional omission of inverted commas from last word.]

Okey

The mere revelation that members of Britain's elite spew what, objectively,is nonsense and mendacity will not help either to preserve Western values such as liberty and democracy; nor will it help the Jewish nation. Historical precedent has proved this. The Nazis spewed nonsense and lies that were on a par with these British ones, but they managed to convince many people all over the world.

Geoff Miller

Just stop and think about this for a moment.

This man,and his colleague in Lebanon, holds a point of view that Israel is illegitimate and that the Jews have no historical/racial/religious rights in the Holy Land.

They express their views openly and with no sense that they are being "radical". No-one censored it nor did they ensure that they carry a disclaimer stating that these were "personal" views; though what place personal views have in diplomatic statements I cannot understand.

Just like the openly biased and insulting behaviour of Foreign Office staff towards the Popes UK visit, Catholic beliefs and Catholics in general these people are the visible "tip of the iceberg" of anti-Jewish opinion in the Foreign Office.

So, we have a major arm of the British State that is anti-Catholic (probably anti-Christian), anti-Jewish and anti-Israel and pro Palestinian, Arab and Islam.

Things that make you go......Hmmmmm.

Lets see what the Tories do about this - if anything.

We need to see not just platitudes but tangible evidence of a wholesale shake-up and clear out in the Foreign Office.

Gábor Fränkl

Geoff Miller and others - I agree!!! (Ther sooner the better!)

raymond

I am a English christian and i regularly pray for and support Israel every chance I get. This is true of many. See CFI, christian friends of Israel amongst many others.

Joshua

Nothing much ever changes in Britain. This article was published in the Independent in 1993:

Why the BBC ignored the Holocaust: Anti-Semitism in the top ranks of broadcasting and Foreign Office staff led to the news being suppressed, says Stephen Ward

http://tinyurl.com/dzn5t9

Lucashyde

Jason from AZ: It is absolutely untrue that the average Brit hates Jews. Absolutely untrue.

Derek Pasquill

Consider the frustrations attendant on the working lives of Guy and Watt, continually confronted by the intrangience of Israel, its refusal to roll over and die.

Who can blame them therefore, that in their idle moments in front of the computer screen, they start to daydream like Brecht's Pirate Jenny: "Who is to die? - all of them!"

Of course, they cannot quite articulate this on their blog posts, but the genocidal impulse lurks in the background.

Adam B.

Joshua, very interesting article. I see the FCO is still the same.

Guy has to go, as does the idiot supposedly representing the UK in Amman.

Derek Pasquill

Apologies for my typo in the post above - intransigence! - blame it on the hot weather!

Meanwhile, the British Consul General to Jerusalem, Richard William Makepeace (with a name like this where else to send him but Jerusalem - the known universe's most disputed piece of real estate!) apparently gave a talk yesterday at the Hubb in Sparbrook, Birmingham, and as the MPAC UK website helpfully explains, the opportunity for youngsters to air their concerns about the recent flotilla attack amongst other topics.

Makepeace, come in, your time is up - the FCO has been rumbled, you and your colleagues are Jew-haters, in fact the FCO is staffed to the rafters with antisemites so stop pretending you have anything valuable to say about the Middle East Peace Process or anything else for that matter.

Shame on you for misleading the vulnerable youth in Birmingham and elsewhere.

Louis Berk

I despair. I honestly did not realise that my taxes were being used to allow civil servants to have public soapboxes. What next? Shall we allow battlefield commanders in Afghanistan to blog their opinions (actually not a bad idea: that way the troops really would 'be home for Christmas'). Or better still, c'mon, let's read the opinion of the head of MI5 about the state of the world. This is nothing short of sheer lunacy. Public servants have a right to speak out but they should not be allowed to do in a way that de facto gives the impression of government support for their personal opinions.

Neil Turner

The anti-semitic New York Times attempts to create news by smearing those Americans who provu#ide financial support Israel

You can read her thoughts at http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=180887

AY

largely an offtop but as an idea - best of all remedies for these middle-eastern exported traps and ills - is represented in the last shot here (an iconic one, my prediction is, it will be long-living image)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/video/2010/jul/09/patrick-blower-livedraw#start-of-comments

..by publishing this CIF redeedms some part of its sins. hurry, it might be razed, when somebody from their politburo wakes up and sees that Islamophobic scribble.

Stuart Seacole Smith

It is certainly not the case that british people are generally anti semitic. Many of us feel sickened by the unrepresentative attitudes of parts of our government and civil service, not to mention the BBC. I'd personally be very pleased to see some FCO firings over this, but sadly, won't be holding my breath.

James Holland 9/7 5.26: yep, I'm sure it is to a large extent part of the ongoing sucking-up excercise. But unfortunately I have a feeling they probably also believe a lot of this anti-Israel guff.

Simeon 9/7 6.58: please remember these are pseudonyms people use. Israel's real name is probably something like Rupert or Crispin. The fact he chooses to spout his half-baked half-truths on AGW on this particular thread indicates that he's probably a bit of an odd-ball.

jcp370

It is hard not to lose faith when government officials spew this filth.

The US President (note I did not say my President although I reside in the US) says that perhaps Israelis don't like him because his middle name is Hussein and that some of his best Court Jews are Jews.

The media is rotted through & through; it is even more corrupt than I, a long-time media cynic, could have believed. The latest meme is that the CNN reporter (and Helen Thomas, et. al.) shouldn't have been fired because otherwise we have lost freedom of speech

Thank you Melanie for your clear, strong voice.

Jeremy

This is a hugely important post. I had no idea Ambassadors even wrote blogs but thank goodness we can now monitor them and hold them to account.

Martin Paice

Didn't Hezbollah start *after* Israel invaded the Lebanon?
And has Hezbollah actually ever adopted a tactic that either Israel or Zionist terrorist organisations did not use previously?
Hostage taking - check.
murder of hostages - check
sucicide bombing - check
car bombs - check
attacks on civilian targets - check
boby-trapping the bodies of murdered hostages - check
I am not in favour of any of these tactics, btw.
As for the FO official, it is in the UK's national interest to keep friends on both sdes of the street.

In the Wilderness in America

Israel

Her name is Judith Miller, not "Millar." Get the facts straight. "Fake hubris" hey. How about real hubris of the sort that you display spewing that loony left stuff you pretend are facts.

Now that the bile is out, I must admit that I agree with you about Pat Buchanan, a shameless defender of the Third Reich.

Your rant, however, was colorful. I especially liked the term "fetid dingoes kidneys."

Gábor Fränkl

Martin Paice - your lies about Israel are disgusting and not amusing. You are clearly demented. So no one should take you seriously. Now please go away.

Julius O'Malley

Let's give Watt credit where credit is due: those that say the Jewish people were building Jerusalem 5,000 years ago are wrong- it was 3,000 years ago.

Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Ebban once said many decades ago that there is only one place in the world where people are today practising the same religion and speaking the same language as they are today: Jerusalem. The potency and accuracy of that statement should give all people of reason and decency pause for thought.

Appropos "Martin Paice", the moniker he has selected - the clue is found in his "boby[sic]-trapping the bodies of murdered hostages - check" tells you all you need to know about him and then assiduously ignore him.

Jerry

"Few observers would disagree with Hirst that Israel has long committed itself to a policy of massive military deterrence, which is now becoming progressively more violent"

Mr Watt is of the ilk who will fight Israel to the last Gazan. If his goal is to safeguard their existence, it would behoove him to encourage their change of policy to one of "live and let live." It is not Israel's goal not should it ever be to lose an equal number of dead in a conflict with its enemies.

JOHN ROOSEVELT

Martin Paice: what are you "in favor of", Martin..? Just a "two-sides of the fence", man - Perfidious Albion and all that?

Geoff Miller

Hilarious.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1293720/Frances-Guy-forced-apologise-praising-late-Ayatollah.html

The part of this article that really got me was the comment"...The Foreign Office said yesterday that Ms Guy's internet posting praising Fadlallah had been removed 'after mature consideration'."

So we have people in positions of influence and authority who lack the basic maturity to do the job!

This chimes with my previous post and also links to the farce over Michael Gove's duff education information - provided by a vast and "highly qualified" Civil Service - that was FULL of errors and created (perhaps deliberately?) an opportunity for Labour to grandstand over Government "incompetence".

A wholesale clear-out in the Civil Service is on the cards I guess with all these "Student Grant" types getting a P45.

Jonathan Karmi

The retention of Frances Guy and James Watt in their postings is a disgrace. The fact that sympathisers of Hamas and Hizbullah are chosen by the FCO to represent Britain indicates that Britain is gradually becoming a hostile state. Israel should reject any participation by Britain in Middle East negotiations.

Stuart Seacole Smith

Nice one Martin Paice!

Mixing up one time terrorism in Israel with present day democratic government. Brilliant.

As for keeping friends on both sides of the street, that depends on what you mean by "friends". Personally, I prefer to choose them carefully. There's a big difference between maintaining diplomatic relations, and toe-curlingly embarassing, and dangerous, toadying.

And some people wonder why Britain is seen as perfidious.

Augustus

I agree with Jeremy here, this is a hugely important post, because just as Prime Minister Netanyahu has finished important talks with Obama about negotiating a peace deal, here we have senior British diplomats siding with the very type of extremist elements who have consistently followed Iran's stated goal: The total destruction of the state of Israel. And Martin Paice, no, you are wrong, Israel vacated every inch of Lebanon, and Iran
came in with its Revolutionary Guard and proceeded to use it as a staging ground to launch 6000 rockets on Israel's cities.
Similarly with Gaza, after Israel left, again Iran used the opportunity to launch another 6000 rockets. Israel simply cannot afford to let that happen a third time. But instead of refusing to make a peace attempt because of what Israel has been through, on the contrary, the Israeli government
wants to negotiate, it wants to try to discover if, like Sadat in Egypt, there genuinely are Arab elements out there who will give Palestinians a future state of their own whilst at the same time securing Israel's
borders. If the West Bank's economy can grow at a rate of 8/9% p.a. with Israel's support,
so could a future Palestinian state, but the extremist elements have either got to change their views, or depart the scene, and the views expressed by these British diplomats only make a peace deal that much harder to achieve.

Matthew Kramer

It is appalling that my taxes are being used to pay this bigot Watt his salary for spreading hatred against Jews.

Simeon

Israel - you want to talk about rubbish watch the BBC- Global warming- this is one thing, people , nations i.e. Iran blatantly wanting to nuke another country is another....I'm not sure where you're coming from about "creationists" I for one doubt the "Theory" of evolution and support design theory over it any six days of the week. Its startling how pompous and arrogant evoloutionists are. About being "teary eyed" i'm sorry but you are the one getting hot under the collar about a side issue not me.

Simeon

Stuart seacole smith--Ha thanks stuart for putting me in the picture!! That would explain alot!!

Makevet

When speaking to my 90-year-old father today, who was born and grew up in London, he mentioned that he cannot watch East Enders on TV because set, as it is, in Bethnal Green it reminds him how virulent anti-Semitism was there during his formative years. He was one of the young Jews defending the East End of London from Moseley's fascists in 1935 and is still disgusted by the antics of communists who attacked the Police defending the fascists’ right to march and who exploited the occasion for creating as much mayhem as possible.
He spent six years in the British Army, eighteen months in an English Unit in which, he said, he encountered a great deal of anti-Semitism. He spent the remainder of the war in a Scottish Regiment of the Royal Engineers and saw action in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He only encountered anti-Semitism in the Engineers on one occasion and not from a Scotsman. The other men hearing the exchange were profoundly embarrassed.
My father is eternally grateful to Britain for providing a safe haven to his immigrant parents and for giving him the opportunity to fight fascism as a soldier and later as an NCO in the British Army.
Moving here to Israel at the first opportunity, he has always been saddened and bewildered by Britain’s antagonism towards us. Many Israelis believe it is due to the innate anti-Semitism of a certain class of Englishman who seems to be drawn to the FCO, coupled to a certain enchantment with Arab culture - sometimes described as the Lawrence syndrome. We may never know the true reason, only the tawdry result, as aptly described in a ‘Yes Prime Minister’ episode entitled ‘A Victory for Democracy'.

C.Gee

At some point, the Foreign Office had to open recruitment from accepting only upper-class Oxbridge classics scholars to taking in middle- class non-classics scholars from Oxbridge and a red brick or two. Ancient history was - well, ancient history. Josephus out, Toynbee in. Rome and Athens out, United Nations in. But in either case, the institutional view is that dealing with Jews is tricky. You just never know quite what you're dealing with. Don't trust them. Do not make promises to them. Jews wil try to hold you to promises, even though experience has taught them the futility of this intransigence. The Arabs, on the other hand, have an instinctive understanding of the subtleties of international relations. One knows where one stands with them.

Original Tony

Israel, let me speak slowly so you can follow this...this thread....is not...about...global...warming. Get over being wrong about AGW.

It pains me, but every country that turns against the nation of Israel crumbles.

When the Brits did it, they lost their empire and now that the yanks do it, they get a socialist president to accelerate their demise and a few natural disasters to contend with.

My dates may be wrong, but in April israel celebrated its national day. The next day Obama said he wont support Israel blindly anymore and that same evening the oild platform exploded.

He who is a friend of Israel will prosper and he who is an enemy will perish.

As large chunks of the UK submit to Islam, a country where I live, I now fear for my future as people like this idiot Guy opens his mouth.

cityca

I saw the UK Ambassador to Jordan's blog and having read it, posted a polite but firm reply, refuting much of what he had written.

You'll not be surprised to learn that my reply never appeared, although those from a number of 'locals', did.

Ian Hills

The foreign office seems to have got even more antisemitic over the years. Could this be because of an increasingly antisemitic electorate? One has only to recall some demonstrators' placards...

Alex Hayton

Hi Melanie,

Thanks for your interesting post!

I think it's good that you've pointed out that the FCO blog is being used as a mouthpiece for personal political opinion (surely this should be on his own blog site instead, and I can see the confusion that it could cause when this is construed as the FCO's own position!).

I also don't know why he has questioned Jerusalem's historic roots without providing any references to back up his claims. In my opinion, the real mistake he has made here is that he has expressed an opinion such as this with no reference to primary evidence to back it up (GCSE History anyone?). However, it disappoints me that you've fallen for the same pitfall in your blog post.

Surely you are doing exactly the same thing when you claim that "all Arabs killed by Israel as civilians whereas in fact most are terrorists" and in claiming that there were Turkish terrorists aboard the Mavi Marmara? It's impossible to tell where you've got this information from.

In addition, in the first point I think you may be being a little harsh. He seems to be commenting on a shift in worldwide acceptance of propaganda rather than making an attack on Israel's right to national self-determination - I can't see that he has made any claims against Israel's right to exist or its ability to self-govern in the article you linked to!

wonderer

@Alex Hayton
July 12th, 2010 2:49pm You challenge Melanie's claim that most Arabs killed by the IDF are terrorists. Clearly terrorists are the IDF's intended target. Col Richard Kemp, who formerly commanded British forces in Afghanistan and has worked with the IDF, stated during Cast Lead " I don’t think there’s ever been a time in the history of warfare when any army has made more efforts to reduce civilian casualties and deaths of innocent people than the IDF is doing today in Gaza. When you look at the number of civilian casualties that have been caused, that perhaps doesn’t sound too credible: I would accept that. However, Hamas -- the enemy that they are fighting -- has been trained by Iran and Hezbollah to fight among the people and use the civilian population in Gaza as a human shield; and Hamas factor in the use of the civilian population as a major part of their defensive plan. So even though, as I say, the IDF is taking enormous steps to reduce these civilian casualties it’s impossible, it’s impossible to reduce these civilian casualties when the enemy is using them as a shield."

When Hamas or Hizbullah et al deliberately embed themselves among the civilian population, it's impossible for the IDF to avoid all non-combatant casualties without abandoning defence entirely.

You say it's impossible to tell where Melanie got her information that Turkish terrorists were aboard the Mavi Marmara. You should read her piece on 31 May, in particular, "This research by the Danish Institute for International Studies details the part played by the IHH in Islamist terror in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Chechnya. According to the French magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguiere testifying at the Seattle trial of would-be al Qaeda Millenium bomber Ahmed Ressamin, the IHH had played ‘[a]n important role’ in the al Qaeda Millenium bomb plot targeting Los Angeles airport. It was also involved in weapons trafficking, and played in addition a key role in galvanizing anti-Western sentiment among Turkish Muslims in the lead-up to the 2003 war in Iraq."

Now Judge Bruguiere, who was responsible for the conviction of Carlos the Jackal, led the French counter-terrorism effort for some 20 years and is one of the world's leading experts on the subject.

Peter Gay

Whilst there are as many myths in Jewish history as there are in most other ancient cultures, British Ambassadors should not be publicising their private views and prejudices on one side or the other until they have retired from the FCO.
I spent 35 years in the Diplomatic Service and would never have written anything in such a biased manner.

Martin Paice

@Gábor Fränkl: I may retreat from first suicicde bomber.
But Zionist terorist did invent the car bomb.
And did take hostages, murder them and then booby trap the bodies. Try a search on my handle for details. Possibly add in Field Security and Palestine.
As for Mr Seacole (is that a Rod Liddle-code for 'I am ironic therefore not guilty of racisim')my view is that UK foreign policy should be entirely related to the the UK's national interests. Not sure how supporting Israel helps that anymore, it removes the possiblity of good relations with too many other important nations.

Daniel Cohen

This is an appropriate time to demand an inquiry into the British sinking of the Cap Arcona.
Without explanation, the British Royal Air Force attacked and sank the unarmed an motionless liner Cap Arcona killing of 8,500 - that's eight thousand five hundred - concentration camp survivors at the end of WW2, hours before the German surrender. This greatest of all maritime disasters has never been explained. The British files are sealed "Secret" until 2045. Why? Why do those killed, six times as many as in the accidental sinking of the Titanic, not receive the respect due to them? Nearly three times the number of victims of 9/11, yet no apology? Why is there no memorial? Who is being protected and why? Where are the "humanitarians"?

Simeon

A very Moral stance there martin.....NOT....I'd be so much happier if this nearly God forsaken country DID support Israel rather than Hamas et al...honestly your kind of Britain embarrasses and appalls me! A gutless Britain siding with that useless talking shop known as the UN. Using that as an apparatus for moral guidance, crippled and corrupt. Oh for this country to fall on its knees before the God of Israel and repent!

Rafi Bezalel

From the people of Palestine to the UK Foreign And Commonwealth Office:
Specifically, a message from 22% of Palestine, built by the Jews of Palestine and known as Israel,to the UK:
We have built a wonderful country in the land mandated to you by the League Of Nations for the establishment of a state for Palestine's Jews - alongside Jordan created for its Arabs. You failed to carry out your legal obligations. The UN did it (though nothing since). We are here. We are governed by an independent judiciary. One million Palestinian Arabs are our citizens. You created Jordan, giving it 78% of Ottoman Palestine, for Arab Palestinians only. No Jews are allowed there. Yet the current administration of Jordan denies that country's obvious status as the "Palestinian state". At the same time your ambassador (who represents the people and government of Britain )slanders Israel and Jews on your behalf. Britain: If this is not your intention you must fire the man.

Gerald

James Watt: Question 1: Which is the only people on earth for whom Hebrew was the national language? Question 2: Where is the only geographic location on earth where Hebrew was the national language?

Stuart Seacole Smith

Yes, Martin Paice, I was aware of where you got your handle. And the bad taste of it is one reason why I wouldn't trust your judgement further than I could throw you, and why I have no interest either in what you think "Seacole" means, or your views on what "UK national interests" are.

bohodotcom

Vicious? Try smoking filter-less Camels

Matt Pryor

I cannot help but wonder what the UK's reaction would be if a "friendly" country's diplomats were to publish similar nonsense about us on the internet.

Likely to be hugely embarrassing for the new government, and while being assigned to Jordan must be a low point in any diplomat's career I hope that Mr Watt is removed from the FO entirely.

What is more worrisome is the question of whether these views are shared by colleagues in Whitehall.

Time for a clear out Mr Hague, and some re-education perhaps.

C. Gee

Peter Gay:"Whilst there are as many myths in Jewish history as there are in most other ancient cultures, ..."

What myths would they be? Do you agree with Watt 's examples of "non-factual assertions".

maddy1

Do not be surprised at this! Look at the our man in Tashkent Saga, the darling of the BBC. This guy used to go down to the British Council, to discuss his Thomas Hardy with the nubile young staff. He got his sporran stroked regularly in Tashkent. Stunningly beautiful women in this place! When the balloon went up and his kilt came down he got a golden thistle shake as well. Seriously, most of the staff do a mundane job and it is not as exotic as it sounds but probably beats reading electricity meters in Speke or Garston.

Gordon Ross

Jonathan Karmi: Exactly ! Israel should regard Britain as the enemy it is and always has been.