Nick Clegg wants Britain to push the EU to end trade with Israel. In a Guardian article, the Lib Dem leader vies for the left-wing, anti-Iraq vote and argues that the EU “must immediately suspend the proposed new cooperation agreement with Israel until things change in Gaza.”
If we overlook the article’s factually incorrect claim that the EU suspended its “presence on the Egypt border in response to Hamas’s election” — on 10 November 2008, European foreign ministers extended the mandate of the EUBAM Rafah Mission until 24 November 2009 — it proposes a return to the bad old days of EU-Israeli animosity, over-simplifies a complex situation, and is likely to make any future EU role in Middle East peace-making difficult.
I have been very sceptical of Israel’s Gaza strategy. Like Daniel Finkelstein, I too am moved by the squalor, poverty and the death among the Palestinians in Gaza. I am a strong supporter of Israel, but also believe in a Palestinian state. I even believe that it may be necessary, under certain circumstances, to negotiate with parts of Hamas.
But I take exception to the idea, that Clegg is flirting with in his Guardian piece, that somehow Israel is the only culprit. That Ban Ki-Moon, the UN’s Secretary-General was, all along, concerned about Hamas’ rocketing of Israel as he now claims he was. That all will be fine if only Israel hangs back, forced by the EU — under the threat of severed trade ties — not to react to Hamas’ terrorism. (To remind everyone what kind of outfit Hamas really is, one of its leaders helpfully called for Jews — and Jewish children — to be targeted around the world.) That Israel is to blame for everything and that Gaza would somehow be a new Dubai if only Israel had not imposed an embargo.
Clegg’s piece is, sadly, probably clever politics and may even be a result of genuine indignation. But it is based on a faulty premise and would make European governments irrelevant in the future search for peace.
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