Poor Old Liberals

One has to feel a little for the Liberal Democrat party; led by a non-entity, and languishing in the polls a long way behind UKIP, the party now faces another public-relations problem.

A Liberal Democrat MP, Mr David Ward has got himself into hot water: he is reported to have accused "the Jews" of  "inflicting atrocities on Palestinians... on a daily basis."

Tut tut Mr Ward, you should have accused the Israelis not "the Jews" - as a "Lib-Dem," political correctness should be embedded in your DNA.

Mr Ward MP is of course entirely correct - I have often referred to Israeli excesses here; it was just a matter of terminology, though it is quite possible that the Israelis - at least many of them - consider themselves undeserving of any criticism.

Until the next time

A Pity...

[...] that his page carries an Israeli flag with the message "I stand with Israel."

Personally I can't stand Israel - at least under its present governance.

Anyway that's all off the point. The important thing is that Greenie Watch has come up with something really nice: effectively a quote from  the IPCC that suggests that they are coming round to the idea that, quel choc! the activity of the SUN is responsible for changing our climate here on Earth.

Well, well. You read it here first: I wrote ages ago that the sun just has to fart once and we're all toast. It may be only a medium-sized star, but as I think Fred Hoyle remarked, expand the earth to the size of the sun and earth's atoms would become the size of toy balloons...

Until the next time.

More Middle East

Well, well, I see that it has been announced today that Israel has authorised further building of illegal settlements in the occupied territories and in East Jerusalem, the day after the overwhelming majority vote in the UN in favour of Palestine's status.  Is there a limit to the extent of the arrogance of the Israelis?

Meanwhile there is fierce fighting in the vicinity of the airport at Damascus, with the rebels now having possession of what are reported to be "heavy weapons" plus shoulder-launched ground-to-air missiles.

And in Cairo, Tahrir Square is once again the scene of vigorous protests.

Is it my imagination or is it fact that there was once a Middle-East Peace Envoy in the person of that slippery fellow Blair?

If fact it was, where is this all-powerful factotum, this peace-wallah?  Has he perhaps decided to take a back seat and spend a little more time with his money?

At least I never voted for him, just as I never voted for his now-prosperous wind-baggy predecessor!  

Until the next time

Ashamed and Disgusted

It is not that I am unaware of some (at least) of the realities of international diplomatic relations, but nevertheless, I am appalled that our Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr William Hague, is proposing to abstain at a forthcoming vote at the UN in connexion with an upgrading of Palestine's status.

He would do better to demonstrate possession of some balls and remind the world that Israel has for nearly 45 years consistently ignored UN resolutions concerning the territories that it has occupied illegally and on which it condones the establishment of what are known as "settlements."

I carry no torch for the towel-headed bomb-throwers who believe that they have the authority of the Koran for their appalling acts, but equally, it is entirely unacceptable for the Israelis to behave as they have for over forty years towards the Palestinians.

Until the next time.

More Study Needed?

Source

Or perhaps not: I wrote the other day about an inquiry taking place in Israel concerning the Israeli military's assault on the Gaza Flotilla, which took place in international waters.

Today, the New York Times reports that the inquiry has found that the raid was legal; once again "quelle surprise". The NYT's article includes the following quote from one Alan Baker, formerly legal advisor to Israel's Foreign Ministry:

"Whether this will persuade Turkey is doubtful. Whether this will persuade the Arab countries is very doubtful. I think the serious countries will take it very seriously because of the people who were involved and because of the international observers."

Well, Mr Baker, I am certainly not persuaded, and if you read this blog you will have noticed that I predicted the outcome of the inquiry; how could I possibly be so prescient? And yes I did take the inquiry very seriously!

News: Turkey rejects Israeli inquiry conclusions. (BBC report)

As for the legality of international "adventures" one only has to reflect on the case of Tony Blair currently facing the Chilcott inquiry.

Until the next time

I'm Fed up (Update)

I said the other day that I am fed up with the Israelis.

Today we have some more news from Israel: there has been an investigation into the events surrounding the Gaza Flotilla, which you may recall was intercepted by elements of the Israeli military, an interception that resulted in the deaths of nine Turks. Please note that the flotilla was attacked in International Waters, thus the attack was in a sense an act of piracy as I understand the meaning of the word.

The report states that the Israeli soldiers concerned are to be "absolved of blame."

Quelle surprise! (The Israelis are of course never to blame are they?)

So exactly WHO was responsible for the death of these nine innocent people?

The Telegraph report includes the following paragraph:

David Trimble, the former Northern Ireland first minister, one of the two non-voting foreign observers on the commision, said the panel members "were determined that the inquiry be rigorous."

Rigorous no doubt - to the extent that the "correct" conclusion will be reached.

Until the next time