Labour revolt over Israel policy grows
Tony Blair is facing a growing revolt among Labour backbenchers over his failure to call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.
Ann Clywd, chairwoman of the parliamentary Labour party, warned that the “vast majority” of Labour MPs were hostile to Israel’s position and wanted the UK government to call for it to abandon its attacks on the country immediately.
The prime minister has called for restraint and expressed his concern about the number of civilians killed, but has refused to go much further in speaking out against what is now a fourth week of attacks on southern Lebanon.
In a speech in Los Angeles last night, Mr Blair argued Israel had the right to defend itself against Hizbullah, saying much of the reaction in the media lacked “any understanding” of the position the Jewish state was in.
But his position has prompted growing dismay among Labour MPs – one of them, Joan Ruddock, warned earlier today: “I have not met any member of the Labour party myself who actually agrees with our strategy.”
She told BBC Radio Four’s The World at One: “There is enormous anger and disappointment and a sense that there has to be a change of direction but that the damage has been done.”
Labour backbencher Phyllis Starkey also expressed concern about Mr Blair’s linking of the conflict in the Lebanon to an “arc of extremism” that stretches across the Middle East, from Iran to Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I don’t believe that you can link all of these conflicts together and say that they are all part of the same larger conflict.The issue [in Lebanon] is not an issue between democracy and extremism,” she told BBC News 24.
“At root, in both Lebanon and Palestine the issue is the Israeli occupation of other people’s territories and Israeli unilateralism and their desire to try and solve every problem by military action instead of by negotiation.
“In Lebanon the Israelis have actually de-stabilised the democratic government of Lebanon and have actually strengthened the extremist and terrorist forces and have made Hizbullah hugely popular both within Lebanon and within the whole region.”
The disillusionment is also evident at grassroots level – Michael Foster MP has today written to Mr Blair urging him to call for an “immediate ceasefire”, after his local Labour party passed an emergency resolution condemning Israel’s “aggressive overreaction”.
“No-one doubts that the Israelis have a right to self-defence and the continued attacks from Hizbullah based in southern Lebanon must be stemmed,” the Hastings and Rye MP said.
“It is none the less clear that Lebanon have no ability to curb Hezbollah activities and to call upon them to do so is therefore pointless. The over-reaction of the Israeli forces is turning moderate Lebanese into Hizbullah supporters.”
Reports suggest that Downing Street last week rebuffed foreign secretary Margaret Beckett’s call for Britain to back an immediate ceasefire. Former foreign secretary Jack Straw has already spoken out against Israel’s military tactics.
