Post by abu ridwan on Mar 17, 2006 23:51:45 GMT -5
British credibility
The recent attack on a Palestinian prison by the Israeli army has brought a lot of condemnation on the British and American governments. Many people in Palestine are accusing the British and American government of colluding with the Israeli government. Britain and America were supposed to have monitors at the prison under a previous agreement, but these monitors were withdrawn just before the Israeli attack. Many people are now claiming that Britain has lost its credibility as an honest and impartial broker in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
Alistair Crooke, a former British intelligence officer who worked as a liaison figure between Palestinian groups and the Europeans said, “there’s a trust that’s been lost.”
He further said, “There's a sense of a real breaking of the empathy that everyone had assumed still existed between Europe and the Muslim world." Also, adding, “All of this has given a very strong sense that somehow Europe has lurched away from its traditional positions."
This assumption was also made by a Palestinian cabinet minister, Ghassan Khatib, when he said, “the credibility of Britain has suffered.”
What is surprising is the comment made by Ghassan Khatib. Ghassan Khatib’s comments implies that before this incidence, Britain had some sort of credibility as an honest broker in the peace process. How can Ghassan assume that Britain had credibility in the Middle East? Where has Ghassan been living all these times, does he not have any basic elementary knowledge of Middle East history? When has Britain ever had credibility in the Middle East? Has Britain ever been honest in its dealing with the Middle East? Alternatively, is it that Mr Ghassan is just been naïve and stupid?
Far from being honest, Britain’s involvement in the Middle East has been one of betrayal and dishonesty. It was Britain that destroyed the Muslim Caliphate, carved out the Arab lands between itself and France, and colonised it for decades. It was Britain that incited the Arabs to revolt against the Turkish Caliphate, with the promise that it would help the Arabs to form their own Arab state. Once the Caliphate was destroyed, the Arabs never got their state as promised. As if this betrayal was not enough, the British then went and gave the land of Palestine to some European Jews.
Recently, evidence has surfaced that indicates that during the 50s and 60s the British government has helped Israel to acquire nuclear technology. This is in sharp contrast to the way Britain is dealing with Iran and its acquisition of nuclear technology.
Furthermore, the illegal war on Afghanistan and Iraq stinks of hypocrisy and double standard, and is indicative of a dishonest country, a far cry from being a credible country. Britain’s long history in the Middle East has been one of treachery and betrayal of the Arab people.
So, what “credibility” is Mr. Ghassan talking about, and don’t people like Mr. Ghassan reflect and learn from history?
Muhammed abu Ridwan
The recent attack on a Palestinian prison by the Israeli army has brought a lot of condemnation on the British and American governments. Many people in Palestine are accusing the British and American government of colluding with the Israeli government. Britain and America were supposed to have monitors at the prison under a previous agreement, but these monitors were withdrawn just before the Israeli attack. Many people are now claiming that Britain has lost its credibility as an honest and impartial broker in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
Alistair Crooke, a former British intelligence officer who worked as a liaison figure between Palestinian groups and the Europeans said, “there’s a trust that’s been lost.”
He further said, “There's a sense of a real breaking of the empathy that everyone had assumed still existed between Europe and the Muslim world." Also, adding, “All of this has given a very strong sense that somehow Europe has lurched away from its traditional positions."
This assumption was also made by a Palestinian cabinet minister, Ghassan Khatib, when he said, “the credibility of Britain has suffered.”
What is surprising is the comment made by Ghassan Khatib. Ghassan Khatib’s comments implies that before this incidence, Britain had some sort of credibility as an honest broker in the peace process. How can Ghassan assume that Britain had credibility in the Middle East? Where has Ghassan been living all these times, does he not have any basic elementary knowledge of Middle East history? When has Britain ever had credibility in the Middle East? Has Britain ever been honest in its dealing with the Middle East? Alternatively, is it that Mr Ghassan is just been naïve and stupid?
Far from being honest, Britain’s involvement in the Middle East has been one of betrayal and dishonesty. It was Britain that destroyed the Muslim Caliphate, carved out the Arab lands between itself and France, and colonised it for decades. It was Britain that incited the Arabs to revolt against the Turkish Caliphate, with the promise that it would help the Arabs to form their own Arab state. Once the Caliphate was destroyed, the Arabs never got their state as promised. As if this betrayal was not enough, the British then went and gave the land of Palestine to some European Jews.
Recently, evidence has surfaced that indicates that during the 50s and 60s the British government has helped Israel to acquire nuclear technology. This is in sharp contrast to the way Britain is dealing with Iran and its acquisition of nuclear technology.
Furthermore, the illegal war on Afghanistan and Iraq stinks of hypocrisy and double standard, and is indicative of a dishonest country, a far cry from being a credible country. Britain’s long history in the Middle East has been one of treachery and betrayal of the Arab people.
So, what “credibility” is Mr. Ghassan talking about, and don’t people like Mr. Ghassan reflect and learn from history?
Muhammed abu Ridwan
