Monday, November 8, 2010

Will UK join push for ultimate solution of MidEast peace through the United Nations?

Robin Shepherd
robinshepherdonline.com
05 November '10

Amid all the brouhaha over British Foreign Secretary William Hague’s visit to Israel this week, the key question of the moment has yet to be asked: If peace talks fail, will Britain join France and others in openly declaring that a Middle East peace might have to be imposed through the United Nations?

I have not seen a clear and unambiguous quotation from the Foreign Secretary or any of his senior officials to that effect. But if you put together everything that is being said and everything that is not being said, and you set that against the international mood music my instincts tell me that we are ineluctably heading towards the UN route.

For example, as the BBC’s MidEast headline today roars: “Mid-East peace talks: UK says window ‘closing’”. But what does that mean in practice? That Britain would be prepared simply to let matters rest should that window ultimately close? That the UK would say: “a plague on both your houses” and retreat back to the island and wash its hands of the whole business?


If only the British outlook were characterised by such indifference. Here is how the BBC characterises the British position in its article today:

“Mr Hague said that both sides had obligations, but that it was largely up to Israel to break the impasse.’We do want Israel to announce a new moratorium on settlements [said Hague]… That is what the whole of Europe wants, that is what the United States wants,” he said.”

In other words, Israel is going to get the blame if and when the talks collapse.

(Read full article)

If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.
.

No comments:

Post a Comment