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Captain Sulla
Ensign, Junior Grade
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 42
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 Wed Apr 21, 2004 2:56 pm Tony Blair Accuses isreal of Terrorism |
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| Quote: |
The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has issued a statement openly referring to Israeli actions as "terrorism".
The statement was worded cautiously, but the message was clear and strong. This is an historic event, because the government of the UK is now in open disagreement with its greatest ally, the USA.
The US government fully supports the Israeli regime, no matter what it does. But now, according to Mr Blair, the US government is supporting "terrorism".
Regardless of whether he is right or wrong, even Blair's critics are forced to admit that it takes some courage to challenge the policy of America - the most powerful, feared and respected nation in history.
As more and deeper differences emerge between the US and other nations around the world, the first lines are being drawn for future events that will change the course of human civilization.
SOURCE
The Guardian (UK), "Blair condemns Israel and opens rift with US", 20 April 2004.
[ http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foreignaffairs/story/0,11538,1195710,00.html ]
Tony Blair distanced himself from Washington yesterday by pointedly condemning the Israeli assassination of the Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi at the weekend.
George Bush's administration refused to criticise the killing and said Israel had a right of self-defence.
Mr Blair told parliament: "We condemn the targeted assassination of Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi just as we condemn all terrorism, including that perpetrated by Hamas."
While Mr Blair has been quick to condemn Palestinian suicide bombings against Israel in the past, he has been less ready to criticise action against Palestinians.
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Mr Blair could have opted, as he has done in the past, to leave the criticism to the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, who condemned the assassination at the weekend.
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The road map was effectively brought to an end last week when Mr Bush endorsed the Sharon plan to pull out of Gaza in return for US recognition of illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
The Israeli government said yesterday it is to spend tens of millions of dollars consolidating the grip of these Jewish settlements on the West Bank.
Binyamin Netanyahu, the finance minister who is the frontrunner to take over from Mr Sharon as prime minister, told local radio that Israel would increase its financial support for the settlements.
"I am going to approve hundreds of millions of shekels to invest in the settlements beyond the main fence," he said.
Over the past two decades Israel has encouraged the expansion of settlements in the West Bank. Today there are estimated to be 120-150, with a population of about 150,000.
Until Mr Bush's pronouncement in Washington last week the international community had expected most of the settlements would eventually be closed down as part of a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians. Mr Sharon, however, intends to close all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip but only four in the West Bank.
Conscious of the international outcry his comments would provoke, Mr Netan-yahu's office later revised his announcement, saying the money would not be used for the construction of new houses but for security.
Under Mr Sharon's plan, a barrier is being built to separate Israel from the West Bank. The settlements will form six blocs, fortified islands in the middle of what was intended to be a Palestinian state.
FURTHER READING
BBC News, "Blair condemns Hamas chief death", 22 March 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3556753.stm ]
No 10 has condemned the killing of Ahmed Yassin as "a setback... there is no point in pretending otherwise".
BBC News, "UK condemns Hamas leader killing", 18 April 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3636179.stm ]
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has condemned the killing of Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi as "unlawful" and "unjustified".
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The foreign secretary said: "The British government has made it repeatedly clear that so-called targeted assassinations of this kind are unlawful, unjustified and counter-productive."
Mr Rantissi's killing is likely to increase criticism of Prime Minister Tony Blair, who confirmed his backing for President George W Bush's support for Israeli plans to unilaterally withdraw from parts of the occupied territories.
The summit last Friday followed Mr Bush's approval for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's proposal to leave the Gaza Strip, but retain settlements built in the West Bank in defiance of international law
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BBC News, "Hamas chief killed in air strike", 22 March 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3556099.stm ]
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UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the killing of an elderly man in a wheelchair was "unjustified" and "very unlikely to achieve its objective".
BBC News, "World anger after Hamas killing", 23 March 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3559469.stm ]
There has been widespread international condemnation of the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of the militant group Hamas.
The paraplegic cleric, who Israel says masterminded suicide bombings, was targeted in Gaza. His death sparked calls for revenge by Hamas.
Israeli Defence Minister Shaoul Mofaz said that the policy of "liquidating terrorists" would continue.
BBC News, "World media condemn killing", 23 March 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3558477.stm ]
Media commentators around the world are convinced Israel's assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin will only lead to more violence in the troubled Middle East.
BBC News, "Press frets on Israel killing policy", 24 March 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3564359.stm ]
Israel's threat to eliminate more prominent Palestinian figures after the assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin hits the headlines in Israel and the Palestinian territories on Wednesday.
The no-holds barred approach concerns most Israeli papers, while commentators on both sides worry about the radicalisation of the conflict.
BBC News, "EU criticises killing of Yassin", 26 March 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3572253.stm ]
European Union leaders have condemned Israel's assassination of Palestinian militant cleric Sheikh Ahmed Yassin as a violation of international law.
Ending a two-day summit in Brussels, the leaders expressed "deep concern" over the killing, which they said had worsened the Middle East conflict.
BBC News, "Press outrage over Yassin murder", 23 March 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3558495.stm ]
Newspapers throughout the Middle East are up in arms over Israel's killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
In the Arab world, commentators strongly condemn it, with some calling for revenge and others gloomily predicting it will spark an ever-deepening spiral of violence in the region.
BBC News, "US veto on Yassin draws criticism", 26 March 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3570651.stm ]
There have been angry Arab reactions to the US veto of a UN Security Council resolution condemning the killing of the spiritual leader of Hamas.
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin - a veteran Palestinian militant accused by Israel of ordering suicide bombings - died in an Israeli missile strike on Monday.
The Council's failure was criticised by Palestinian and Algerian delegates as well as Russia and Indonesia.
The US opposed the draft because it did not name Hamas as a terrorist group.
The document condemned "the most recent extrajudicial execution committed by Israel".
It also condemned "all attacks against any civilians as well as all acts of violence and destruction".
Eleven members approved the resolution - two more than the nine required to pass it - but the US envoy used the veto available only to the five permanent members of the council.
...
BBC News, "Jordan king signals rift with US", 20 April 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3641099.stm ]
King Abdullah of Jordan has postponed talks with US President George W Bush on Wednesday amid concern over America's support for Israeli policy.
Jordan announced that it needed time to "clarify the US position" on the Middle East peace process.
A BBC correspondent says the move is something of a diplomatic snub.
At the United Nations Arab states have urged the Security Council to condemn Israel's targeted killings policy after the death of the leader of Hamas.
Jordan's snub comes just after Mr Bush broke with long-standing American policy and acknowledged that Israel would keep many of its settlements in the West Bank and follows the killing of Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi on Saturday in Gaza.
King Abdullah walks a delicate line among his Arab neighbours, seeking to maintain a position of even-handedness in the turbulence of the Middle East, Adam Brookes reports from Washington.
...
BBC News, "Jordanian prince in WWIII warning", 26 March 2004.
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3570227.stm ]
Prince Hassan of Jordan has said he fears a third world war is erupting in the Middle East.
...
Extremist voices in the region were rising, and not only individuals but states were taking the law into their own hands, the prince said.
He was speaking after a week in which Israel assassinated the spritual leader of Palestinian militant group Hamas, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Wed Apr 21, 2004 4:46 pm |
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It was not terrorism! Hamas is a terror organization! Ayyyy... I must disagree with Blair on that one...
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Puck
The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004
Posts: 5596
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| Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:29 pm |
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1st: Blair is very honorable and I admire him for this statement. Israel is almost just as bad as the Palestinians, I dont care what you say, when you look at the situation, neither side should have America's full support. This also cost us a great deal because this is a reason that many middle-eastern Arab Muslims dislike the US.
2nd: I don't know if terrorism is the correct term for Israel, its more like a description of Hamas.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:31 pm |
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| JanewayIsHott wrote: | 1st: Blair is very honorable and I admire him for this statement. Israel is almost just as bad as the Palestinians, I dont care what you say, when you look at the situation, neither side should have America's full support. This also cost us a great deal because this is a reason that many middle-eastern Arab Muslims dislike the US.
2nd: I don't know if terrorism is the correct term for Israel, its more like a description of Hamas. |
1st: Blair IS hororable
2nd: I DON'T see it as terrorism on both sides...I mean, the Palestinians are the ones sending children with bomb vests to BLOW UP BUILDINGS!
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Puck
The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004
Posts: 5596
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| Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:33 pm |
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How could you say Blair is horrable, he is one of our best allys, and he has stuck with us, despite the criticism he recieves?
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:34 pm |
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| JanewayIsHott wrote: | | How could you say Blair is horrable, he is one of our best allys, and he has stuck with us, despite the criticism he recieves? |
Sorry! I meant HONORABLE.
Typo...
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Puck
The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004
Posts: 5596
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| Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:36 pm |
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LoL, got ya 
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