Tag: Palestine

Vigils, Violence and Votes: How Palestine Shapes Britain’s Debate


Palestine becoming ‘an election issue’ claim

September 2026

Palestine Solidarity Campaign have made the claim that ‘public anger over Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and Britain’s response was increasingly being expressed‘. The claim was made by Aimee Shalan who will become director in November.

She said Palestine becoming an electoral issue both domestically and nationally. She pointed to Ed Miliband’s recent statement and the change in policy towards the West Bank in particular. The West Bank appeared in the news in recent days because of the latest incident of severe violence involving over 100 militant settlers who overwhelmed security forces in an attack on the village of Jalud.

Several senior politicians, including the president Isaac Herzog, have condemned the violence but there is an element of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Settler violence has been overtly and covertly supported by politicians and the security forces have up to now, stood by while Palestinians were attacked and their properties destroyed. It is a bit late to complain now when the scale of violence and ethnic cleansing has become so extreme.

Miliband spoke at the Labour conference but there is still concern about how real British actions are. It is reported that British diplomats have told the Americans the actions are merely ‘symbolic‘. It is noted that he did not accuse the Israelis of genocide.

Vigil
Two individuals holding protest signs. One sign reads 'Honk for Gaza' and the other says 'Honk for Peace.'

The 147th vigil was held on Saturday with nearly 40 in attendance. There was a good response to the invitation to ‘honk for peace’. The Salisbury MP, Mr John Glen. has not appeared and there was no mention of the vigil again in his weekly column courtesy of the Salisbury Journal. He is a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel group.

Film update – Because …

Our film Because ... is progressing well and will be finished ready for the 150th vigil. Most interviews have been completed.

Picture courtesy of Peter Gloyns

Sources: Middle East Eye, Guardian, Haaretz, Palestine Solidarity Campaign

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Uyghur campaign


Some members of the group meet for a photo op October 2026 Throughout August the Salisbury group took part in the national campaign to highlight the plight of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang province in China. We reported on the extreme measures used by the Chinese to repress the culture, language and religion of this…

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Palantir demonstration


Members of the Salisbury group take part in national demonstration about this firm October 2026 The public are slowly becoming aware of the firm Palantir and how it is increasingly being used by British institutions. Profound worries are expressed on a number of counts about the use of this firm. They include the security of…

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Execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee fails


Terrifying failure to execute Christa Pike in Tennessee October 2026 It seems as far as Tennessee is concerned, actually executing someone is more difficult than might be supposed. Christa Pike was on the gurney and the supposedly lethal drugs were injected twice. Forty minutes later, she was heard snoring from behind a screen and was…

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Political Friends of Israel


Remarkable video discusses the extent of influence over political parties by Friends of Israel groups

September 2026

In many of our posts about vigils and the events taking place in the Middle East, Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, we have mentioned the role and influence of the various Friends of Israel groups in Parliament and Westminster generally. There is no inherent crime in lobbying: it is quite possible that UK citizens reading this will have lobbied their MP over a matter of concern to them. This is part of the political process and can be a way of informing an MP about an issue and the depth of feeling there is among their constituents.

We are currently in the middle of a major row concerning two massive donations of £36 million each to the Reform party which have the potential to be a game changer. What is concerning is the degree of organisation, funding and influence that some lobbyists are able to deploy. Arms firms, fossil fuel companies and as we shall see, the Israeli lobbying operation are sufficiently funded to exert considerable influence over policy. The real risk is that they can distort the democratic process to suit their agendas.

Video

YouTube Video

This remarkable video takes the viewer through the history and organisation behind the various Friends of Israel groups. It points out the differences of approach towards each party noting that the only one which seems untainted by this activity is the Greens. It shows how the lobbying is able to stay hidden and undeclared because of how the groups are structured.

A lot of the activity is not direct funding but it enables MPs to link up with other funders useful to them at election time. It is thought to be the best funded lobby group in Westminster.

They explain how new MPs arrive often having few opinions on the Middle East, are quickly invited to a trip to Israel. On return they are to be seen in debates echoing the Israeli line. It shows how although leaders come and go, the apparatus behind them remains stable. Nearly all of the Cabinet are members.

It is hard not to come away from viewing it without feeling troubled at how our governments and democracy are compromised by this well-funded and highly organised activity. There is no harm in Israel – or any state or organisation – putting their arguments to MPs and to government. But this activity goes well beyond that and clearly distorts our democracy.

The effects

It is not just of academic interest. The result is a Labour prime minister shamefully saying Israel had every right to cut off water and power to Gaza. It’s successive governments allowing arms sales to proceed despite the disproportionate destruction of Gaza. It’s the covert support by the RAF for example overflying Gaza in hundreds of missions allegedly to help in the search for hostages (completely unsuccessfully so what were they doing?). The staggering death toll of over 73,000 including around 20,000 children is a stain historians will find hard to explain. The hemming in of 2 million Palestinians into a smaller and smaller area by the yellow line. It has been a gross violation of the rights of Palestinians.

Many senior Israeli parliamentarians are open about their desire to expel all Palestinians and to destroy any idea of a separate Palestinian state. It is not some kind of hidden side effect of conflict – it is its purpose.

Despite the killing, massive destruction, wilful starvation and ethnic cleansing, only in past week has the UK government finally seen fit to take some action.

We have noted that the local MP for Salisbury, Mr John Glen, is a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel. He has never attended the 145 vigils held by some of his constituents. He has never mentioned them in his weekly column in the Salisbury Journal. He has never spoken in parliament on this issue.

As we have asked before – who are they representing? The British public or a bloodthirsty regime? It is not as though the activity is in the long term interests of Israel. A policy of violence, destruction, ignoring international humanitarian law and mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners has only one end. Members of parliament would do well to remember whom they represent.

Please view the video.

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Well attended vigil


The 145th vigil attracted over 45 people

September 2026

We were back to a strong turn out at last Saturday’s vigil (12th) which coincided with events happening in the Middle East. When we last posted, we questioned whether the British government was going to take action. It did so with a statement by the Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband to parliament which was a significant departure from the previous weak actions by the Starmer led government.

He said that the prospects for a Palestinian state were being destroyed on the ground in particular with the plans for a massive settlement E1. He specifically called Israeli government actions as ‘ethnic cleansing’ a major departure for the government. He has arranged for settler goods to be barred from coming into the UK. Most importantly however is actions against banking system which will make it difficult for Israeli banks to fund settlements and keep their licence in London. Settler goods will be easy to circumvent – who knows where a mango or avocado comes from? – but banking restrictions are crucial.

International support

The government has also found support from a range of other countries including France and Canada. Altogether a significant shift in policy. He also disagreed with the chief Rabbi’s assertion that these additional controls will increase anti-Semitism in the UK. Sir Ephraim Mirvis often speaks as though the Jewish community in the UK are of one voice and that he speaks for them. It has been interesting to see that a number of other Rabbis and Jewish people have been interviewed or written letters saying they do not agree with his view and that there is need of concerted action against settler violence.

One Jewish person writing in the Guardian said:

“A substantial minority of British Jews like myself agree with the British government’s new use of the term ethnic cleansing to describe how armed settlers in the occupied territories evict Palestinians from their land with passive and sometimes active support from Israeli institutions. […] Tolerating settler violence is longstanding Israeli policy which I’ve seen with my own eyes [..]’.

“I saw with dismay the indulgent favour of state forces towards these most renegade settlers how regional police (settlers themselves) laugh contemptuously at villager’s complaints and when then called upon for protection, the Israeli army arrived slowly or not at all and did nothing.” (12 September)

Film

The film NAZA was screened at the Venice Film Festival last week and is a documentary about the mass slaughter which has taken place in Gaza. NAZA is the acronym for the number of civilians expected to die when an apartment block is bombed. The IDF prefers to kill suspected Hamas terrorists in their homes and that often results in a large number of civilians deaths. The producers hope to win an award.

The UK government’s actions seem to have had an effect in Israel. Reactions from the US have yet to emerge and may relate to changing public opinion and declining support for Israel.

UPDATE: Proposal to withdraw Israeli citizenship from the two film makers.

We shall be holding the next vigil on Saturday 19th at 5pm as usual and all are welcome.

Picture courtesy of Peter Gloyns.

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Is the UK government going to take action?


The signs of a more robust stance are promising

September 2026

But as ever with government, words are not always matched by deeds. The Foreign Secretary’s statement and his subsequent remarks in a video expressing shock at being told medicines are being withheld from Gaza has drawn a series of rebukes and threats from a variety of sources.

In parliament he said that the proposal to build settlement E1 as it’s known “crosses a red line and cuts through the heart of the West Bank and risks making a Palestinian state unviable”. This is indeed the stated intention of some Israeli politicians. During the debate some MPs referred to ‘settler terrorism’.

His additional remarks made in a video have inflamed the situation further. “Frankly, it was horrific, what is unfolding,” Mr Miliband said. “The stories that people were telling me of medicines being blocked [and] children dying while waiting for vital life-saving treatment.” The Israelis have denied that there are any restrictions despite considerable evidence they have from charities like Physicians for Human Rights and Global Human Rights Clinic as well as a host of other NGOs and charities.

The US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has accused the Labour government of ‘Jew hate’ and that “they know no boundaries and and know no facts”. Strong stuff. A difficult claim to make as the Foreign Secretary is Jewish. The Times of Israel called his remarks ‘political positioning’ among other criticisms.

These are the familiar responses to any kind of criticism of Israel despite the mass of evidence of violence in the West Bank and Gaza.

Vigil

The 144th vigil took place yesterday (5th September) with around 25 in attendance. Filming has started of our video ‘Because …’ where we ask some participants why are they here. We will be continuing over the next few weeks running up to our 150th vigil.

The local MP, Mr John Glen has still not put in an appearance. We learned that one participant has written over 40 times to him yet has never received a reply. Mr Glen is a member the Conservative Friends of Israel lobby organisation. He has never mentioned the vigils in his weekly column courtesy of the Salisbury Journal. An MP is elected to represent all his or her constituents not just those who agree with them.

Double standards?

An enormous fuss was made last week over a Channel 4 film showing Reform party aids soliciting foreign donations which are illegal under electoral law. The undercover filming appeared to show the two of them seeking to conceal the source of foreign donations to make them appear as though they were from the UK. Two have been relieved of their posts. Yet there is no equivalent fuss of the huge amount of money the Israeli government has poured into its lobbying and the effect it has had on the attitudes of MPs towards the conflict. Background to James Orr can be seen here.

Around £1.5 million has been spent by the Israeli government on its parliamentary lobbying and it is thought that 180 MPs are members of the various party’s friends groups. This raises the obvious question ‘who are they representing?’ How can a member of parliament be such a friend and claim to be an impartial judge of both British interests and what is right in the Middle East and for Israel? Where do their loyalties lie?

Picture: courtesy of Peter Gloyns.

The next vigil is on 12th September at 5pm.

Sources: Times of Israel, Independent, MSN, Ha’aretz.

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Vigil No. 142


Nearly 30 attend the latest vigil in Salisbury

August 2026

The vigils continue and the 142nd was held yesterday in the Market Place, Salisbury. Recognition was good with around 100 or so seeming to take some kind of note of our presence. It’s quite a while now since we have had any serious criticism of our action.

There may be signs that things are changing on the political front. The new prime minister seems aware of the damage done by Sir Keir Starmer’s almost blinkered approach to Israel. Starmer was determined he said to ‘root out anti-Semitism from the party’ and claimed he had done so in his final PMQ. ‘Rooting it out’ was a fine objective but giving Israel almost unqualified support despite their atrocious actions in Gaza, and now the West Bank, quite another. The violence has increased markedly in the last few months with the IDF or Israeli police doing very little to stop it. Leaders of the party are fully behind the actions. Thirteen new settlements have been approved and they are designed to make any hope of a coherent Palestinian state impossible.

Andy Burnham is facing demands at next month’s party conference to declare Israel’s actions in Gaza to be genocide which he is reported to be reluctant to do. At his inauguration it appeared he understood the immense harm done by the government’s one-sided support. We shall have to see if words are turned in action.

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BBC ‘bias’ in Gaza conflict


Report reveals in detail how the BBC has misreported the conflict

July 2026

The BBC is widely trusted. It promotes itself as an independent media organisation dedicated to giving fair balanced news and comments about what is happening in the world. A report by the Centre for Media Monitoring analysed the BBC’s output on the Gaza conflict and found it to be anything but balanced. Indeed it concluded that the ‘BBC is systematically biased against Palestinians in Gaza war coverage‘. They echo conclusions by Peter Oborne in his book Complicit [OR Books, 2025] who was extremely critical of their reporting of the conflict.

Not that these conclusions are new. Tom Mills in his book The BBC: Myth of a Public Service [Verso, 2016] concluded that it has ‘always sided with the elite‘. Despite the constant accusations by right-wing media interests for its left-wing bias, in fact he argues ‘its journalism has overwhelmingly reflected the ideas and interests of elite groups‘.

Gaza coverage

CfMM analysed thousands of BBC pieces as part of its research and came up with 4 main conclusions:

  • Palestinian deaths are treated as less newsworthy. Despite there being 34 times more deaths among Palestinians, the BBC gave Israel deaths 33 times more coverage.
  • BBC used emotive terms 4 times more for Israeli victims, applied ‘massacre’ 18 times more to Israeli casualties, and used ‘murder’ 220 times for Israelis in contrast to once for Palestinians. We have noted that the word ‘hostage’ was applied (correctly) for those seized by Hamas after the October 7th massacre, but the word ‘prisoner’ is used for those seized by Israel and held without trial and tortured. Prisoner implies some kind of due process has taken place which it hasn’t.
  • BBC presenters shut down genocide claims in over 100 documented instances whilst making zero mention of Israeli leaders’ genocidal statements, including Netanyahu’s biblical Amalek reference. The moment an interviewee mentions the G word, a BBC person will immediately interrupt and say that there has been no conclusion to the claims despite the massive evidence to the contrary and blatant statements by Israeli politicians to that effect.
  • The BBC interviewed significantly fewer Palestinians than Israelis (1,085 v 2,350) on TV and radio, while BBC presenters shared the Israeli perspective 11 times more frequently than the Palestinian perspective (2,340 v 217). The interviews themselves are often weak and unchallenging.

The full report is available here.

Reasons

We can only speculate on the reasons for the bias. One is the myth of BBC independence. This much touted merit is not always true. The Board is appointed by Government ministers and the organisation is under constant funding threats. The Charter is up for renewal soon in 2028.

A second aspect is the charge of anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism is of course to be condemned but it has become a cover for any and all criticism of Israel. When Amnesty and Human Rights Watch published their reports on Israel’s Apartheid policy for example, the immediate and knee-jerk response was the charge of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel. It has led the BBC we would argue to an approach of extreme caution and nervousness.

The policy of balance is also a factor. Balance does not always mean equal. This arose with debates about climate change. A scientist would be interviewed with facts and data followed by a denialist such as Lord Lawson. They received equal coverage even though Lawson was not a scientist and seldom had any evidence to support his views. Viewers were left confused. Scientists gradually refused to be interviewed. The BBC has now stopped doing this (after many protests) although it should be stressed scientists are not always right and should be challenged: but challenged by someone competent.

The tragedy is that there are many Jewish people in the UK who are concerned about the extreme violence and genocide taking place in Gaza and the increasing tide of violence against Palestinians living on the West Bank. On a recent Any Answers programme, two Jewish men phoned in with their views. They did not fit the narrative as expected and the presenter was audibly disconcerted and tried vainly to counter their views. The grim future of Israel is discussed in the Jewish academic Omar Bartov’s book Israel: What Went Wrong? [Fern Press, 2026].

Does it matter?

It matters because the BBC is a trusted source much needed in these days of mis- and disinformation and torrid material being produced by X and other online outlets. Generally, they perform well despite attempts at coercion and control. One has only to spend 10 minutes watching GBNews to witness what low standards mean.

It matters because they have a role in shaping public opinion. People were rightly angry at the seizing of hostages by Hamas and the frequent bulletins about the negotiations to secure their release increased that anger. The almost complete absence of reporting by the BBC of the seizure by Israel of medical staff and their incarceration, torture and sometimes death in an underground prison weakens their claims to be impartial.

It matters because this public opinion shapes political opinion and policies. The almost total failure by the BBC to report the hundreds of RAF overflights for example means a large chunk of British society is unaware of this help and other more covert help by our government for the regime. It means the government can continue selling arms with impunity thus playing a part in increasing the destruction of Gaza. It means the incarceration of those who support the Palestinian cause is made that bit easier because they have been labelled the ‘bad guys’. It means politicians like David Lammy can make provably misleading statements about reducing arms sales without being challenged. [David Lammy left government as this post was being written].

It matters because the distortion of language: for example selective use of words like ‘massacre’ and ‘hostage’ as we have noted above, means trust in the BBC is eroded.

The BBC fails to mention when interviewing various members of parliament, whether they are members of one or other of the Friends of Israel groups nor asks how much they have received for visits to the country. It does not ask them leaving the viewer or listener left in the dark. [To be fair, neither does the BBC nor other broadcasters ask interviewees if they are a member of one or other of the think tanks with their undeclared funding].

The organisation needs to shake off its fear of being called anti-Semitic and provide proper and balanced reports.

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An Israeli and a Palestinian debate


Debate between the two at the Festival of Humanism over the weekend

June 2026

So popular was this debate that many couldn’t get in so it was repeated the following day in a bigger hall. The two speakers were Yaniv Aknin who is a British-Israeli software engineer currently working in London. He was born and raised in Israel but left in 2013. Jasr Kawkby is a British-Palestinian paediatrician currently working in East London. He was raised as a Muslim in Palestine.

It would be usual in a write-up of this kind to discuss what A said then to discuss B, making clear thereby who said what. We will not do this in this instance and just discuss what was said by both. These are some of the points made:

  • It was pure chance where you were born and whether you were Moslem, Christian or Jew.
  • Language was important. To call what happened a ‘war of independence’ was quite wrong. It was a colonial war. To live in a land where the ‘natives’ were expelled and prevented from returning was morally wrong.
  • Armed resistance has made life more difficult for those it seeks to support. It has alienated foreign support.
  • Suffering has been inflicted on those with no responsibility for the plight of Jews [in history].
  • Israel must stop its barbaric actions [for example] denying food aid in Gaza and must respect the rights of Palestinian prisoners in Jewish gaols.
  • [In answer to a question] the conflict was about land: religion was very much a secondary factor. It was however a complicating factor.
  • Zionism was a wrong ideology.
  • Most destruction of human life was by Israeli forces [meaning the IDF from other comments he made].
  • Pressure should be applied to Israel until it complies with human rights. We must recognise the oppression of Palestinians.
  • The lack of unconditional support from the West seen as a betrayal or anti-Semitism.
  • Religion was a catalyst for violence: how can we spread non-religious ideas? [This was a Humanist conference].
  • We should not be selling arms to Israel.

You might believe some of the answers are obviously from one ‘side’ or the other. You may well be wrong. There were in fact some surprises. This is to illustrate that there are those from the region – whether Jew or Moslem – who see both sides and recognise some of the wrongs that are committed. Because so much air time is given to extremists, we can be led to believe that they are representative of the population as a whole. It demonstrates that perhaps there is some chance in the future for some kind of reconciliation. The interference by outside forces – discussed in our last post in relation to the Gulf – is a factor in the perpetuation of violence.

Images: Yaniv (top); Jasr (lower)

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78th anniversary of the Nakba


Terrible events of 1948 which continue to have an effect today

May 2026

The Nakba took place in 1948/49 and resulted in vast number of Palestinians and Arabs being displaced from their homes or murdered by soldiers of the newly created Israeli state. Numbers vary but 750,000 is the approximate figure. Those who survived lived in camps in Jordan, Gaza and Lebanon. Survivors within the new borders of Israel were subject to manifold restrictions which are recognised as apartheid. The catastrophe has left lasting pain and hatreds which means the prospects for peace and reconciliation are remote. Palestinians living in the West Bank are subject to increasing levels of violence and destruction of their property.

There is a march in London tomorrow which no doubt elements of our media and some politicians will demonise calling it a ‘hate march’ or other accusations. Reporting will focus on any violence and very little on the causes. The Jewish Chronicle, quoting Labour Friends of Israel MPs, is calling for a ban.

Reporting

On the question of reporting and the bias of large parts of our media, our attention has been drawn to a piece Prince Harry wrote condemning anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim hatred in the New Statesman. Within days, nearly all the media removed the anti-Muslim element. It is an astonishing read and involves supposedly trusted outlets including the BBC; the Guardian, Sky News, CNN and others. The reasoning or the motives are not clear. It is recommended that you read the evidence provided in this link. Many find claims of media bias hard to accept and this is a clear cut example of altering the news to suit an agenda.

Some background is here concerning the Nakba. A report by Amnesty International on the right of Palestinians to return. Middle East News provide further stories.

We shall be holding our vigil – with others – tomorrow, Saturday 16th as usual. In the market place, Salisbury starting at 5pm for half an hour.

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Risks to our rights steadily increasing


Our monthly report on trends in the UK is worrying

May 2026

Government appeal against Palestine Action ban

Good Law Project warns that if the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmoud wins her appeal against the lifting of the ban on Palestine Action th the combination of the Online Safety Act 2023 and the Terrorism Act 2000 could be used to silence support for anti-genocide campaigners.

The problem lies in the very broadly drafted offences which even the police have found hard to apply. Online platforms might share this difficulty and fear heavy fines if they don’t remove references to action for Palestine. The Online Safety Act obliges platforms to remove “priority illegal content” from the internet in the UK. At the top of this list is “terrorism content” which includes posts that relate to section 12 of the Terrorism Act, such as “inviting support” for a terrorist organisation or “expressing an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation” while being “reckless as to whether a person to whom the expression is directed will be encouraged to support a proscribed organisation”. See also a previous post on this site pointing out the risks inherent in using this firm.

Palantir Data Privacy Concerns continue

The Good Law Project is supporting Democracy for Sale to raise a challenge about the information commissioner’s decision to keep secret documents sent to Wes Streeting Health Secretary and Health and Social Care Minister Karin Smyth that will reveal truths about the risks of Palantir’s data platform. The British Medical Association has expressed concern about handing sensitive health data to the company which has ties with the Israeli Military and ICE. See our previous post about the threats to our rights from this firm. Statements by the firm’s chief executive are illuminating.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Following the Good Law challenge in the Supreme Court, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been obliged by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to revise its guidance on the application of the Sex definition in order to provide ‘legally accurate, practical guidance’ and ensure ‘all service users are treated with dignity and respect’. Parliamentary approval will be sought in May. Recent testimonies from trans patients suggest that their health concerns are sidelined by some doctors.

Democratic decline

Amnesty International warns the UK is increasingly reflecting, rather than resisting, global trends towards weakening of democratic norms. The 2026 report can be accessed here and download the full report which is divided into countries.

In 2025 – 2026 the UK has:

– used counterterrorism powers to restrict peaceful protest

– overseen the mass arrest of peaceful protesters, with courts ruling aspects unlawful

– intensified hostile policies towards migrants and people seeking asylum

– increased surveillance and policing powers

– continued arms transfers to Israel despite clear risks of use in serious violations of international law

– cut international aid amid escalating global humanitarian need

– defended the use of national security vetoes in legacy Troubles cases, undermining truth, accountability and justice for victims and families

– pursued economic and social policies that risk pushing more people into poverty, weakening protections for economic and social rights.

As we have noted on several occasions before, successive governments have got themselves ensnared with various unpleasant regimes because of their desire to maintain arms exports. We continue to arm UAE despite their support for the rebels in Sudan and other destabilising actions in Libya and Yemen for example, and as noted, we continue to arm and support Israel despite the genocide in Gaza.

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War, war, war


Hostilities continue with little sign of lasting peace let alone reconciliation

April 2026

There is a ceasefire in Gaza/killings continue; the straight of Hormuz is open/the straight of Hormuz is closed; the Iranians have agreed to hand over their nuclear material/the Iranians will not hand over their nuclear material; there is a ceasefire in southern Lebanon/homes continue to be demolished in southern Lebanon. Welcome to the now you see it, now you don’t world of Middle East warfare.

At one level it is bizarre. Largely stemming from Washington, it seems to represent a desperate desire by the Americans and President Trump to claim some kind of victory for the ill-considered and catastrophic war they were persuaded into by the Israelis. At another level it is a disaster in which death, destruction and human misery is foisted on the peoples of Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. The killing is wanton. The pretence that the bombing and killing is directed at terrorists and because innocent people are human shields seems no longer to be the story in town.

In addition to the visible destruction there is the treatment of Palestinians in prisons around Israel which the latest UN report discusses. In exposing this practice, Francesca Albanese has been atrociously treated by the Americans as we discussed in our previous post.

Any Questions? and Danny Kruger

It is disappointing to listen to some of our politicians speaking in support of this continuing violence and carnage in the region as some kind of solution to the problems there. One such is the Reform politician Danny Kruger, the MP For East Wiltshire, a constituency touching on Salisbury. In a BBC radio programme called ‘Any Questions?’ where members of the audience put questions to a panel of – for the most part – politicians, he said in answer to a question on the Pope’s comments about Donald Trump:

“[It is] important that the Americans and Israelis win this war (audience demurs) and it is important the right side comes out on top. The Americans and Israelis were right to recognise that Iran poses and existential threat to its own region and to the safety of the world. One day we are going to have to take on the challenge of defeating the Iranian regime, the most evil regime in the world and I recognise why so many people are appalled at how President Trump conducts himself. […]

“But guys, you’ve got to be on the right side of this conflict. […] Fundamentally, the Iranians are the bad guys in this conflict and it’s really important that their power to develop nuclear weapons and their power to support terrorist organisations around the region – and in this country – [are] degraded. So I really, really hope that the outcome of this conflict is a weaker Iran [no audience applause].” (our italics)

Noticeable in this one-sided approach to the conflict is the absence of balance. No one would claim that the Iranian regime is other than a violent and unpleasant one, but the language of ‘winning’, ‘defeat’ and the desire to see a ‘weaker Iran’ is disappointing to say the least. Since it is Israel which has been engaged in bombing and assassinations, the absence of any mention of their activities – the killing of over 70,000 in Gaza for example, and the current process of demolitions in south Lebanon – is questionable. Is it only Iran posing an ‘existential threat to the region?’. Israel is the only nuclear power after all. One wonders if Mr Kruger has ever read the speeches of Ben Gvir or Bezalel Smotrich? It is especially disappointing to hear a politician like Mr Kruger – someone who regularly espouses his Christian faith and beliefs – to speak in terms of violence as a solution to the problems of the region.

Caterpillar Tractors

On the subject of demolitions, our attention has been drawn to a YouTube post on the activities of the American plant company Caterpillar which provides the armoured machines enabling the demolitions in south Lebanon and Gaza to be carried out. See ‘How Caterpillar profits from the genocide in Gaza and [US citizens] pay for it.‘

124th vigil

Yes, they continue with over 30 yesterday (18 April) with around 40 passing motorists sounding their horns.

No sign though of another local MP, Mr John Glen – nor any mention of them in his weekly column in the Salisbury Journal – who is a ‘proud’ member of Conservatives Friends of Israel the biggest lobby organisation in Parliament. Hundreds of his constituents turned out and have done so for 124 weeks, yet not a word. Along with some Labour ministers like Peter Kyle and David Lammy, they are part of a large contingent of around 150 MPs who promote the interests of Israel in parliament.

Photo courtesy of Peter Gloyns

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