In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Israel - Lebanon - New UK foreign ministers response to a Muslims Questions (13/August/2006)

Sunan of Abu Dawud Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The best fighting (jihad) in the path of Allah is (to speak) a word of justice to an oppressive ruler.

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Rt. Hon. Margaret M. Beckett, M.P.

4 th August 2006

Dear [name withheld]

Thank you for your letter of 31 July regarding the conflict between Israel and Lebanon .

As I am sure you aware, both the Prime Minister and I have been heavily engaged continually trying to resolve the crisis from the start. [1] Our focus has been on constructing the conditions to secure an urgent and durable ceasefire. [2] A ceasefire that fails to address the underlying causes will only produce another crisis. [3]

We are pushing for full implementation of UNSCR 1559, enabling the Lebanese government to take full control of Lebanese territory. [4]

We have also worked hard to ease the suffering of civilian population caught up in the crisis. The Prime Minister and I have repeatedly stressed our concerns to the Israelis, and urged Israel to act proportionally, to conform to international law, and to avoid civilian death and suffering. [5]

You will be aware that a year or so ago a period of at least comparative calm existed in Israel and Palestine . [6] Israel withdrew its forces and settlers from Gaza ; levels of violence were significantly down; and the new President of Palestine [7] began to establish himself. In January the Palestinian people gave a mandate to the representatives of Hamas. [8] This led to pressure from all sides for Hamas to adopt the Quarter’s three principles: to renounce violence, to recognize Israel and to commit to the Roadmap. [9]

At the beginning of June, Prime Minister Olmert visited the UK . He made it clear that he would be prepared to work for a negotiated settlement with any genuine Palestinian partner for peace. [10] And on June 22 nd in Jordan , President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert met for the first time in over a year. These were tentative but important signs of progress. [11]

However, Palestinian extremists began again to step up rocket attacks on Israel and the Israelis to respond with artillery fire; tragically, a family of seven Palestinians were killed on a beach in Gaza . [12]

And it was in this situation of substantially heightened tensions that Palestinian militants tunneled into Israel , killed two soldiers and abducted a third. Is is hard to avoid the conclusion that this was a deliberate attempt to destroy those first small signs of a move towards dialogue. [13]

We should recall how the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah began. On 12 July, Hizbollah chose to cross into Israel , [14] to kill eight Israeli soldiers and to kidnap two more. [15] It is impossible to see this action as anything other than a calculated attempt by extremist forces to further destabilize the region, without the slightest regard for the potential impact of their actions on the people of Lebanon . [16]

On 16 July the Prime Minister and other G8 leaders in St Petersburg set out the conditions for an urgent cessation of violence. They also called on Israel to exercise the utmost restraint, seek to avoid casualties among innocent civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure and to refrain from acts that would destabilize the Lebanese government. [17]

It was at the St Petersburg meeting that the Prime Minister and Kofi Annan first advanced the idea of an international force to help bring stability to the border area between Lebanon and Israel . Since then the Prime Minister and I have worked closely with Israel , Lebanon , the US and France to put this idea into practice. [18]

From the very beginning the UK has actively supported the efforts of the UN and the EU High Representative Javier Solana to bring an end to this conflict. UK helicopters flew Javier Solana and UN Secretary’s Special Envoy Vijay Nambiar to Beirut and provided them with logistical support on the ground.

We supported the UN’s call for humanitarian corridors and safe and unrestricted access. [This is another failure that has not been achieved yet] The UK has agreed to provide a total of £6.2 million to meet priority relief needs in Lebanon including 3.2 million the UN and EU. UK teams of humanitarian and recovery and reconstruction advisors are now in the Embassy of Beirut to assess the situation.

From the very beginning our immediate priority was to secure the safe evacuation of British citizens trapped in Lebanon . Between 17 and 23 July the UK safely evacuated over 4,600 people from Lebanon . We have also brought some 2,253 people from Cyprus to the UK , mainly on specially chartered flights. We deployed 114 additional staff to Cyprus and Beirut to assist with the evacuations. The FCO emergency response team handled approximately 600 calls a day for the first 5 days of the crisis. [19]

I personally attended the GAERC on 17 July at which EU ministers called for the release of the abducted soldiers and for an immediate cessation of hostilities. [20]

Dr Howells visited the region from 21 – 24 July. He met the Lebanese Prime Minister, the Palestinian President and the Israeli Foreign Minister. [21] Dr Howells discussed solutions to the current crisis and expressed support for the Lebanese and Israeli governments and the Palestinian President Abbas.

I also attended the International Conference on Lebanon in Rome on 26 July. Contrary to media reports all ministers in attendance were united in calling for an immediate cease-fire that must be lasting, permanent and building on UK thinking, agreed that an International Force in Lebanon should be urgently be authorized under a UN mandate to support the Lebanese Armed Forces in providing a secure environment. (Reports that the US and UK alone opposed calling for an immediate cease-fire were untrue. Most participants wished to highlight the unity of the international community [22] and the shared desire for peace and all were aware, though it was not publicized, the hope and intention was to secure a cease-fire in less than a week.

Diplomatic activity shifted into a new gear [reverse gear] following the Prime Minister’s meeting and press conference with President Bush on 28 July, at which they announced a plan covering: Dr Rice’s return to the region; the holding of a meeting at the UN to discuss the proposed international stabilization force; and early tabling of, and agreement on, a Security Council resolution to allow the cessation of hostilities.

The tragic and terrible Israeli attack on Qana on 30 July, leaving over 50 dead [23] has given further impetus to the international effort to bring about an urgent, sustainable ceasefire. Further stepping up the diplomatic activity, I personally spoke over the weekend to nine foreign ministers, and the Prime Minister spoke to all key world leadesr including Prime Minister Siniora.

At the GEARC on 1 August, I and other EU Ministers agreed to call for a cessation of hostilities leading to a permanent cease-fire. [24] It was also agreed that the EU were united in their determination to bring the violence to an end as soon as possible and as in Rome a number of major countires as well as the EU’s High Representative made it clear that the wording was in their view preferable to a simple call for an immediate cease-fire [25] You may know that it was I, speaking late in the discussion, who accepted the compromise proposed by the Finnish Presidency.

Our immediate diplomatic goal is to see the Security Council pass a resolution which secures an end to hostilities, sets out the political framework for a durable settlement, [I hope you mean a peace and end to violence and not new Israeli settlements on other people’s lands as witnessed in Gaza and the West Bank] and endorses the concept of an international stabilization force. We are working closely with the US and France on a draft UNSCR which we are keen to see adopted by the end of this week. [26]

It should be clearly understood that those likely to contribute troops to an international force are understandably focused on taking the time they believe to be required to iron out the detail of that forces’ mandate, composition and likely operation. [27] We are working hard to try and make sure that these concerns do not impede achievement of a speedy cease-fire [28]

We are also working had to ensure the safe and unhindered humanitarian access. [29]

I hope this is helpful. Thank you again for writing to me about this very important issue. [30]

Yours sincerely

PP Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP

[1] The response has been to allow Israel to continue to bomb Lebanon and to arm it with more weapons by proxy]

[2] To remove Hizb’ullah from the face of the planet if possible and to allow Israel to have time to procure this outcome]

[3] To disarm Hizb’ullah and stop weapons flowing into Lebanon though Syria and Iran ]

[4] From Syria and from Syrian backed militia like Hizb’ullah]

[5] The Israelis in turn have ignored these requests and have targeted and attacked the UN, civilian populated areas and refugee camps with impunity, see Qana and Qusayr]

[6] I am unaware of this comparative calm, just because the media stopped reporting on the struggles, deaths, demolitions that occurred in the West bank and Gaza does not mean the desperate situation the Palestinians face everyday went away]

[7] How can anyone be a President of a Nation that has no sovereignty or self determination?]

[8] In a democratic election the Palestinian People voted for Hamas to become their representatives, ironically President G W Bush originally had to have the Supreme Court make him President of the US ]

[9] If the Palestinian People have had no result in adopting the Roadmap and recognizing Israel and at every juncture more Palestinians are killed, raided, have their homes destroyed or kidnapped then why is it incumbent on them to recognize their oppressors and transgressors? It makes no sense and the Palestinian people recognized that the Roadmap was a path that meant nothing to them. Arafat tried to comply to this but was instead held in his own home on arrest and then bombed and finally died when Israel acted too slowly to allow him medical attention. This Roadmap is not for the Palestinian People and does not benefit them as it has never brought them closer to sovereignty, security and peace or even the right to live]

[10] There has never been a Roadmap for peace; all promises made have been empty and broken within days, weeks or months on both sides. How many more years of a Roadmap is needed before people of the international community realize there is no peace in Israel and Palestine and the region needs to be looked at from a fresh approach. Disarming Israel is an option that should be seriously considered as it acts in a terrifying way that harms the chances of any peace possible]

[11] The Palestinian People have been here as have the Israelis time and time again and there has been no achievement. Innocents are still killed, lives are still lost, extremists are still being created and incubated by what they see on both sides, and there is no progress from what many see]

[12] Since you speak only of the Palestinian extremists, I speak of the Israeli extremists. These are the young men and women of the Israeli army who snipe at journalists, who bomb in aircraft and helicopters, and who target civilians leaving one child of a family alive whilst they play on the beach in Gaza. These are the Israeli extremists you fail to mention as extremists, who terrorise the population of Palestine time and time again and do so with the blessings of the US and the UK government. This lopsided view is counterbalanced by the few who dare to speak out against these atrocities and if we start playing the blame game and start saying who started it then we will get nowhere. The one in power is the one that should act mercifully and the one in power is Israel yet it acts as a transgressor against humanity]

[13] The failure to mention the earlier abduction of a Doctor and his brother from Gaza has been noted. If you look at the fact that it is not even questioned when Israel ’s forces enter Gaza and raid people’s homes and abduct them then you know the extreme bias that is shown towards Israel and its actions whether they are just or unjust. As Naom Chomsky pointed out "we don’t know the names of the victims that were abducted, you never do." And as I point out, everyone knows the name of the captured Israeli soldier in Gaza ]

[14] As Israel chooses to cross into the West Bank and Gaza when it desires to do so]

[15] It is accepted wisdom that you “capture” soldiers and “kidnap” civilians]

[16] Hizb’ullah claim this was done to initiate a prisoner exchange as it was claimed by the Palestinian militants too when they captured Corporal Gilad Shilat. I don’t agree with the way Hizb’ullah acted initially, but this may have been an attempt to open up two fronts and in compassion for the people of Palestine who were being met with a strong response from Israeli forces which involved bombing, killing civilians, tanks and the destruction of more homes in Gaza . The talks between Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas were not going to go anywhere in the long term. In the end both Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas will be long gone but this conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people looks to have no end as long as Israel is not criticized for its actions when the criticism is warranted, and what use is criticism if there is no threat of punishment for a state that practices terror on others and when it is met with a similar response by those it oppresses it is claimed to be victim. The litmus test is not whether you see Israel as the victim but whether you see those that are affected by world policies in the region as the real victims both in the Israeli and Palestinian sides]

[17] Now that it is abundantly clear that Israel will not desist in targeting civilian infrastructure, is not allowing aid and had threatened to fire even on aid agencies and the UN, Israel has been killing civilians and is not acting in accordance with International Law for years, the response of Britain has been “muted” and “complicit” - two euphemisms that would be apt]

[18] This idea is still not seeing any light of day as six days have passed and current conditions are such that Israeli combat units are told to shoot anything and anyone that moves. Some soldiers are refusing to obey orders in the IDF as they believe they are being told to target civilians]

[19] Well done for the British looking after its citizens but your responsibility also falls on policing the conflicts your policies have directly affected and created including your deluded belief you could allow Israel time to destroy Hizb’ullah. The only outcome has been a stronger support base for Hizb’ullah, a destroyed nation that was recovering from war and a history of violence repeating itself]

[20] This does not mean if the soldiers are returned the conflict ends as the UK and US want Israel to destroy Hizb’ullah as well which is a goal that Israel is doing an incredibly bad job of achieving – instead they are destroying Lebanon as the Prime Minister of Lebanon will tell you with teary eyes]

[21] But not the elected party]

[22] Which did not include the Arab nations incidentally] [Still no cease-fire and no strong words to stop the Israeli Defence Force from destroying Lebanese people and property, small wonder the Arab nations were not present. You are also five weeks too late with your, next week I promise response. In fact your assuredness that a cease fire will be implemented in the time scale you see fit ilustrates that the UK had an oppurtunity and a duty to enact a cease fire much earlier that was achievable]

[23] 34 children and over 30 adults who were seeking refuge under a building they thought was safe. Were their lives worth less than those that died on July 7th?]

[24] Politicians always arguing about semantics and never acting in a timely fashion. The cease-fire call should have been immediate and unconditional on both sides and then negotiations should have started]

[25] Please tell this to the 34 dead children at Qana that your wording was so important that their lives could wait whilst you argued it out]

[26] A UNSCR drafted without input from the Arab leaders, and giving Israel more than it asked for, a whitewash again that does not serve the purposes of peace but will create longer delays to a cease-fire whilst more massacres are committed on the Lebanese people by the Israeli Forces as it tries to kill Hizb’ullah by targeting civilians and children]

[27] This is a green card for Israel to continue its offensives against Lebanon until an International Army is in place. This International Army will then never materialise and unofficially Israel will annex more land that doesn't belong to it]

[28] Five weeks is not speedy by any stretch of the imagination – if the Arab world developed a backbone this conflict would be over a lot sooner and by that I mean they stood fast and behind Lebanon with words and actions rather than political dancing]

[29] This has not been achieved as is evidenced by those watching the events unfold on TV]

[30] Thank you for your response Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs – your reply was complete with regards to the Israeli-Lebanese conflict but did not address my other concerns particularly in reference to allowing the use of Prestwick airport as a refueling station for the US’ weapons of mass destruction being shipped to Israel during this conflict when others refused to do so.

“…But my Arab friends and High Wycombe 's Pakistanis have longer memories. Their attention span lasts longer than a single atrocity. They understand that those numbers – 151 killed in Gaza , and in a single incident 33 blown up in a market in Najaf , Iraq , and at least 28 crushed by rubble from an Israeli attack on Qana in Lebanon – are people, flesh and blood just like them. They can make out, in all the pain and death currently being inflicted on Arabs and Muslims, the echoes of events stretching back years and decades. They see patterns, they make connections, and maybe discern a plan. Unlike us, they do not sigh, they burn with fury.

This is something President Bush and his obedient serf in Britain , Tony Blair, need to learn. But of course, they do not want to understand because they, and their predecessors, are responsible for creating those patterns and for writing that epic tale in blood. Bush and Blair and their advisers know that the plan is far more important than the rage, the "red" alert levels at airports, or even planes crashing into buildings and plunging out of the sky.” - Jonathan Cook

I also told you that you were creating a perfect breeding ground for more extremists within the Muslim community particularly because you did not condemn Israel ’s assault on Lebanon which is blindingly obviously targeting Lebanon and not Hizb’ullah and you are helping Israel ’s defence forces directly. It makes no sense why you would put your own citizens at risk for the sake of one country that is not representative of a democracy and is racist against Arabs. Please remember that half of the Lebanese people are Christians so why would you support the mass killing of these people over three soldiers. For these three soldiers many more Israeli soldiers and civilians have died – why are their lives worth less than those that were captured and why is the life of an Arab worth even less? Why is Prime Minister Olmert allowed to rally all Jews from around the world but a Muslim has to be careful in case he says something that arouses your suspicions and why is Prime Minister Olmert and his government and those that are overwhelming supporting him not being accused of terrorism? All events have causes and you have laid them out very well from your perspective – perhaps you knew that I was an International Law A’ Level student or that I have already had a conversation with the previous Foreign Minister Jack Straw that you replied to me in such detail with great attention paid to my initial e-mail. For this I do thank you and would like to continue this dialogue and in return I will ask your permission to publish this letter and reply online and to give it to our leaders in the Muslim community.

My wife is worried I am causing an offence and attracting attention to myself and I will be arrested under your new laws, such is the paranoia in my society. We really are under attack from our own British government and the media in general not only because I am a Muslim, but Pakistani even though I was born in England and when I visit Pakistan I am treated as an outsider just like I am treated like an outsider here in my homeland. I already stated in my e-mail to you that we are heading towards a future where concentration camps are springing up but it’s not the Jews who are the victims this time, but a people of a slightly different religion. It would not entirely surprise me if there is a new holocaust in Western Europe and the US in the near future – it seems genocide and mass murder is an old habit of the modern world that is hard to shake off. Yet as I worry here in my comfortable abode I see the West Bank as a land that is a concentration camp, Gaza a place that has no peace and now Lebanon just to name a few places where no citizen is safe from US-made Israeli bombs, tanks and terror:

“When we have settled the land, all the Arabs will be able to do about it will be to scurry around like drugged cockroaches in a bottle. --Rafael Eitan

One million Arab lives are not worth a Jewish fingernail. --Rabbi Yaacov Perin

I said, and I repeat, no one will be exempt. --Ehud Olmert

In 1994, a crazed American-born doctor named Baruch Goldstein walked into a mosque and machine-gunned twenty-nine Palestinians to death, wounding 125 others. He was beaten to death by some of the survivors. His tombstone reads:

Here lies the saint, Dr. Baruch Kappel Goldstein, blessed be the memory of the righteous and holy man, may the Lord avenge his blood, who devoted his soul to the Jews, Jewish religion and Jewish land. His hands are innocent and his heart is pure. He was killed as a martyr of God on the 14th of Adar, Purim, in the year 5754 (1994).” – Gaza : The Final Solution]