Fruitcake
A grudging hat-tip to James Barlow for this story, although I don’t see why we should when it’s obvious he’s just signed up to the same ‘They Work for You’ alert as we are.
Anyway, very strange outburst from Bristol West MP, Stephen Williams in the commons on Thursday when he introduced what he described as a petition:
[The Petition d]eclares that despite ongoing human rights violations and the UK government’s own export guidelines, the UK has consistently licensed exports to Israel for military equipment, thus providing material support for Israeli aggression, and sending a message of approval for its actions; further declares that the Israelis have declared Gaza a “hostile entity” within a “conflict short of war” and that the collective punishment of a civilian population is prohibited in international law.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to seek to end the siege on the Palestinians and to support Palestinian democracy by stopping arming Israel; reconsidering the UK’s policy of refusing to provide aid to the Palestinian Authority following Hamas’ election victory in January 2006 and pressing Israel to release all elected Palestinian parliamentarians, as well as other political prisoners; to censure the decision by the Israel cabinet to impose sanctions on supplies of electricity, fuel, and other basic goods and services to the civilian population of Gaza, to cease colluding with this act of State Terrorism against innocent people; and to work towards a just solution based on international law and an end to Israeli occupation.
Now Williams’ underlying demand that those useless Oxbridge tossers at the Foreign Office stop issuing export licenses to UK arms firms and start earning their money by engaging in some seriously robust diplomacy with Israel instead is not itself unreasonable.
But the language he’s using is utterly absurd and straight out of the weally wadical end of the Student Union. Do serious politicians really come out with frothing swivel-eyed nonsense about Israel engaging in “state terrorism” before condemning only the “Israeli aggression” in this two-sided conflict?
Where does he get this stuff from? Off the internet? All he needs are a few knowing references to ZIONISTS; an argument that Hamas are a peaceful social movement providing vital social services to desperate Palestinians; claim that blaming these innocent victims for attempting to kill Israeli civilians is nothing short of immoral and he could get a job on Comment is Free for life!
And as for complaining that Israel has declared Gaza “a hostile entity”, what are they supposed to call it? What would Williams prefer? A Bristol City Council-style press release describing the place as an up and coming Mediterranean family holiday destination?
Come to think of it that could make a good post on a quiet news day: Simon Caplan press releasing Peter Hammond’s response to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Can you imagine ..?
Bristol City Council has expressed a formal interest in submitting a bid for most improved Middle Eastern “Hostile Entity” status for the Gaza Strip.
The city council will be seeking funds in order to introduce a number of dedicated IDF equalities outreach workers into Gaza who will aim to engage with some of the ongoing community cohesion issues within the entity and introduce initiatives aimed at supporting the “conflict short of war”.
A further £250k will be set aside to support the creation of a new Legacy Commission to help deliver greater equality and social justice for people engaging in martyrdom operations and the city council’s ‘Islamists who make a difference’ Awards will also be improved, expanded and developed into an annual entity-wide celebration,
Cllr Peter Hammond said, “The hostile entity has provided an extraordinary outpouring of energy, passion and talent and was – ” (that’s enough city council PR. Ed.)
Er, sorry … Back to Williams … And the final idiocy of the MPs embarrassing rant? What he’s calling “the Petition of constituents of Bristol West” that he presented to Parliament is in fact no such thing. Williams has never publicly collected signatures for the petition and there’s no reference to it anywhere on his website either. What on earth is going on with the man?
Nurse! The screens …
I think you’ve misunderstood the way that parliamentary petitions work…
They’re not (generally) collected by the member who presents them, but by their constituents. So it doesn’t necessarily reflect Williams’ views on the subject.
In fact if you read his facebook page he clarifies it saying ‘They have petitioned Parliament and it is my duty to present their views. Of course my own view is that the firing of rockets by terrorists at Israeli civilians is wrong. But I agree with the petitioners that Israel’s response is disproporionate’.
So in fact the ‘reason the language he’s using is utterly absurd and straight out of the weally wadical end of the Student Union’ is because it probably is.
I think MetallicRed got it right. See: http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_publications_and_archives/publicpetitions.cfm (paragraph C)
Nothing wrong with the MP’s petition, as anyone who knows what’s going on in the Occupied Palestinian Territories will confirm. Williams’s views are in line with last week’s joint report from the coalition of charities operating in Gaza.
However, I warmly applaud your reference to “useless Oxbridge tossers at the Foreign Office”, especially a certain Dr Howells, former chairman of Labour Friends of Israel and currently our super-useless minister in charge of Middle East agffairs..
MPs can choose not to accept a petition and present it, this is not an act of madness but one of cowardness
yes the israelis have been heavy handed, but the continuing rocket attacks by hamas & the scenes of palistinian jubilation & celebrations after the slaying of the 7 israeli students will gain little respect or sympathy from anyone with an ounce of common decency.
the peace process is has been difficult enough over the years, but quite possibly has been damaged beyond repair after the recent events.
I received an email from Stephen’s Office; apparently there were about eighty signatures on the petition.
doesn’t matter how many sign the rules posted by anonymouse say that it is up to the MP to decide if they want to present it
… regardless of which the article is wrong. It wasn’t William’s petition.
The bit about the Bristol City Council press release made me chuckle though.
http://www.thewe.cc/contents/more/archive/atrocities.htm
It ain’t Tibet, but…..