Downing Street Says » Israel/Gaza

Asked if the Prime Minister believed that the continued action was proportionate and justified, the PMS said that, as the Prime Minister said yesterday to Andrew Marr, the key focus was on what we could do in order to help the situation in Gaza rather than getting into a blame game. The Prime Minister was focusing on 3-fold practical measures that could help; firstly, we needed an immediate ceasefire and that included the stopping of rockets into Israel. Secondly, we needed a resolution over the problem of arms trafficking into Gaza, and particularly the situation regarding tunnels. Thirdly, we needed the borders open, which required some form of international cooperation and international solution.

Asked if a ceasefire was imminent, the PMS said that it was something we continued to press for. The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minster Olmert over the weekend and we stayed in close touch with our key allies in Europe, America and the region.

Asked if the Prime Minister had any plans to talk to Prime Minister Olmert or President Abbas today, the PMS said that the Prime Minister was in regular contact with both Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas.

Asked if the Prime Minister felt frustrated that Israel was ignoring international calls for a ceasefire, the PMS said that the Prime Minister was no going to get into a situation where he commented on those sorts of questions. The Prime Minister s focus was on what we could do to make a difference, and as well as the immediate ceasefire and stoppage of rockets into Israel, we needed to work with our international partners in the region and elsewhere to deal with the other issues such as arms trafficking into Gaza and the issue of maintaining the borders into Gaza.

Asked if the Prime Minister had spoken to Tony Blair over the last few days, the PMS said that the Prime Minister had said during his Andrew Marr interview yesterday that he had spoken to Tony Blair yesterday morning.

2 Comments »

First off, the too easy use of “the blame game” should be banished from public discourse. All too often it is merely an excuse for moral and political evasion.

Second, over the years I haven’t noticed any reluctance to indulge in straight-talking comment when it comes to actions by Palestinians that deserve condemnation. It would, I believe, benefit Israelis in the long term were their actions also publicly addressed in a forthright fashion.

Third, surely it’s the case that it isn’t just necessary “to deal with the other issues such as arms trafficking into Gaza and the issue of maintaining the borders into Gaza.” Surely it’s also necessary to ensure that the people of Gaza enjoy open, free communication with the rest of the world and the rest of Palestine and to ensure that Palestine is allowed to proceed towards full statehood within the borders that have long been recognised as legitimate by most of the rest of the world. (And here’s where it would certainly be necessary to engage in some straight talking about Israel’s de facto policies. I’d hope, in this regard, that more attention would be paid to what many Jewish peace groups and many Jews in Israel and elsewhere have long been urging.)

Fourth, does anyone pay any attention any more to Tony Blair?
Comment by RobinM — 10 Jan 2009 on 7:15 pm | Link
The Voice of Noninterventionist Reason, the worlds last hope.

http://uk.youtube.com/results?search_query=ron+paul+gaza&search_type=&aq=f
Comment by Adrian Peirson — 13 Jan 2009 on 1:49 am | Link

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» Monday, January 5, 2009

Israel/Gaza

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