Blair Vs.
Peace
Appeasing/Assisting Israel's War On Lebanon And Gaza
JNV Anti-War Briefing 94
(30 July 2006)
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SUMMARY:
The US and UK are aiding Israel's wars in Lebanon and Gaza diplomatically
and militarily. Hezbollah is ready for a ceasefire; Israel is
not.
THE BUSH/BLAIR 'PEACE PLAN' OR
'DELAY PLAN'
29 July: 'Tony Blair and George Bush last night defied the growing
anger across the world by seeking a UN resolution that fell far
short of a ceasefire to end the killing of Lebanese civilians.'
(Independent, p. 1) 'The two leaders refused to denounce Israel's
offensive.' (Times, p. 1)
'The draft peace deal involves two phases.
In the first, Israel and Lebanon would agree a ceasefire and a
small multinational force would be deployed on the border, allowing
Israeli troops to withdraw. Then a much larger force of between
10,000 and 20,000 troops would be assigned to implement UN security
council resolution 1559... under which militias such as Hizbullah
would be disarmed and the authority of the Lebanese government
forces extended to the country's southern border.' (Guardian,
29 July, p. 1)
'Mr Blair's spokesman was dismissive of
calls for a ceasefire without an agreement on a new force as “just
so much wind”... A French suggestion that the security zone
straddled the border with Israel was rejected... It was clear,
however, that many questions about the composition, size, extensive
mandate and timing of deployment are unresolved.' (Independent,
29 July, p. 4)
AIDING ISRAEL'S
WAR MACHINE
While these 'unresolved questions' are discussed, the onslaught
on Lebanon, and on Gaza, is to continue unhindered - and in fact
militarily aided by the US and UK. 'The [British] Government will
allow more American aircraft carrying arms to Israel to stop over
in Britain... Both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Downing
Street suggested that two more requests by America to send planes
carrying missiles as well as components over the next fortnight
will go through.' (Times, 28 July, p. 8)
According to the Arms Trade Resource Center
in New York, 'Israel has received more
than $9.4 billion worth of military aid and equipment since
President George Bush was elected in 2001. But despite its huge
arsenal, Israel has urgently requested
fresh supplies, in particular powerful bunker-busting
bombs, as it strives to kill Hizbollah leaders sheltering
underground.' 'The Israeli military is also looking for resupply
of Hellfire anti-tank missiles that have been used against vehicles
moving in south Lebanon, arms industry sources said.' (Telegraph,
28 July, p. 17) We know about those 'vehicles'.
Furthermore, 'British
arms companies are supplying key parts for Israel's Apache
combat helicopters, F-15 and F-16 fighter jets deployed in southern
Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank despite government guidelines
banning the sale of weapons likely to be used “aggressively
against another country” or fuel regional tensions.' (Guardian,
29 July)
WHY BRITAIN?
So Britain is a conduit for US arms, via Prestwick airport in
Scotland. 'Sources at Prestwick told The Times... that the number
of freighter aircraft such as 747s and civil Hercules C130s landing
there had become “absolutely unreal”.' One aviation
official said: “We get two or three a day.” ' (Times,
28 July, p. 9)
'The US also has the option of using its
leased bases in Britain at Fairford, Gloucs and Lakenheath, Suffolk,
and others if the pressure on Prestwick becomes too intense.'
(Telegraph, 28 July, p. 17)
Why are arms coming through the UK? Because,
'Ireland turned down a United
States request for planes carrying 600lb so-called bunker
busters to refuel at Shannon airport in Co Clare.' Prestwick
is now negotiating to take planes carrying hundreds of US military
personnel on their way to Iraq. Shannon is currently the stopover
airport, but this is being reviewed, 'following protests in Ireland
which have resulted in some of the planes being vandalised.' (Scotland
on Sunday, 30 July)
This refers to the 'Pitstop
Ploughshares' action against US warplanes, which resulted
in an acquittal on 25 July 2006, almost exactly ten years after
the 'Seeds
of Hope Ploughshares' action led to an acquittal on 30 July
1996, after the disarmament of a Hawk fighter jet destined for
Indonesia. (See also Angie
Zelter's account.)
WORSE THAN
APPEASEMENT
Tony Blair says that the war should only stop after the postwar
peacekeeping has been agreed. Labour MP Alan Simpson says: 'It
is like a plan to offer counselling after a hanging - the corpse
is not too interested in what they have to offer.' (Times, 29
July, p. 2) Robert Fisk describes this as 'allowing
Israel to destroy Lebanon and call it peace'. (Independent,
29 July, p. 39)
Blair actually helps supply the weapons
that Israel is using to attack Lebanon. This isn't just appeasing
Israel, it is assisting Israeli terrorism.
THE GREEN
LIGHT
'Mr Bush and Mr Blair have been resisting calls for an immediate
ceasefire in every international forum for the past fortnight.
This has been seen by their critics in Europe and the Middle East
as an implicit green light
to Israel to carry on its military offensive against Hizbullah.'
(Guardian, 29 July, p. 4)
Correction 1: the military offensive (and
land-sea-air blockade) is against the
whole of Lebanon, not just Hezbollah. Correction 2: it
is not just the 'critics'
who see a 'green light'. 'The
Israelis interpreted that [US/UK refusal to call for an
immediate ceasefire] as a green light to continue their offensive
in southern Lebanon' - and in Gaza. (Telegraph, 29 July, p. 1)
After the international conference on the
Lebanon/Gaza crisis held in Rome failed to call for an immediate
ceasefire, 'Haim Ramon, the Israeli justice minister, said the
conference gave “permission from the world... to continue
the operation, this war, until Hizbollah won't be located in Lebanon
and is disarmed”.' (Telegraph, 28 July, p. 16) Actually,
'Delegates [at the Rome Conference] said that virtually all countries
had sought a quick end to hostilities but were forced to agree
to a milder statement by the US.' (FT, 28 July, p. 5)
IS HEZBOLLAH
THE PROBLEM?
Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, aims 'to tempt Israel
with a pledge to install the Lebanese army, backed by an international
force, in southern Lebanon to stop Hizbullah rocket attacks, and
to tempt Hizbullah with the return of the disputed Sheba'a Farms
area [occupied by Israel]. Hizbullah will not have to disarm immediately.'
(Guardian, 29 July, p. 4)
But the US, Israel and the UK are all determined
that Hezbollah should be disarmed - and destroyed. In their view,
Hezbollah is the 'root cause' of the current conflict, and should
be the focus of international efforts.
The rest of the world is focused on Israeli
violence against Lebanon and Gaza. True, Hezbollah initiated the
northern conflict on 12 July, by firing Katyusha rockets and kidnapping
two Israeli soldiers. But it was Israel that then escalated the
conflict by immediately bombing not just Hezbollah rocket positions
in southern Lebanon, but civilian
infrastructure throughout the country. Israel also imposed
a land/sea/air blockade on the
whole of Lebanon that has caused a humanitarian crisis.
61 per cent of Britons rightly believe Israel 'has overreacted
to the threats it faces'. (Guardian,
25 July)
Israel is also responsible for the overwhelming
bulk of the violence. 403 Lebanese
civilians are confirmed dead as the result of Israeli attacks
(more are still buried in collapsed buildings), while
in Israel only 19 civilians have been killed by Hezbollah
rockets. (AP, 29 July)
WHO IS BLOCKING
THE CEASEFIRE?
Most importantly of all, however, it is Israel that is standing
in the way of a ceasefire. The Israeli position (as of 29 July)
is that 'All those now in south
Lebanon are terrorists who are related in some way to Hizbollah'
(Israeli Justice Minister, Haim Ramon). The Telegraph: 'the area
would now become effectively a free-fire zone and that anyone
found in it would be regarded as a target.' (28 July, p. 16) 'The
mass-circulation Yedioth Aharonoth headlined a quote from an unnamed
military commander: “Every
village from which a Katyusha is fired must be destroyed.”
' (FT, 28 July, p. 5) Israel is not stopping.
In contrast, 'The [Lebanese] cabinet, in
which Hizbollah is represented, voted late on Thursday to back
proposals calling for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire,
followed by an exchange of prisoners and a withdrawal of Israeli
soldiers from Lebanon. Israeli troops would then be replaced by
UN forces in the Shebaa Farms region... The government plan reasserts
its intention to extend its authority to the south of the country,
now controlled by Hizbollah, by sending the army to the area and
stipulates that no group will be allowed to bear arms.' (Financial
Times, 29 July, p. 6)
[Addition to pdf
version: This Lebanese plan fulfills the terms of UN Resolution
1559, which is the stated objective of the Bush-Blair 'peace plan',
though without the introduction of international forces. It was
agreed, quite clearly, in order to be placed before Bush and Blair
(and the world) before their meeting on 28 July. It was totally
ignored by Bush and Blair, and almost completely ignored by the
British media.]
'Hizbullah wants an immediate ceasefire
and is ready to swap the two abducted Israeli soldiers “in
six hours” after it comes into force, according to officials
from Amal, a Shia party... a ceasefire has been part of Hizbullah's
position virtually from the start of Israel's air attacks and
before Israeli ground troops crossed the border in strength.'
(Guardian, 28 July, p. 4)
The Lebanese Government plan is being ignored.
The Hezbollah offer is being ignored. Peace is being rejected
by Israel, the US - and Tony Blair.
JNV
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