Lord Mandelson’s recent reflection on Blair’s refusal to condemn Israel during its war against Hizbollah makes poignant reading this week:
“[Tony] really needed friends and it would have been easier for him to play to the gallery - but he chose not to. It speaks volumes for Tony Blair. He was not at that time prepared to make concessions to Israel's enemies. He was not prepared to let Hizbollah off the hook by simply joining the criticism of Israel."
David Cameron could do worse than take heed of this remark following his speech in Turkey. Playing to the gallery of the liberal media (or is it the Liberal Democrats?) is too dangerous when it simultaneously plays into the hands of the lawless, Islamist terrorists who run Gaza.
As it happens, Gaza isn’t a “prison camp”. Tom Gross has comprehensively documented why here and it is so rich in impeccably-sourced research that I cannot add to it, save for urging you to read the whole thing.
However, to the extent that there are hardships and restrictions in Gaza, to choose to blame Israel for them (and to blame Israel alone) has the effect of squarely letting Hamas, the organisation committed by its Charter to the genocide of all Jews and international Jihad, off the hook.
You don't need me to tell you what a despicable regime Hamas run.
But let’s be clear about another thing: when Israel withdrew from Gaza, the people of Gaza could have set about building a peaceful and prosperous land, no doubt facilitated by the extraordinary international aid and goodwill that the Palestinian people enjoy. They didn’t: they voted in terrorists, their chosen regime was Islamist and lawless and Gaza swiftly became Iran’s rocket-launching pad.
So who bears the blame for a blockade? When a criminal is incarcerated to protect the innocent, doesn’t one blame the criminal rather than the jailor? Any adversity suffered by Gazans is, bluntly, the price they are paying for the elections they have made and the avowed aggressive intent of their leaders.
To put it another way: if Wales voted in Hamas and started firing rockets at England, do you suppose we would think it was England’s fault that the people of Wales no longer enjoyed a liberal border policy?
