And underneath the veneer of even-handedness there is, (in the case of Israel and the Middle East conflict), an undoubted bias in favour of the Arab block and the Islamists. Whether you would call it an in-built pro-Arabism, or a simmering anti-Semitism, is a matter of individual choice, but I suspect that the truth lies somewhere between the two.
The reality is that these days Britain and her economy is very closely pegged to the interests of the Arab world. A dependency on oil (supplied primarily by Arab nations), massive investment in British businesses by Gulf and other Arab states, and a large minority of Muslims within British society, (amongst whom a significant number resent the very values for which Britain stands), mean that British interests invariably lie within outwardly supporting the Arab block and at the same time playing to the local Muslim gallery in an attempt to ensure there will be no uprising or further growth of religious fanaticism on the part of a radicalised minority of Muslim youth.
I refer to this situation as I have spent the last two weeks in England and have been increasingly alarmed at the situation the country of my birth finds itself in nowadays. Matters certainly aren’t helped by the appalling economic crisis and general discontent and depression that seems to pervade every area of life over here these days. But despite all the internal problems, both economic and social, the Brits still find time to bash Israel, support the likes of Hamas, and be moderate in their reaction to the mass murder of their own people being committed by the regimes in Syria, Yemen, Iran, Libya and elsewhere in the Arab world.
And what is the significant pre-occupation of many media companies and trades unions in Britain at such a desperate time? Well in the case of the Co-op, (The Co-Operative Society) chain of supermarkets and stores, it is to introduce vote for a ban on Israeli produce being imported into Britain from the start of October! It is for a mass of NGO’s to support the proposed flotilla that intends to break the blockade on Gaza, a flotilla from which even the Turkish government (fervent supporters of the terrorist regime) have distanced themselves, and it is to continue demonstrations and campaigns against Israeli embassies and any other obviously Israeli institutions or events.
All this whilst thousands of Arabs are being murdered in their own homes, on the streets of their own towns, by their own governments, and (unless I have completely missed the news reports), amazingly there is not a sign of demonstrations or boycotts on the streets of London or other major European democracies, against businesses, products, or individuals associated with these despicable regimes. Even the UN hasn’t been able to bring itself to officially condemn the mass murders in Syria, almost certainly for fear of upsetting a significant number of Arab nations who adopt similar practices against their people on a regular basis whilst the eyes of the world are averted.
And yet, let Israel defend its borders against Arabs trying to burst through security fences after being egged on by fanatical regimes, possibly armed, possibly destined to commit any manner of wicked acts against Israelis, and immediately marches on the streets, picketing of embassies, boycotts of Israeli products seem to follow as a matter of course.
Even though Prime Minster Cameron has only recently warned against a massive rise in potential threats to the British public from home-grown Muslim terrorists, to the extent that he has now insisted on an active campaign to try and persuade Muslim schoolboys not to be impressed by literature inciting them to take up the struggle and declare ‘Holy War’ against their host nation, the Brits still seem more concerned in condemning Israel at every turn instead of being prepared to listen to the argument that Israel is active on the front line of the fight against terror which, if going unchecked, will one day soon end up on the streets of London, Glasgow Birmingham or Leeds.
I must confess to having found this visit thoroughly depressing, feeling a huge lack of understanding of Israel’s situation and a refusal in many quarters to even hear the arguments Israel offers in defence of itself. It seems that in an effort to appear fair, even-handed, non-partisan, in that very British way, the Brits are pandering and strengthening the resolve of those who ultimately would seek to bring them down – if they only but new it.
Even the BBC, only yesterday, during its coverage of the ongoing half-hearted UN attempt to dislodge Gaddafi in Libya, reported that for the first time a civilian target had definitely been hit and that, regrettably, there were a number of fatalities. Well, of course there are folks. It’s a war over there! The BBC has, (during the bulletins I have witnessed this past fortnight), been unable to state any figures showing the mass murder committed by Gadaffi’s supporters because they have been refused the right to freely report exactly what is going on. But in an effort to appear fair, (Britishly fair), they ended last night’s report by stating that the civilian deaths were “a massive blow to the credibility of the UN operation in Libya and will make many people wonder about the legitimacy of continuing the operation”.
Another instance of the Brits shooting themselves in the foot and undermining the morale of their own troops and public support of the campaign in Libya. Gadaffi must be laughing his hat off.
What on earth will it take for Britain and other European nations to sit up and realise the mess they are in, the danger to their own people ,and the need to, (if not support Israel), then at least be even-handed in their reporting, their political decisions and their management of local demonstrations against Israeli and Jewish institutions?