UK May Withdraw Ambassador to Israel, France Seeks ‘Other ways’ to Protest E1 Plans
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Matthew Gould, Britain's first Jewish ambassador to Israel.
Photo Credit: Moshe Shai/Flash90
Britain is considering withdrawing its ambassador to Israel following the decision to revive settlement building plans, Sky News reported.
The British Government will be deciding today how to respond to Israel’s plan to pick up housing construction in the “controversial” E1 zone, off of East Jerusalem.
Sources have told Sky News that the Foreign Office is considering what action to take saying “all options are on the table”.
This could include withdrawing the British ambassador to Israel and the suspension of trade agreements.
Last Thursday, Netanyahu’s government approved a proposal to build 3,000 additional homes that would effectively cut off Arabs in Bethlehem and East Jerusalem from the PA controlled territory.
Britain’s apparent diplomatic threat comes the day after the settlement plans were condemned by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as an “almost fatal blow” to peace hopes.
Britain’s diplomatic action is likely to be coordinated with other European powers, most notably with France, which is laboring on a joint response.
Except that, according to Israel Today, the French government denied rumors about returning its ambassador from Israel, saying “there are other ways to show our disagreement.”
Sources have described “an appetite for action” within the Foreign Office, which could also mean of “revisiting” the EU’s trade agreements with Israel, or, in other words, reneging on them.
The UK could invoke human rights clauses in those agreement, to suspend the trade association agreements.
Matthew Gould was appointed as Britain’s first Jewish ambassador to Israel in September 2010.
On taking up the post he said: “We come out determined to help build the strongest possible partnership between Britain and Israel, and to help ensure that Britain and Europe do everything they can to help the people of Israel move forward on the difficult path towards peace and lasting security.”
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34 Responses to “UK May Withdraw Ambassador to Israel, France Seeks ‘Other ways’ to Protest E1 Plans”
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We already knew France and the UK were antisemitic, this is hardly a surprise.
It’s not up to them British considering actions in respond to Israel’s plans! How dare they?! Isn’t it enough they – and France, of course – voted pro-Fakestinian?!
But no action against "Palestinians". How predictable!
good riddance Israel will prosper with or without the goyim. I am sick of England being prejudiced agaisnt Israel fuck them.
British whores! All this chaos in the Middle east is because of your dirty games. Who cares for your opinion? Your plan is to reset the region to 1916 and watch jewish bloodshed. Listening to western 'opinions' has cost Israel to many unnecessary civilian deaths. Shame on you bloodthirsty Tudors!
Since the UK couldn't bring itself to vote against a Palestine State… why does Israel care? I am proud to list myself as a Canadian as well as American (dual). I can at least look at my governments with a respectful eye on this issue – something very few citizens of other Countries can do. Israel will ALWAYS exist, Jerusalem will ALWAYS belong to them. As a Christian, I believe it will be a re-visit, for Jews it will be a first visit – but the end result is the same…A triumphant day.
Amen, Sister! It's so refreshing to read the comments of people of conscience who fully support Israel. I am so tired of the flawed world view on Israel protecting itself.
jerusalem never belonged to them. what makes u proud to be american or canadian? to be a racist, just like the israelis are`?
what makes you proud?to be a backward racist? like the israelis?jewish is nothing but a religion, it does not make a state. point blank. or do christians belong to a specific place? palestine belongs to palestinians who lived for thousands of years down there. jerusalem belongs to all three religions. its not a jewish city. the biggest muslim things stands on top of the temple. so who cares? do u say that it is alright for those people to do war crimes, torture, crimes against humanity, killing of innocent children? every single day? get some information and education.
Go read the Bible, and if you don't like the bible go to history books, you need to do that before you open your mouth.
PM Netanyahu is right. Jerusalem (all of it) is Israel's eternal city. The nations don't like that much.
Israel must learn to make decisions that are good for Israel – not continue as a banana republic of the US or kow tow to Britain that has a long history of congenital enmity except for some rare exceptions. Deal from strength, develop your own defense industry including fighter aircraft and stop giving all those social services to the Palestinian Arabs. It has gained you nothing except more demands from your empowered enemy for whose meritless empowerment you can blame your awful leadership.
Thank you for these insights, Jerome. Although I do not revel in violence and the abuse or destruction of any people, whether in war or peacetime, it appears that Israel has done just as you recommend, i.e. make decisions that benefit Israelis. Hallelujah! They have every right to do so. This tit-for-tat game only exists in the eyes of the ignorant and petty world community, not in reality. IF the Arabs put down their weapons, there would be peace.
The Palestinian-Arabs who now live in Gaza and the "West Bank" should seek asylum and security which appeals to them in any of the surrounding Arab nation-states, and stop being abused as patsies for the covert agenda which we all know is the ultimate destruction and identity of eretz Israel and the city of Jerusalem for Arab unity and power toward world domination through global caliphate.
For those peaceful Arabs who enjoy legal citizenships and representation in Israel's Knesset and the Supreme Court, I would say to remain as you are, i.e. content with the peace and security of knowing you are not discriminated against on the basis of ethnic origins as those who claim a manufactured identity for ulterior motives. There is a distinct difference.
Robert Butler what a racist and ignorant way to exist. why should palestinians seek refuge or asylum in other countries? israel invaded their country against the law. they did not have the right to be there in the first play. they did not ask for entrance, they did not ask for peace – no instead they planned a genocide and massmurder. every single day: war crimes, murder, israel terror, crimes against humanity and the list is long. now israel is worried sick that they will be dragged before courts in europe very soon. cause they know they will loose big time.
Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Britain.
Mr. Gold As a Jew where do you stand?
he is a british citizen. feeling british inside out. he has jewish religion. where else should he stand. just because he has jewish religion, doesnt mean he is pro israel. just because someone is christian, does not make those guys catholic or part of the vatican. its just a religion and religion does not form a state.
It is not surprising to have placed a Jew in an awkward situation, and in my opinion they deliberately did this.Britain and especially its media has always been the 1st to go against Israel.Now they have Sharia Law what do you expect.
Israel should call the ambassadors of the governments of Britain, France, Spain, Sweden and Denmark and formally complain they have allowed the PA to violated the Oslo agreements and thus for Israel they no longer hold any value. More so, if any of these countries withdraw its Ambassador to Israel, Israel must condemn them for flagrant fundamental violation of agreements the couched for!
we live in a Twilight Zone – it's utterly surreal, what's happening.
The UK was never "Jew Friendly" and never will be. During the Mandate Period, the British troops stood idly by and watched the muslims in Hebron massacre the Jewish population in that city. Once an arabist, always an arabist.The White Paper of 1939 severely limited Jewish immigration into Palestine. The reason: The Brits did not want to "upset the arabs"..The result: Jews fleeing Europe were murdered by the Nazis. As a matter of fact, the first Inquisition took place in England during the 12th Century.
Why is the UK sinking at a great rate? The heroes of the past would be ashamed of today's Britain. But then – you reap what you sow. No condemnation of the attacks that have been going on for over a decade? Yet the UK has been suffering from Pedophilie rings, Islamic-Nazi groups, etc. and cry. Maybe Canada's Parker can substitute for the spineless leaders of the UK.
Why is the UK sinking at a great rate? The heroes of the past would be ashamed of today's Britain. But then – you reap what you sow. No condemnation of the attacks that have been going on for over a decade? Yet the UK has been suffering from Pedophilie rings, Islamic-Nazi groups, etc. and cry. Maybe Canada's Parker can substitute for the spineless leaders of the UK.
aye the british condemn the actions and attacks israelis did. just the latest one provoked by israel. like all those wars "israel" started. just like the invasion "israel" started. "israel" is a word that is combined with war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and terror. israeli "soldiers" kill children and women for no reason. and they do it on purpose. for the past 3-5 years 2000 children in palstine were killed on purpose by soldiers. if u talk about islamic-nazis, then ur israeli nazi – ur so brainwashed by ur government propaganda and full of racism fed into you by the propaganda schools, that you dont even want to see whats going on. the majority of the world is fed up with israel
apfelkuchen225 It's a waste of time to respond to your stupid comment!
Who cares, If you look at the UK and France, they can't even run their own countries and they're going to tell Israel what to do? Israel is right and I hope they build 100,000 more settlements.The UK is already overun with Islamists so let them take the Palistinians and France can take a 100,000 or so! There!, problem solved
Should William Hague decide to withdraw the UK ambassador from Israel, would he please remember to take the BBC reporter Jeremy Bowen with him, before turning off the light!
We in the USA support Israel. Churchill is turning in his grave.
no we dont support israel. the government supports israel. but not even obama himself wants those things anymore. the government is sick up to their teeth with israels idiocy. just because the usa did a big major mistake in the past, by pushing jews down to israel and by telling them its ok to invade other peoples country – y? to get rid of them. thats y til today they have to obey to israel or sit down and say they have done wrong in the past. truly the united states of america does not support israel. the majority of the US and the world is against israel and pro-palestine.
Before there was ever a state of Israel, Britain tried relentlessly to incite Arabs to massacre the Jews. Britain is a deeply anti-Semitic country. And France? Despite what the government might say or do, the French people are protesting the fact that France is overrun by foreign Muslims who take over one neighborhood at a time, imposing Sharia law in Parisian suburbs that the French police are afraid to enter! All of Europe is being intentionally destroyed by Islamofascist supremacists! Pretty soon, the UK, France and other Europeans will regret criticizing Israel, and will be begging Israel for help in dealing with their own Muslim terrorists.
Jerusalem has never been capital to any other people than the Jews. No reason to give any part of it away. Islam came to Palestine over 1600 years later than Jews and almost managed to destroy the Jewish culture there. Now the Jews are back and they should have equal rights in settling the stateless (mandated) territories that still exist in Palestine. Read the UN Charter article 80. It confirms also the Jewish people's rights in Palestine as they were specified in the 1922 Mandate.
Are we going to finish in Europe the Holocaust for Hitler. Are we going back in time? What will the Netherlands do if Belgium send hundreds of rockets. Smile and eat Cheese?