Articles
Tories are forgetting that Israel is a big asset to UK
17 June 2010
The hysterical reaction to the flotilla affair, from media outlets, NGOs and governments, reflected a deeply entrenched global narrative of Israeli malevolence and mischief making.
Israel was automatically cast as the villain, a pariah nation whose blockade of Gaza was merely another reminder of Zionist infamy. Rather worryingly, both our Prime Minister and his Foreign Secretary added to the chorus of indignation.
David Cameron described Israel’s interception of the Mavi Marmara as “completely unacceptable” and said he “deplored the loss of life.”
William Hague went further and called on Israel to “allow unfettered access for aid to Gaza,” ignoring the fact that this would lead to an immediate upsurge in Palestinian attacks. Neither Cameron nor Hague questioned why the Turkish terror mission (sorry, humanitarian flotilla) set sail in the first place.
As self proclaimed friends of the Jewish state, both men should remember a crucial truth. Far from being a liability, Israel remains a fundamental strategic asset to the UK.
For one thing, no other Middle Eastern country better reflects Britain’s political culture and liberal values. Israel is a vibrant democracy which respects the most hallowed freedoms of thought, expression and association. Its citizens are free to practise their religious faith and none face arrest for their sexual lifestyle.
They enjoy a free press which holds the government to account while the Israeli Supreme Court, the ultimate arbiter of justice, is regarded as a model of international jurisprudence.
Israel’s political character is important for more than sentimental reasons. Unlike autocratic states, democracies rarely succumb to bouts of revolutionary upheaval. This ensures that their foreign alliances have greater strength and stability, regardless of which government is in power.
By contrast, pro Western, undemocratic regimes are often seen as illegitimate by their peoples, helping to fan the flames of radical protest. Violent revolution often results, as was the case in Iran in 1979.
Above all, Israel is on the front line against radical Islam and this provides the basis for her current strategic alliance with Britain, and the West.
The greatest existential threat to the Jewish state today comes from Iran and its terrorist proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas.
Tehran has long supplied Hezbollah with extensive funding and weaponry, turning the Shi’ite terror organisation into an Iranian proxy, while Hamas commanders have been trained by the Revolutionary Guards. Iranian influence has destabilised Gaza and Lebanon, causing violent conflicts in both regions.
Yet Israel’s enemy in chief has also been a mortal threat to the British army. Iran has helped to sustain the violent insurgency in Iraq, supporting Shia militias such as the Mahdi army and the Badr Corps.
Tehran has also funded and trained the Taliban, supplying them with deadly grenades, landmines and short range rockets. This lethal cocktail of weaponry has led to dozens of British deaths.
Some argue that these common threats matter less than the need for secure oil supplies. Israel lacks this vital commodity while the Arabs have it in droves, making a pro Arab, anti Israeli policy appear necessary for Britain.
But the main impediment to this oil supply would come from a nuclear Iran which bullied its neighbours. The country could pressure Gulf states to lower oil production or even block the Straits of Hormuz. Thus a powerful Israel which defies Iran could help secure, rather than hinder, this country’s most vital economic interests.
The tireless work of Israel’s security services has also been indispensable to the UK. In recent years, Mossad has gathered mounting evidence of the threat from Muslim extremism in Britain. Its constant stream of intelligence about radical jihadists has been invaluable to MI5 and MI6.
Colonel Richard Kemp, the former British Commander in Afghanistan, has also revealed that he obtained advice from an IDF Brigadier-General on how to tackle the threat of Afghan suicide bombers. The information he received now forms the basis of the British army’s doctrine for dealing with this type of terrorism.
While other Arab countries also share intelligence with Britain, this is often subject to their leaders’ whims. Saudi Arabia recently threatened to terminate intelligence sharing with London unless the Serious Fraud Office cancelled its probe into the Al-Yamamah affair.
Cameron and Hague should think twice then before slamming Israeli policy. The Jewish state remains one of the strongest of Britain’s allies and a vital strategic asset to the West.
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