European attitudes on Israel-Palestine

James Heartfield Jim at heartfield.demon.co.uk
Wed Apr 17 04:51:55 PDT 2002


Listers might be interested to know that the events in Jenin are playing very differently in the British press and parliament.

A middle of the road Labour MP, very pro-Blair, and a long-term supporter of Israel accused Sharon of ordering his troops to use barbarous means in the occupied territories. He said that Sharon did not own the Star of David, but he was soaking it in blood.

For the Tory opposition John Gummer said that Israel was a properly constituted state, and as such ought to be held to higher standards, which it had seemingly failed to meet.

Labour aid radical Ann Clwyd said European countries should withdraw ambassadors.

The left-wing broadsheets are talking about a massacre in Jenin.

I know that Palestinian supporters (of which I count myself one) don't want to hear this, but there is an element of Euro-chauvinistic anti-Americanism in the rising clamour of criticism of Israel. Euro-patriots are tentatively enjoying what they are calling America's isolation on the issue. They write openly of Americans and Israelis living on another planet (of which reports of the Washington pro-Israel march are cited as evidence). -- James Heartfield The 'Death of the Subject' Explained is available at GBP11.00, plus GBP1.00 p&p from Publications, audacity.org, 8 College Close, Hackney, London, E9 6ER. Make cheques payable to 'Audacity Ltd'



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