David Cameron To Israel: Join Talks Or I May Support Independence Declaration

[Purveyor]

Binyamin Netanyahu met David Cameron as Britain indicated it may support a unilateral Palestinian declaration of independence if Israel does not join peace talks

--CLIP
So it is a sign of Britain's impatience with Israel that Britain mentioned the D word tonight as David Cameron hosted Binyamin Netanyahu in Downing Street. In this case it is the prospect of a unilateral declaration of independence by Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, at the UN general assembly in September.

Britain is making clear that it may endorse a declaration by Abbas if Israel declines to take part in substantive peace negotiations with the Palestinians to create a two state solution.

Britain understands that today marks a sensitive moment for Netanyahu as Hamas, which mourned the death of Osama bin Laden, signed a reconciliation agreement with Abbas, leader of the Palestinian Fatah faction. Cameron was planning to reassure Netanyahu by saying Britain accepts that much work will need to be done on the Hamas-Fatah deal. Britain has noted that it does not require Hamas to recognise Israel – one of the essential requirements of the "quartet" of the UN, EU, Russia and the US.

MORE...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/wintour-and-watt/2011/may/04/israel-palestinian-territories

[Purveyor]

1. Also read: France Hints At Recognition Of Palestinian State Ahead Of Netanyahu Visit

By Danna Harman and Reuters

French President Nicolas Sarkozy hinted in an interview that France may recognize an independent Palestinian state this year, if peace talks with Israel were not back on track by September.

"If the peace process is still dead in September, France will face up to its responsibilities on the central question of recognition of a Palestinian state," Sarkozy said in an interview in France's L'Express magazine.

The French president added that "things have to be brought to a conclusion" before September, when the Palestinians are expected to ask the United Nations General Assembly in September to recognize statehood on all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"We are going to take an initiative before the summer, with the Europeans, to restart, along with the Americans, the peace process," Sarkozy said. "France wants the peace process to be restarted before the difficult UN meeting in September."

MORE...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/wintour-and-watt/2011/may/04/israel-palestinian-territories

[aquart]

2. Go ahead, fellas.

And you were all such great friends.

[shaayecanaan]

5. Indeed...

from the bombing of the King David Hotel, to supplying arms to the Argies during the Falklands war, to forging British passports for use by Mossad spies, Israel was always a rock-solid, stand-up friend of Britain, willing to break their last biscuit with dear old Blighty.

No doubt David Cameron will be crying salt tears at the prospect of losing such a faithful ally.

[shira]

6. That's nothing compared to the White Paper's indifference to the murder of 100's of thousands. n/t

[aquart]

7. Why should he? When there's all that faithful Arab loyalty to gain.

Unless, of course, he should do something to annoy them.

[shaayecanaan]

10. Arabs have oil...

much of which is heavily invested in by Britain's largest public companies, including BP.

I don't think there is any serious argument as to where Britain's national interest lies. However good Israel is at inventing trinkets, it doesn't compare with having the largest proven oil reserves on Earth.

What amuses me is the implication of many posters here that Britain (and indeed all the world) has some sort of moral obligation towards Israel.

[oberliner]

11. Israel among top 20 countries investing in UK

Israel is among the top 20 countries for investment in the UK, according to figures released today by UK Trade & Investment. A record numbers of countries invested in the UK in 2009/10, UK Trade & Investment says, with 16 projects coming from Israel.

Richard Salt, director of UK Trade & Investment at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, said, "I am delighted that for the second year running, Israel has improved its standing among the top 20 investing countries in the UK, having overtaken Belgium and Hong Kong. I encourage more Israeli companies to act now to benefit from the huge investment opportunities on offer in the UK."

In terms of numbers of projects, the US is by some way the largest source of investment in the UK, followed by Japan, France, India, Germany, China and Australia.

http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000574354&fid=1725

As for oil:

Britain is now importing only the tiniest fraction of its oil from the Middle East, sourcing its crude instead from the Americas, Africa and Norway, according to intriguing new Government figures.

An analysis by experts at the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly the Department for Trade and Industry), reveals how dramatically the map of UK oil sources has changed over the past half-century, with almost three-quarters of UK oil coming produced from Norway.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2811607/Britain-has-slashed-its-reliance-on-Mideast-oil.html

We can leave any "moral obligations" Britain might have out of the equation.

If you want to talk about economic national interest - you are right - there is no serious argument.

[shaayecanaan]

12. Depends on how you measure investment

If you measure it as the number of projects, this tends to inflate Israel's presence as most of its companies would be small startups.

The official British Foreign Direct Investment figures, on the other hand, show that investment inflows and outflows from the Gulf Arab countries outnumber investment flows from non-Gulf countries in the middle East (including Israel) by a factor of ten to one.

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/ma409.xls

"An analysis by experts at the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly the Department for Trade and Industry), reveals how dramatically the map of UK oil sources has changed over the past half-century, with almost three-quarters of UK oil coming produced from Norway"

This is due to the North Sea oil reserves that Britain shares with Norway. Until three years ago Britain was a net exporter of energy, but as the North Sea fields are gradually taping down this has changed, and Britain is once again a net importer of oil.

However, British oil companies such as Shell and BP are heavily invested in the middle East. About 1 pound out of every six paid by a pension fund in the UK is paid from BP dividends.

[shira]

3. Way to come out for peace, Mr. Cameron.

Name one good thing that will result from an independent Palestine after UN recognition.

I can't think of anything.

Palestinian refugees won't be going anywhere. Gilad Shalit will remain in Gaza. Past agreements between the PA/Israel will likely fall apart. Noone, including Palestinians, will be better off once this happens. It will likely result in war, not peace.

Well done Mr. Cameron!

[oberliner]

4. Cameron: Britain's support for Israel ‘unshakable’

“Britain is a good friend of Israel, and our support for Israel and Israel’s security is unshakable. We are strong friends of Israel,” he said.

“There is a real opportunity with the end of bin Laden, and the Arab spring.

“This is a moment of opportunity to continue the work, and to defeat terrorism in our world and to continue the expansion of democracy, civil rights and freedom across the Middle East and North Africa,” Cameron continued.

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=219246

[aquart]

8. LOL!

[LeftishBrit]

9. An independence declaration would be a good thing - if Hamas will let it happen

So far, they haven't, because it would mean acknowledging a state with boundaries, rather than holding out for the entire region.

When/if they sort out an independent state, I think it will be widely supported.

(But as for Cameron, I would like to declare my unilateral independence of HIM!)

[shira]

13. How does your PM expect Israel to negotiate peace terms seriously with Hamas?

What does he think Israel can seriously offer Hamas, short of total surrender and national suicide?

Cameron is basically threatening Israel to negotiate with an entity sympathetic to Osama bin Laden (whose death Cameron praised) or else Cameron will recognize a Palestinian terror state within the 1949 borders that will be of no benefit to anyone, especially Palestinians.

Surrender to Hamas or watch as Hamas gets their own terror state.

Wow, a deal Israel just can't refuse!

[Jefferson23]

14. UK-Israel rift over Hamas unity deal

A serious rift between the British and Israeli governments opened up this week during the visit of Binyamin Netanyahu to London, over the welcome given by David Cameron to the unity deal between Fatah and Hamas.

Israel is understood to be furious that William Hague and Mr Cameron had both made positive public statements about the new pact.

The agreement provides for a caretaker government in advance of Palestinian elections. The Israeli PM was particularly incensed by the presence of British EU High Representative Baroness Ashton at the signing ceremony.

Mr Cameron rearranged his diary at the last minute to fit in a private dinner on Wednesday evening with Mr Netanyahu at No 10, after the Israeli PM announced last week that he planned to visit Europe. It is a sign of the importance being given to the issue that the UK Prime Minister agreed to a meeting with Mr Netanyahu on the eve of local elections and the electoral reform vote.

in full: http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/48482/uk-israel-rift-over-hamas-unity-deal