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Britain: Free Weapons To The Palestinians But An Arms Embargo On Israel

Sold To The Palestinians

As far as I know, British security assistance to the Palestinians - which began while Fatah was ramping up a suicide war and has been turned against the IDF by Palestinian soldiers - continues apace. Not so much for the weapons Israel used in its defensive operation against Hamas:

Britain has slapped a partial arms embargo on Israel, refusing to supply replacement parts and other equipment for Sa'ar 4.5 gunships because they participated in Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip earlier this year. Britain's Foreign Office informed Israel's embassy in London of the sanctions a few days ago. The embassy, in a classified telegram to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, said the decision stemmed from heavy pressure by both members of Parliament and human rights organizations... The British said the embargo was imposed because these ships participated in Operation Cast Lead. In so doing, the British claimed, they violated the security agreements between Britain and Israel, which specify what uses may be made of British equipment.

I love the logic underlying this trick: "We'll sell you weapons but you can't use them against people who attack you."

It's the same logic that Obama uses when he demands that Israel take risks for peace - because who would dare threaten the territorial integrity of a nuclear-armed state - and then pressures Israel on its nuclear deterrent. It's not a particularly effective argument and it undermines Middle East stability by encouraging Arab intransigence. But at least it's also dishonest!

References:
* Britain Offers Security Assistance to Palestinian Authority [VOA]
* EXCLUSIVE-Palestinians to get basic flak jackets, ending row [Reuters]
* U.K. hits Israel with partial arms sanctions over Cast Lead [Ha'aretz]
* No Kidding: Obama To Pressure Israel On Its Nuclear Deterrent [MR]
* Abbas: Olmert Offered Us The West Bank And The Right Of Return, But It Wasn't Good Enough [MR]

Previously:
* Anti-Israel Partisans Set New Record For Decades-Old Trick Of Brazenly Rewriting History, Blaming Israel
* Britain Letting Distaste For Jewish State Get In the Way Of Not Having A Nuclear War In the Middle East
* Britain Down On UK-Israeli Ties, Pretty Psyched About Nuke-Building Terrorist Supporting Syrian Regime

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  • Omri Ceren is a PhD candidate studying Rhetoric at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication. He lives in downtown Los Angeles.

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