Sleaze committee infiltrated by “Friends of Israel” refuses to investigate
Campaigners won’t take “no” for an answer
22 January 2008
A UK group has vowed to continue the fight against the corrupting influence of Israel lobby groups on the British government after Parliament’s sleaze watchdog, the Committee on Standards in Public Life, which is itself infiltrated by Israel apologists, turned down their request to investigate the influence of Israel lobbies on government.
The British Parliament’s sleaze watchdog, the Committee on Standards in Public Life, has initially turned down a request by a group of 20 top academics, surgeons and others to investigate the influence of Israel lobby groups like Friends of Israel at the heart of British government.
The submission, addressed to the committee's new chairman, Sir Christopher Kelly, was rejected in a note from office staff on the grounds that it was "a matter of general policy for others". An administrator admitted that the remit of the body she suggested (the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards) did not fit the circumstances.
The three main political parties in the UK each has a “Friends of Israel” lobby group that ensures pro-Israel members are embedded at all key levels in Parliament and government. For example, the Foreign Office minister responsible for the Middle East is a former chairman of Labour Friends of Israel. His opposition “shadow” is a member of Conservative Friends of Israel. Campaigners argue that these lobby placemen inhibit the government when it comes to taking a principled stand on issues such as Israel's murderous and unlawful blockade of Gaza, which is costing the lives of many innocent civilians and children and doing irreparable damage to Gaza's economy.
The group is adamant that the Israel lobby falls squarely within the Standards Committee’s remit.
The man in the street is entitled to look at the Seven Principles of Public Life and say that the activities of lobbies like Friends of Israel are against the intentions, both in word and spirit, of those principles. Otherwise what is the purpose of having them enshrined in the Committee's constitution?
They have pushed it back to Sir Christopher insisting that the case be put before the committee for proper consideration.
The claim of undue influence is causing embarrassment in Westminster because the watchdog committee has itself been infiltrated by Friends of Israel. The pro-lobby media are already disturbed. The Jewish Chronicle, for example, reports a "smear" on Isreal lobby MPs, one of whom suggests that if the committee fails to investigate it might be accused of being part of a Jewish conspiracy. The director of Conservative Friends of Israel, a would-be MP, confidently predicts there will be no investigation, his cocksure posture leading one to suppose that he and his like are a protected species within the Westminster village.
The shadow secretary of state for defence, Dr Liam Fox, makes the group's case for them. He is quoted on the Conservative Friends of Israel website as saying:
"...We must remember that in the battle for the values that we stand for, for democracy against theocracy, for democratic liberal values against repression – Israel’s enemies are our enemies and this is a battle in which we all stand together or we will all fall divided.
The spokesman for the anti-lobby group is David Halpin, a trauma surgeon who last year led a team of seven UK doctors to Gaza. He said:
Dr Fox presumably speaks for all Friends of Israel in the party that hopes to form the next government. He would have Parliament and the public believe that Israel's enemy, Iran, must become Britain's enemy. Such dangerous and irresponsible nonsense could lead this country to disaster.
Claims that the Israel lobby’s activities are transparent are untrue since seldom, if ever, do its members declare an interest when speaking or writing about the Middle East. That is unacceptable in the “Mother of Parliaments”.
Stuart Littlewood, who was in Gaza two months ago, said:
The Israel lobby has penetrated so deeply into government, including the Standards Committee itself, that they are desperate to keep this off the agenda. I am disgusted at my government's failure to respond honourably to the great human suffering in Gaza under Israel's siege, which is made to bite even deeper with a nod and a wink from the US and Britain. What sort of people are they?
The group says that the British people should not have to tolerate dual allegiance in their Parliament and government, since obviously it puts national security at risk. They quote one peer who wrote:
I ask over and over again why Israel is allowed to get away with breaking international law and the answer is silence from the government… [T]hey are afraid of the Israel lobby who label anyone who speaks out as anti-Semitic and withdraw their support.
Signatories include David Halpin, Stu Littlewood, Felicity Arbuthnot and Mary Bedforth.
Note
The Seven Principles of Public Life
The Standards Committee has set out “Seven Principles of Public Life” which it believes should apply to all in the public service. These are:
Selflessness
Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.
Integrity
Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organizations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.
Objectivity
In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.
Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
Openness
Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.
Honesty
Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.
Leadership
Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.
