Cameron Honeymoon Over

By Justin Cohen - Wednesday 28th July 2010

David CAMERON'S honeymoon with Israel and the Jewish community is under severe strain this week following a "one-sided" speech in which he labelled Gaza "a prison camp" and he failed to mention Hamas.

MPs from his own party and Conservative Friends of Israel were among those to take issue with the comments, which came in a speech in Ankara during which he vowed to fight for Turkey's entry into the EU and urged Turkey and Israel not to give up their friendship following recent strains.

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After branding Israel's recent interception of the Gaza flotilla as "completely unacceptable", Cameron said: "The situation in Gaza has to change. Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp." Only later, during a press conference, did he make any reference to the rocket attacks from Gaza which led to the blockade of the Strip,which has been recently eased.
A senior communal source indicated that the Foreign Office had privately made it clear that they had not been aware that the Prime Minister would include the "prison camp" comment in his speech.

The speech drew a strong reaction from CFI, with director Stuart Polak saying: "In calling Gaza a prison camp, the prime minister has failed to address Hamas' role in creating the Gaza we see today. The organisation’s obsessive hatred for Israel and continued terrorist tactics have long overridden any concern for the welfare of the Palestinian people."

He added: "The prime minister’s words certainly did not reflect the wider context and I'm sure this will be urgently addressed by the government. This oversight is regrettable as he has never pulled any punches where Hamas is concerned. Describing Hamas as a theocracy who target innocent life, he has always been very clear on what sort of organisation they are and that there should be no moral equivalence with Israel."

Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor said: "The people of Gaza are the prisoners of the terrorist organisation Hamas. The situation in Gaza is the direct result of Hamas’ rule and priorities." And leaving little room for doubt as to his concern, Board of Deputies President Vivian Wineman added: "If the new Government wishes to be a credible player in the Middle East peace process, it should avoid one-sided, emotive language."

Disquiet was also expressed from within Cameron's own benches. Harlow MP Robert Halfon said he "disagreed with what David Cameron said in the sense that it apportioned unfair blame on Israel". But he claimed the relationship between Israel and the party remained "very strong", pointing to last week's promise to amend the law of universal jurisdiction.

While Cameron, in June, spoke of "effectively, a giant open prison in Gaza", this will be seen as a harshening of rhetoric on the issue.

However, a Downing Street spokeswoman insisted there is no change in policy. "The PM was making clear the need to improve access to and from Gaza, which he has said before. In his press conference yesterday he reiterated that he has 'long supported lifting the blockade and allowing humanitarian access.' While we welcomed the Israeli decision to ease restrictions on Gaza, it is important to translate this into concrete change on the ground as soon as possible."

She also pointed out that "the Foreign Secretary has said that Hamas continue to pursue an ideology of violence and directly to undermine prospects for peace in the region. Hamas need to take immediate and concrete steps towards to the Quartet principles; to cease indiscriminate rocket fire at Israeli civilians unconditionally, to release Gilad Shalit who has been held in captivity for four years."


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