Miliband Tackles Hamas
New Foreign Secretary David Miliband raised the prospect of a future discussion about involving Hamas in the peace talks as he appeared in the Commons to take his first parliamentary questions.
Miliband, the son of Jewish immigrants, told the House of Commons on Tuesday cooperation with Hamas was an issue that could be discussed but warned that the government would only negotiate with those committed to peace with Israel.
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He said negotiations would only take place with those committed to a “peaceful solution,” Hamas has previously been boycotted by the international community because of its refusal to recognise Israel’s right to exist.
Miliband said: “The bedrock of the Government’s approach will be threefold, first, to be unstinting in our support for a two-state solution, secondly, to support those who are committed to peaceful progress in the region, and thirdly, to support the economic and social development across the occupied Palestinian territories.”
Miliband’s late father Ralph was a Marxist sociologist who fled the Nazis from Belgium. His mother Marion Kozak, escaped the Nazis in Poland, she is now a member of the Jews for Justice for Palestinians.
Jon Benjamin, Board of Deputies Chief Executive expressed opposition to the idea of letting Hamas participate in the peace process, he told the Jewish News: “Hamas have pulled off a coup d’etat in Gaza and President Abbas has joined international condemnation of them as a terrorist organisation. Their reward for changing the facts on the ground through extreme violence should not be a seat at the negotiating table.”
Benjamin was amongst members of the Jewish community who warmly welcomed Miliband after he was named in Gordon Brown’s new Cabinet last week along with his brother Ed as Cabinet Office Minister.
“The Board of Deputies of British Jews has had a positive relationship with David Miliband in his previous role as Environment Secretary, and were grateful for his help in launching the Big Green Jewish Website. He has publicly expressed his concern in the past for Israel’s safety and security, and we look forward to cementing our good relations with him in his new role,” Benjamin said.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mark Regev said the government is looking forward to working with Miliband but warned that negotiations with Hamas could only ever take place if it recognised Israel’s right to exist, renounced terrorism and showed support for the peace process.
Read the latest copy of The Jewish News Online by clicking here.
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