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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Brown urged to 'condemn' Israel | Brown urged to 'condemn' Israel |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Gordon Brown must "unambiguously condemn" Israel's actions in Gaza, Nick Clegg has said, the first senior UK politician to urge such action. | Gordon Brown must "unambiguously condemn" Israel's actions in Gaza, Nick Clegg has said, the first senior UK politician to urge such action. |
| The Lib Dem leader accused Mr Brown of "sitting on his hands" on the conflict, calling on him to condemn Israel's attacks as well as those by Hamas. | The Lib Dem leader accused Mr Brown of "sitting on his hands" on the conflict, calling on him to condemn Israel's attacks as well as those by Hamas. |
| He called for an embargo on UK arms sales to Israel, a move backed by nearly 100 other MPs. | He called for an embargo on UK arms sales to Israel, a move backed by nearly 100 other MPs. |
| The government insists it is working flat out to negotiate a ceasefire. | The government insists it is working flat out to negotiate a ceasefire. |
| 'Self-defeating' | 'Self-defeating' |
| Speaking after talks on the crisis in New York on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary David Miliband called for an end to arms trafficking into Gaza and border crossings to be opened to allow in humanitarian aid. | Speaking after talks on the crisis in New York on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary David Miliband called for an end to arms trafficking into Gaza and border crossings to be opened to allow in humanitarian aid. |
| Mr Brown described Tuesday's bombing of a UN-run school building in Gaza, which killed 30 people and injured 55, as the "darkest moment" so far of the conflict. | Mr Brown described Tuesday's bombing of a UN-run school building in Gaza, which killed 30 people and injured 55, as the "darkest moment" so far of the conflict. |
| We have a prime minister talking like an accountant about aid earmarked for Gaza without once saying anything meaningful about the conflict's origins Nick Clegg | We have a prime minister talking like an accountant about aid earmarked for Gaza without once saying anything meaningful about the conflict's origins Nick Clegg |
| But Mr Clegg said Mr Brown must be more outspoken about Israel's campaign against Hamas fighters - launched in response to their rocket attacks into Israel - calling it "self-defeating". | But Mr Clegg said Mr Brown must be more outspoken about Israel's campaign against Hamas fighters - launched in response to their rocket attacks into Israel - calling it "self-defeating". |
| "We have a prime minister talking like an accountant about aid earmarked for Gaza without once saying anything meaningful about the conflict's origins," he wrote in The Guardian. | "We have a prime minister talking like an accountant about aid earmarked for Gaza without once saying anything meaningful about the conflict's origins," he wrote in The Guardian. |
| "Brown must stop sitting on his hands. He must condemn unambiguously Israel's tactics, just as he has rightly condemned Hamas' rocket attacks." | "Brown must stop sitting on his hands. He must condemn unambiguously Israel's tactics, just as he has rightly condemned Hamas' rocket attacks." |
| Mr Clegg said the outgoing US administration of President George Bush had "sanctioned" Israel's actions and that British foreign policy was "subservient" to Washington. | Mr Clegg said the outgoing US administration of President George Bush had "sanctioned" Israel's actions and that British foreign policy was "subservient" to Washington. |
| Arms calls | Arms calls |
| The Lib Dem leader acknowledged that Israel had "every right" to defend itself but said its actions were counter-productive, serving only to radicalise moderate Arab opinion. | The Lib Dem leader acknowledged that Israel had "every right" to defend itself but said its actions were counter-productive, serving only to radicalise moderate Arab opinion. |
| In response, the EU must suspend all arms exports to Israel and the UK must act unilaterally to do this if necessary. | In response, the EU must suspend all arms exports to Israel and the UK must act unilaterally to do this if necessary. |
| It is not in the interests of Israel for this to go on for a long time William Hague | |
| He said the amount of arms sold by the UK to Israel had increased substantially in 2008 and there were serious questions about whether their use violated EU licensing rules. | He said the amount of arms sold by the UK to Israel had increased substantially in 2008 and there were serious questions about whether their use violated EU licensing rules. |
| Mr Clegg also reiterated his call for the EU to suspend talks on a new proposed co-operation agreement with Israel, a move the Foreign Office has described as "naive". | Mr Clegg also reiterated his call for the EU to suspend talks on a new proposed co-operation agreement with Israel, a move the Foreign Office has described as "naive". |
| The Conservatives said they would not "condemn" Israel's actions as "disproportionate" since it had been provoked by Hamas attacks. | |
| "I don't use that language," said shadow foreign secretary William Hague. "You have to remember how this started. It started with the launching of about 300 rockets by Hamas into Israel." | |
| But Mr Hague said Tuesday's bombing of a UN building "damaged" Israel's cause and called on "both sides" to accept a ceasefire. | |
| "It is not in the interests of Israel for this to go on for a long time." | |
| Meanwhile 98 MPs have signed a statement calling for an "end to the slaughter in Gaza" and an arms embargo. |