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Brown urged to 'condemn' Israel Brown urged to 'condemn' Israel
(about 5 hours 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 said Mr Brown must make clear that recent actions by both Israel and Hamas were unacceptable, calling his comments "mealy-mouthed".
He called for an embargo on UK arms sales to Israel, a move backed by nearly 100 other MPs. He also 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. Israel halted military operations in Gaza for three hours on Wednesday.
'Self-defeating' The UK government insists it is working flat out to negotiate a lasting ceasefire.
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. 'Stronger words'
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. But Mr Clegg said the UK's diplomatic efforts to end the violence had been insufficient.
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 "If we wanted to we could say much stronger things, louder and clearer to both sides to get them to pull back from the brink," he told BBC Radio 5Live.
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". It was a "nonsense" that the UK and other European countries had effectively "sub-contracted" Middle East policy to the US and were "waiting" for US President-Elect Barack Obama to resolve the crisis.
"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. Mr Clegg said Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli territory were "totally unacceptable".
"Brown must stop sitting on his hands. He must condemn unambiguously Israel's tactics, just as he has rightly condemned Hamas' rocket attacks." But he said Israel's use of "overwhelming force" in response would not improve its desire for long-term security.
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. "The immediate impact of this is to drive more Palestinians into the arms of Hamas, exactly what Israel does not want."
Earlier, in an article in The Guardian, Mr Clegg said Gordon Brown "must condemn unambiguously Israel's tactics, just as he has rightly condemned Hamas' rocket attacks".
Arms callsArms 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 EU must suspend all arms exports to Israel, Mr Clegg wrote, while 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 HagueIt 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.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.""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.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.""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.Meanwhile 98 MPs have signed a statement calling for an "end to the slaughter in Gaza" and an arms embargo.
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.