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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| UK 'damaged' by Lebanon war delay | UK 'damaged' by Lebanon war delay |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The UK's reputation was damaged when the government hesitated in calling for an immediate end to the Lebanon war last year, MPs have said. | The UK's reputation was damaged when the government hesitated in calling for an immediate end to the Lebanon war last year, MPs have said. |
| At the time, then-PM Tony Blair was criticised for waiting a few weeks before eventually calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. | At the time, then-PM Tony Blair was criticised for waiting a few weeks before eventually calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. |
| The foreign affairs committee also said it was "counterproductive" not to talk to Palestinian militant group Hamas. | The foreign affairs committee also said it was "counterproductive" not to talk to Palestinian militant group Hamas. |
| The Foreign Office said it had not ruled out contact with Hamas. | |
| The committee said the government should "urgently" engage with moderate elements, but the Foreign Office said it was ready to respond if there was any "significant movement" from Hamas. | |
| Despite criticism of Mr Blair's policies, the committee welcomed his appointment as a Middle East envoy. | Despite criticism of Mr Blair's policies, the committee welcomed his appointment as a Middle East envoy. |
| 'Indiscriminate' | |
| He took up the post of envoy for the Quartet, comprising the EU, UN, Russia and US, when he resigned as British prime minister in June. | He took up the post of envoy for the Quartet, comprising the EU, UN, Russia and US, when he resigned as British prime minister in June. |
| Given the failure of the boycott to deliver results, the government should urgently consider ways of engaging politically with moderate elements within Hamas Foreign Affairs Select Committee | |
| However, the committee, in its report entitled Global Security: The Middle East, said a quicker response from the government in July last year "could have led to reduced casualties amongst both Israeli and Lebanese civilians whilst still working towards a long-term solution to the crisis". | However, the committee, in its report entitled Global Security: The Middle East, said a quicker response from the government in July last year "could have led to reduced casualties amongst both Israeli and Lebanese civilians whilst still working towards a long-term solution to the crisis". |
| It called some of Israel's military actions in Lebanon during the war "indiscriminate and disproportionate". | It called some of Israel's military actions in Lebanon during the war "indiscriminate and disproportionate". |
| It particularly highlighted the attacks on United Nations observers and the dropping of more than 3.5 million cluster bombs (90% of the total) in the 72 hours after the UN Security Council passed the resolution which effectively ended the war. | It particularly highlighted the attacks on United Nations observers and the dropping of more than 3.5 million cluster bombs (90% of the total) in the 72 hours after the UN Security Council passed the resolution which effectively ended the war. |
| The MPs criticised the government's decision "not to speak to Hamas" as "counterproductive". | |
| The stance, also taken by the Quartet, followed the creation of a unity government between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas in February. | The stance, also taken by the Quartet, followed the creation of a unity government between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas in February. |
| We have not said that we will never talk to Hamas but there have to be some ground rules Foreign Office | |
| "A national unity government could and should have been established much earlier than the spring of 2007," the MPs said. | "A national unity government could and should have been established much earlier than the spring of 2007," the MPs said. |
| "Given the failure of the boycott to deliver results, the government should urgently consider ways of engaging politically with moderate elements within Hamas as a way of encouraging it to meet the three Quartet principles." | "Given the failure of the boycott to deliver results, the government should urgently consider ways of engaging politically with moderate elements within Hamas as a way of encouraging it to meet the three Quartet principles." |
| These are non-violence, recognition of Israel and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations. | These are non-violence, recognition of Israel and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations. |
| Israel, the US and EU consider Hamas a terrorist organisation and say they will not deal with it directly until it renounces violence and recognises Israel. | Israel, the US and EU consider Hamas a terrorist organisation and say they will not deal with it directly until it renounces violence and recognises Israel. |
| A Foreign Office spokesman said the UK had worked "strenuously" to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon and had made clear its concerns to Israel about the civilian impact of its military action. | |
| 'Essential basis' | |
| He added: "We have not said that we will never talk to Hamas but there have to be some ground rules. | |
| "That's what the Quartet principles aim to provide and they are no more than was demanded of the PLO in the 1990s as the essential basis for progress," a Foreign Office spokesman said. | |
| The committee called on the government to engage with moderate Hezbollah parliamentarians. | |
| This should happen, it added, even though the influence of Hezbollah's military wing, "along with Iran's and Syria's, continues to be a malign one". | |
| The committee also described the Middle East "roadmap" as "largely...an irrelevance in the dynamic of the Arab-Israeli conflict". | |
| In its report, it said: "The unwillingness of the Quartet to challenge robustly the failure by both sides to meet their obligations has undermined its usefulness as a vehicle for peace." | In its report, it said: "The unwillingness of the Quartet to challenge robustly the failure by both sides to meet their obligations has undermined its usefulness as a vehicle for peace." |
| But it did endorse the "failed" road map's objectives of "an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state peacefully co-existing with a secure Israel and an end to the occupation that began in 1967". | But it did endorse the "failed" road map's objectives of "an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state peacefully co-existing with a secure Israel and an end to the occupation that began in 1967". |
| Mike Gapes, the Labour MP who chairs the committee, said: "We think this is a very dangerous situation. | Mike Gapes, the Labour MP who chairs the committee, said: "We think this is a very dangerous situation. |
| "Progress needs to be made rapidly towards a solution in this conflict and, of course, Israel has to be secure and with internationally recognised borders." | "Progress needs to be made rapidly towards a solution in this conflict and, of course, Israel has to be secure and with internationally recognised borders." |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he hoped Mr Blair's record on the Middle East could see the former prime minister become "like Richard Nixon going to China". | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he hoped Mr Blair's record on the Middle East could see the former prime minister become "like Richard Nixon going to China". |
| "He is in a position where he could actually take some initiative to begin a process. | "He is in a position where he could actually take some initiative to begin a process. |
| "But that requires the Quartet to give him a stronger mandate than he has currently got." | "But that requires the Quartet to give him a stronger mandate than he has currently got." |