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[webfact]

Secret film prompts calls to probe Israeli influence on UK

Alasdair Sandford

 

 

JERUSALEM: -- Israel has apologised to the UK after one of its embassy staff in London was secretly filmed apparently suggesting he wanted to bring about the downfall of a British government minister who has been very critical of Israeli policy.

 

The senior political officer was speaking in a London restaurant to a British civil servant, who is now said to have resigned.

 

The undercover recordings are part of an investigation by Al Jazeera which it says expose a covert Israeli campaign to influence British policy.

 

The Israeli official, senior political officer Shai Masot, is heard saying he wanted to “take down” British Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan.

 

Maria Strizzolo, the civil servant and also an aide to another minister, later replies by hinting that “a little scandal” might see him dismissed.

 

In 2014 Sir Alan strongly attacked Israel, describing settlements as “an act of theft” and an “ever-deepening stain on the face of the globe”.

 

He also likened the situation in Hebron in the occupied West Bank to apartheid.

 

The Israeli official also describes the UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson as “an idiot” in the secret recording.

 

Sir Craig Oliver, former communications director to ex-British Prime Minister David Cameron, said Masot’s comments should be viewed as comic rather than chilling.

 

But Britain’s Labour opposition has demanded an inquiry into the extent of alleged Israeli interference in UK politics.

 

Israel says the official’s views are not those of its government.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2017-01-09

 

[hansnl]

Now then, what about the Brits tend to do?

[geriatrickid]

12 minutes ago, hansnl said:

Now then, what about the Brits tend to do?

 

Give them lessons? This chap obviously is an idiot and an amateur, assuming of course, al jazeera has this correct.  All he did was express his desire. There is no evidence he was greenlighted or  actually did anything. At least when the British intelligence service  brought down political opponents in Africa, they were  more subtle,  innovative and were given to action  instead of shooting their big mouthes off.

[johna]

The US expels 35 Russian diplomats for alleged hacking. Here we have a clear case of an  Israeli diplomat, caught on tape interfering in British politics.  Nothing will happen of course, because the "Conservative Friends of Israel", and the Labour Party's, "Friends of Israel" have as much if not more influence over the British government as AIPAC has in the USA

 

The truth about the UK's pro-Israel lobbies.

[retarius]

I'm not a supporter of Israel but I have to say this is a storm in a teacup. Every nation does this. They try to influence the legislators to make laws in their interests or avoid doing things that may harm their interests. The US has been interfering with other countries governments for decades. Remember Iran 1953? Replacing an elected government that wouldn't accede to their oil demands with the Shah who was a brutal dictator and hated by his people but compliant to US demands. Russia stands accused of releasing hacked information to Wikileaks that was prejudicial to Clinton and so help Trump get elected. Cue hysteria in the media.

So let's not get out knickers in a twist….kick this guy out and draw a line under the affair.

[Ulysses G.]

Al Jazerra. The usual conspiracy theory stuff. 

[DavidVincent]

40 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

Al Jazerra. The usual conspiracy theory stuff. 

When you have nothing to say, shoot the messenger....

 

[mercman24]

Al Jazerra, says it all realy ARAB sympathisers, owned by Arabs i believe , and their broadcasting capabilites bombed in the past

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, Ulysses G. said:

Al Jazerra. The usual conspiracy theory stuff. 

 

If it's a "conspiracy theory," why would Israel have to formally apologize? 

[Ulysses G.]

2 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

 

If it's a "conspiracy theory," why would Israel have to formally apologize? 

 

 Read the OP. They apologized for a rogue staff member and made it plain that it was not the policy or opinion of the government.

[Docno]

Surprise... Israel is no different from the US, Russia, China (and many more, no doubt). This is the real world of "diplomacy"...

[Berkshire]

1 minute ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

 Read the OP. They apologized for a rogue staff member and made it plain that it was not the policy or opinion of the government.

 

The point is this isn't made-up fake news.  But seriously, do you think that this one rogue staff member just came up with this all on his own?  The fall guy, more like it. 

[yardrunner]

23 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

 Read the OP. They apologized for a rogue staff member and made it plain that it was not the policy or opinion of the government.

Yes that is what they said but if it is true is another matter

[IAMHERE]

If you don't like a guy (or a policy) why wouldn't you want him to fail? Seems natural enough.

[yardrunner]

Just now, IAMHERE said:

If you don't like a guy (or a policy) why wouldn't you want him to fail? Seems natural enough.

Yes i would agree with that but this was encouraging someone to make him fail

[Jonmarleesco]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

'...  a British civil servant ... is now said to have resigned.'

 

'The Israeli official, senior political officer Shai Masot ...'

Didn't the (un)civil servant vehemently deny the allegations, accusing the Guardian of subterfuge? So why resign? Could only be because she was caught with her knickers down. She should have been fired, not allowed to resign.

 

And senior political officer? Isn't that shorthand for spy? Might be the time for May to realise her blunder in criticising the U.S. and to consider expelling all Israeli embassy staff. 

[Baerboxer]

The Israeli guy was playing the seemingly very naive British Civil Servant. Notice she has done the right thing and resigned - unlike civil servants and politicians in other countries who would hang on at all costs.

 

Israel has a strong lobby in the UK. Many British former and current politicians were of Jewish East European immigrant stock but changed their name. A surprising number of British MP's do this - Michael Howard and Nigel Lawson are examples. Perfectly legal and helps in families integrating into their new country home.

 

With the more recent immigration of Muslim families, mainly from the Indian sub-continent origin, there has also been a notable increase of Muslim lobbies especially within the Labor party.

 

All democracies, that welcome or have welcomed immigrants, and that allow free speech and provide paths to citizenship, will have lobby groups like this. All democracies will also have other governments interacting with these lobby groups and also doing their own lobbying - just like every country does.

 

When one or more people get caught doing something naughty they normally get asked to leave. Nothing unusual really. But of course, now American Democrats have chosen to blow it all up, everyone will be joining in.

[Jonmarleesco]

1 hour ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

 Read the OP. They apologized for a rogue staff member and made it plain that it was not the policy or opinion of the government.

Netanyahu's policy is that every other nation should support Israel, and by association, Netanyahu. I wouldn't believe any policy or opinion vocalised by him that suggested anything else.

[Morch]

 

As said on another topic, bit of a storm in a teacup. Unless the full Al-Jazeera documentary supposed to be aired in a week's time will provide further details.

 

The following article may shed some light on the issue:

 

Israeli Ministries Feud Over anti-BDS Warfare in U.K.
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.744708

 

While this one may give some perspective (with regard to UK meddling in Israeli politics):

 

How Tony Blair and Egypt's Sissi Tried to Push Zionist Union Into Netanyahu's Coalition
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.720328

[Kasset Tak]

Israelis complaining about Brits!!! They should be glad that the British was stupid enough to give half of Palestine (a country that already belonged to the Palestinians) to the Jews!!!

[geriatrickid]

5 hours ago, johna said:

The US expels 35 Russian diplomats for alleged hacking. Here we have a clear case of an  Israeli diplomat, caught on tape interfering in British politics.  Nothing will happen of course, because the "Conservative Friends of Israel", and the Labour Party's, "Friends of Israel" have as much if not more influence over the British government as AIPAC has in the USA

 

 

Israel has not interfered in British politics. Nor was the person listed as an Israeli diplomat. He broke the cardinal rule of the diplomatic corps and he's finsished.

 

3 hours ago, Berkshire said:

The point is this isn't made-up fake news.  But seriously, do you think that this one rogue staff member just came up with this all on his own?  The fall guy, more like it. 

 

Yes, I believe he came up with this on his own. Know why? Because he looks and sounds like an arrogant jerk. Very typical of some young navy officers. This wasn't cleared by the actual diplomats in the Israeli embassy for the simple reason that there are other more effective  ways to address concerns.

 

50 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

Israelis complaining about Brits!!! They should be glad that the British was stupid enough to give half of Palestine (a country that already belonged to the Palestinians) to the Jews!!!

 

The Bristish did not give 1/2 of palestine to anyone for the simple reason that Great Britain had nothing to give and because there was no actual nation of Palestine. The country  had been gobbled up by the Ottoman Empire from 1517-1917 and the British assumed the area of Israel and Transjordan along with other lands as the spoils of victory at the end of WWI. The Ottoman Empire had allowed the jews to remain and  the jews  were an absolute majority in the city of Jerusalem, including  the area the arabs claim today. It was during the   British occupation that the divisive policies and trend to ethnic cleansing took life. One of the principal reasons why   Great Britain agreed to give back the form land of Israel to its  occupants was a result of WWII. The jewish inhabitants served under the  British, while the arabs, organized by the mufti of jerusalem aligned with  the Nazis and send volunteers to fight on behalf of the nazis against the allies. Do you know why the  jews were no olonger a majority in all of Jerusalem after 1948? It was because the arab legion drove them out and seized the east part of the city.

If you want to bash Israel,  start with  getting your facts right first.

[bangon04]

5 hours ago, DavidVincent said:

When you have nothing to say, shoot the messenger....

 

Careful.... whenever anyone expresses anti-Israeli sentiment, they will be declared anti-semitic immediately to stop all debate.

[mike324]

6 hours ago, mercman24 said:

Al Jazerra, says it all realy ARAB sympathisers, owned by Arabs i believe , and their broadcasting capabilites bombed in the past

 

I actually think Al Jazeera does very good reporting when it comes to reporting in Asia. They are unbias and not influence by any political agenda. But of course in other regions, it is questionable.

[Morch]

5 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

Israelis complaining about Brits!!! They should be glad that the British was stupid enough to give half of Palestine (a country that already belonged to the Palestinians) to the Jews!!!

 

This topic is about Brits complaining about Israelis. The British did not give half of anything away, there was a UN resolution.

[Morch]

3 hours ago, bangon04 said:

Careful.... whenever anyone expresses anti-Israeli sentiment, they will be declared anti-semitic immediately to stop all debate.

 

Straw man much?

[lungbing]

1 hour ago, Morch said:

 

This topic is about Brits complaining about Israelis. The British did not give half of anything away, there was a UN resolution.

No, there was not.  The UN didn't exist at that time. 

[Ulysses G.]

27 minutes ago, lungbing said:

No, there was not.  The UN didn't exist at that time. 

 

The League of Nations did.

[Ulysses G.]

7 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

Israelis complaining about Brits!!! They should be glad that the British was stupid enough to give half of Palestine (a country that already belonged to the Palestinians) to the Jews!!!

 

There has never been an independent country called Palestine run by Arabs in all of history. That is fake news.

[shariq607]

34 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

There has never been an independent country called Palestine run by Arabs in all of history. That is fake news.

 

34 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

There has never been an independent country called Palestine run by Arabs in all of history. That is fake news.

 

 

 

"Muslim history in the Palestine region began in the 630s with the Early Muslim conquests. The Roman region of Palestine was conquered by the Muslim armies of the Caliphate (Islamic Empire) under CaliphUmar. Muslim presence in the region has continued to the present time for nearly 1400 years. Throughout the majority of the era Muslim rule existed in the region of Palestine, except for the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099–1291), the British Rule (1917 - 1948), and after the 1948 Palestine War, which led to the creation of the State of Israel and Israeli sovereignty over a majority of the territories of the British Mandate for Palestine".

 

source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_history_in_Palestine

[Ulysses G.]

Thanks for supporting my post. The Jews have been in the Palestine REGION continuously for 3,000 years and there has never been an independent country - run by Arabs - called Palestine.