Andy Burnham and his calamitous sidekick Ed Miliband are said to have been caught unawares about Israel’s robust response to their malicious lashing out at Israel.
That isn’t remotely believable. The UK’s own Embassy in Israel warned the government that the enforcement of trade restrictions would not be possible. Jewish community groups and the Chief Rabbi made repeated overtures about the harm it would cause – not only to the bilateral relationship, but the Jewish community’s own security in the UK. It didn’t take a political genius to predict that Israel – in the midst of a bruising election campaign – would be compelled to act and stand up for itself.
Of course, with a by-election in the offing against the equally Israel-obsessed Green Party, Burnham and Miliband chose to recklessly rush ahead. These two parties are in a race to the bottom in their desperation to show how hostile they can be to the world’s only Jewish state. The far-left cranks and Islamists can’t believe their luck.
Lest it be forgotten, these trade restrictions – and the vitriolic tone in which they were announced – are targeted against one of the UK’s most important allies. Regardless of your views on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, this is not how friends conduct themselves. National security and keeping allies close in a dangerous world must always take precedence.
The prime minister and foreign secretary have piously preached about their motive being the upholding of “British values”. If that’s the case, then their values must be even more warped than I initially thought as they haven’t a word to say about the Palestinian Authority’s continuing provision of salaries to terrorists convicted for their heinous acts of violence. I’d like to think that most decent minded Brits would be appalled to discover that vile practice, but it doesn’t elicit a flicker of concern for this government. Its opprobrium is reserved for Israel and Israel alone.
This is a trade embargo on Israel by stealth. It claims to be targeted on settlements, but it will have a chilling effect on wider trade. British companies, already bogged down by red tape and subjected to abuse by BDS hardliners, are likely to pause for thought before engaging with Israeli counterparts going forward. Bilateral trade currently makes a valuable £6 billion contribution to both economies, but I fear this will now take a hammering.
So too will Israeli investment into the UK – the last thing our spluttering economy needs. Israel is the eighth biggest investor in the UK from the Europe region, creating thousands of jobs for Brits. Most of these investments are in the technologies of the future that will make us healthier and more prosperous – including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, fintech, life sciences and clean technology. All of that is now at risk.
Israel is rightly revered around the world as a high-tech powerhouse. Israel is a success story that should be celebrated – becoming the 25th biggest economy in the world, despite continued instability in the region and only having the 92nd largest population. A serious government would be committed to expanding and deepening its economic ties with Israel.
I share the concern of many within the Jewish community that the dangerous rhetoric from the UK government will put them at even greater risk of antisemitic abuse and attacks. The disgusting – and unmistakably racist – “baby killer” slur is already hurled at Jews in this country. It won’t be long before the racists start throwing around abuse about “ethnic cleansing”. Except this time, they will be doing it with the full blessing of the UK government.
Shame on this Labour government. It truly is a very dark day.
Richard Tice MP is Reform UK’s deputy leader and MP for Boston and Skegness
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