Another day and another public relations meltdown for the Israeli government, whose idiocy in failing to make their case during Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's visit to London is amply chronicled by editor Stephen Pollard in the paper today.
Here's what Bibi and his court did in London. On arrival, Bibi had a meeting with specially sifted editors — except that they weren't all editors. On Tuesday morning, he met a whole 15 members of the Jewish community, many of whom were old-time Likud backers. Separately, he had another meeting with JNF leader Samuel Hayek. He spent 15-minutes on the phone to David Cameron and then headed off to see an exhibit of the Palestine Exploration Fund before showing up at Downing Street for a meet and greet with Gordon Brown.
Then there was a pointless press conference at which four pre-arranged (ie planted) questions were asked, two by the British press and two by the Israeli press; unsurprisingly more attention was given to what Gordon thught about the release of the Lockerbie bomber than what Bibi had to say.
Tuesday evening, Mark Regev, his able and generally affable press spokesman, had dinner with those traditionally opposed to Bibi and his works. And Wednesday morning, Mark Regev was wheeled out again to do his level best to brief the UK press, while two floors above, Bibi had four hours of talks with US envoy George Mitchell. Then on to the plane where the lucky Israeli travelling press got to talk to him before he meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
People who work tirelessly in this country, promoting Israel, defending Israel, and, dare I say it, writing about Israel, might usefully wonder why no-one from this travelling circus was ready to talk without stage management. The uncharitable thought rises unbidden to the lips: perhaps they have nothing to say.