Basem Naim, a senior official within Hamas’s political bureau, on Ed Miliband’s Israeli sanctions:
“The imposition of sanctions by Britain and other European countries and Canada on goods imported from the settlements of the occupied West Bank, and the London foreign minister’s use of the term ‘ethnic cleansing’ to describe the crimes of the settlers, are important steps in the right direction – but they are not enough.
“What is needed to achieve stability and peace in Palestine and beyond is the immediate implementation of the relevant international resolutions and the prosecution of war criminals in Israel in a manner similar to the Nazi trials at Nuremberg in Germany.”
There are also reports Iran is pleased with Miliband’s bright idea…
The Jewish Leadership Council has published an icy statement in response to Ed Miliband’s sanctions on Israeli settlers:
“The government is simply yielding to pressure from the most extreme elements of British society. They will continue to push the government to take increasingly radical action against Israel, to the detriment of peace in the Middle East and community relations in the UK.
“The Left-wing and Islamist extremists the Government is trying to appease will never be satisfied, and no responsible government should bend to their demands.
“In the run up to the High Holy Days, placing this increased target on British Jews is deeply irresponsible.”
Not going down well in the States either…
Bloomberg reports British diplomats are privately reassuring the Trump administration that Ed Miliband’s impending trade sanctions on Israel will be “largely symbolic“, and in reality it should be business as usual between the two countries. Burnham and Miliband’s claims of a “fundamental reset” with Israel are designed to be heard by a domestic audience…
Burnham spoke to Trump by phone last night, where the PM warned him of the stunt. Miliband will announce the package – expected to be trade restrictions on agricultural products from West Bank settlements – in the Commons later today. He still hasn’t spoken to Netanyahu. Pat McFadden has already been on damage control duty this morning, insisting on Sky News that Israel is still “a really important trading partner” and the sanctions are about “keep[ing] the two-state solution alive“. ‘Just ignore the sanctions, we need to show some ankle to the left’…
Pakistan has ignored Ed Miliband’s pleas to take back Rochdale rape gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed on the grounds that there are no laws or bilateral mechanisms to allow it. Since he renounced his Pakistani citizenship, Pakistan is insisting he is Britain’s problem. He costs the taxpayer thousands in surveillance and accommodation each year…
Ahmed was released from prison last month after serving only 14 years of his 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offences. According to the Telegraph, Pakistan previously demanded the UK handed over dissidents operating in Britain as a condition for his return. A monster who should never have been released in the first place.
Is there a funnier post for Miliband than one that requires extensive use of the government jet?
Iceland boss and Labour’s ‘cost of living champion’ Lord Walker speaking on Newsnight last night on the prospect of Chancellor Ed Miliband:
“He’d be a disaster. I think, listen, of course, you know, I’m speaking on the hottest June on record. Climate change is real. I believe in science. But I think how we’re going about it is far too ideological. I think it’s putting unfair pressure on households and on bill payers in a very regressive way. I think if Ed were to come in, it would be baulked at by the business communities, the markets would freak out.”
First he attacks Starmer and Reeves over benefits, now this. Walker must be suffering from an acute case of buyer’s remorse after defecting from the Tories in 2023. At least he’s speaking more sense recently…
Boris spoke to GB News about Labour’s attempts to restrict donations:
“It looks absolutely pathetic. Just because some people want to support one party very generously, Labour kicks up a huge fuss and says they’re going to cap donations.
I just saw Richard Tice on your show just now. I have to say I rather agree with him.
They’ve got huge amounts of money – troughing it from the trade unions. It’s absolutely ridiculous Labour are trying to cap donations.”