London: The UK government’s policy towards the Israeli assault on Gaza was in danger of falling apart on Tuesday night in the wake of the surprise resignation of the Foreign Office minister Sayeeda Warsi and a demand by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg that Britain immediately suspend arms export licences to Israel.
Warsi’s departure exacerbated coalition tensions over Gaza, prompting Clegg to urge an immediate suspension of arms export licences, saying that Israel had breached the conditions. He said the suspension should remain in force until an agreement is reached across the government on any permanent revocation in the coming days.
Ministers agreed to a review of the licences last week, but Clegg has decided to ratchet up the pressure, saying: “I believe the actions of the Israeli military [is] overstepping the mark in Gaza, breach the conditions of those export licences and that’s why we want to see them suspended pending a wider review of whether they should be revoked more permanently in the long run.”
Revealing he has been putting pressure on his Conservative colleagues for a suspension of the licences rather than a review, he said: “I believe we will be able to make an announcement on this, finally, very shortly. It’s very important that in response to clearly what appears to be disproportionate military action of Israel in Gaza, we should be suspending the arms export licences that presently exist.”
Warsi’s departure also prompted a vicious round of briefing against her by some Tories, condemning her variously as egotistical, incompetent, a Hamas sympathiser and motivated by pique at her failure to be promoted in the last reshuffle.
However, Downing Street, aware that she has the potential to cause lethal damage if she broadens her attack on the Cameron circle, as her resignation letter threatened, distanced itself from such briefings. Cameron, in his reply to her resignation letter, lavished praise on her and urged her to raise any issues with him in the future. It is known she has kept copious diaries, and officials fear she may claim in retrospect she was used as a token Muslim.
— Guardian News & Media Ltd
