Considering their nefarious activities worldwide, Israel is indeed a rogue nation that will not stop at anything, legal or otherwise, to pursue its self-interests — often at the expense of its friends. The Israelis display no morality in this pursuit and in their arsenal are murder, blackmail, torture and a host of other evils.
Recently, an investigative unit of Al-Jazeera TV, the most popular news service in the region and one that has gained a considerable following around the world with its unbiased reporting on world events, released a film that showed how the Israeli government had ‘infiltrated’ the Conservative and Labour parties in the United Kingdom and the extent of their influence via its embassy in the UK, using coffers of secret cash and covert support from some UK lawmakers.
Al-Jazeera’s undercover reporter Robin (an alias) infiltrated pro-Israeli groups with hidden cameras for the past six months, working “to counter the powerful and growing movement against the illegal occupation of Palestinian land”. He unearthed a close link between Shai Masot, a diplomat at the Israeli embassy in London, and a network of politicians, activists and analysts in Britain who are sympathetic to Israel.
During the course of the investigation, Robin posed as a graduate activist with strong sympathies towards Israel, who was more than keen to help the Israelis fight the rising Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israeli products because of Israel’s illegal land occupation and other brutal activities.
Masot told Robin that it was particularly important for him to build support for Israel among all levels of the Labour Party, which he said was being run by “crazy” leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn. With much disdain, Masot also described Boris Johnson, the British Foreign Secretary, as an “idiot”. “Sir Alan is more powerful because Johnson ‘is an idiot with no responsibilities. If something real happened ... it will be Duncan.”
Video footage from the film shows how Masot made a forceful vow to “take down” Sir Alan Duncan, Johnson’s deputy. Sir Alan has been known to hold a very objective stance on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, much to Israeli concerns.
In the film, Maria Strizzolo, senior aide to Education Minister Robert Halfon, former political director of CFI, is seen as egging him on. Boasting about her role in making Robert Halfon a successful minister, Strizzolo is asked by Masot: “That’s obvious, but can you do the opposite stuff as well? Can I give you some names of MPs? Duncan is doing a lot of problems. Can I give you some names of MPs that I would suggest you take down?”
Strizzolo replied that all MPs “have something they’re trying to hide”, to which the Israeli diplomat answered: “I have some MPs” telling Al-Jazeera’s undercover reporter that: “She knows which MPs I want to take down ... the Deputy Foreign Minister [Duncan].” He adds that Sir Alan — a well-known thorn on the way of illegal Israeli expansion policies is “doing a lot of problems”.
A former British minister claimed that he had first-hand knowledge that groups like Conservative Friends of Israel and Labour Friends of Israel have for years “worked with the Israeli government” to thwart “the actions of ministers who try to defend Palestinian rights”. He added that “if I were to reveal who I am, I would be subjected to a relentless barrage of abuse and character assassination”. Who knows? Perhaps even more.
Naturally, Israeli friends in the UK government immediately stepped in for damage control. Johnson, defying growing calls from the opposition Labour Party and Scottish National Party for an immediate inquiry, said that he considered “the matter closed, after an apology by the Israeli ambassador”. He told the parliament that Masot, the Israeli embassy agent at the centre of the scandal, “no longer seems to be a functionary of the embassy in London”.
The senior director of Conservative Friends of Israel, Lord Stuart Polak, following the revelations on Al-Jazeera, said: “It is utter nonsense to assert that any UK political party is taken over by any organisation. The Friends of Israel groups do their job of educating their members about the complicated issues in the Middle East. The Israeli Embassy represents Israel in a professional manner.”
One also recalls British Prime Minister Theresa May’s recent attack on United States Secretary of State John Kerry’s claim that the current Israeli government is the “most Right-wing in its history”.
The Israeli cancer seems to have infiltrated the depths of the British government.
Tariq A. Al Maeena is a Saudi socio-political commentator. He lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. You can follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@talmaeena.
