British consul general claims the independence of UK foreign policy !!!

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British consul general affirms the independence of UK foreign policy, confirms UK's support for Abbas and Fayyad

Date: 13 / 07 / 2007 Time: 09:43

Bethlehem - Ma'an -

British general consul in Jerusalem, Richard Makepeace, assured on Thursday that the UK's political position is independent from that of the USA. Nevertheless, he affirmed that the UK shares America's vision, and generally that of the international community, in regard to the Palestinian issue, which is to say the two-state vision of Palestine and Israel living independently side-by-side in peace.

During a visit to Ma'an News Agency in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the consul said, "the UK deals with the elected president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, as he represents the legitimacy." Makepeace also clarified that the UK recognizes the government of Salam Fayyad, the prime minister of Abbas' West Bank-based emergency government, which was announced on 17 June.

At the same time, Makepeace also assured that Britain is one of the largest donors to international organizations working in the Gaza Strip.

When asked about the BBC reporter's release and whether that is likely to change the UK position regarding Hamas, he did not answer directly. "We were happy to see him free, especially as he was transmitting the news of the [Gaza] Strip to the world," Makepeace responded.

Regarding the threats of Al-Qaeda in the UK, the consul said such threats and attacks would not affect the UK's foreign policy. He added that, in his view, the reason behind extremism in the world is poverty and ignorance.

Comment on the News:

First, it's amazing that a simple fact is ignored in explaining all these wars and conflicts in the Middle East and around the world. Invasion and occupation of other people's lands and changing their governments by force triggers resistance. How is this fact so hard to discover?

Second, the British foreign policy has never been independent from the US foreign policy and from the Zionist project to establish Israel on the expense of the Palestinian people. Britain has always followed the Zionist orders from the Balfour Declaration until the invasion of Iraq, and the boycott of the democratically-elected Hamas governement.

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