this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2024
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Senior diplomat resigns over UK’s complicity in ‘war crimes’ in Gaza (www.middleeastmonitor.com)
submitted 3 months ago by Linkerbaan@lemmy.world to c/uk_politics
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Mark Smith, the head of Africa Programmes and Expertise Department and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, submitted a resignation letter entitled “FCDO complicity in War Crimes” reports revealed yesterday.

“It is with sadness that I resign after a long career in the diplomatic service,” he wrote, “however I can no longer carry out my duties in the knowledge that this Department may be complicit in War Crimes. ”

He went on to highlight how “senior members of the Israeli government and militar have expressed open genocidal intent, Isralei soldiers take videos, deliberately burning destroying, and looting civilian property and openly admit to the rape and torture of prisoners.”

Adding that such actions, along with the displacement of over 80 per cent of Gaza’s civilian population “are War Crimes”, he said “there is no justification for the UK’s continued arms sales to Israel yet somehow it continues.”

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[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Starmer is a Zionist as much as Joe “Irish American Zionist” Biden is

you mean like this?

US President Joe Biden repeats that he’s a Zionist during White House Hanukkah event

Or this ?

‘You need not be a Jew to be Zionist,’ US President Biden says

There's no way to know

'You don't have to be a Jew to be a Zionist', Biden says in meeting with victims' families

[–] mannycalavera 0 points 3 months ago (2 children)

How can he be both a proud Irishman 🇮🇪 (given it's complex history with occupation and colonialism) and also a Zionist? 🤔. Something doesn't sound right.

Unless, and hear me out, he's simply a Zionist when it suits him electorally and he's an Irishman 🇮🇪 when it suits him electorally too. In other words: he knows which way his bread is buttered. Same with Starmer although I doubt he'd go as far to actually proclaim himself as a Zionist. He's not stupid.

Whether he (Biden that is) is actually a Zionist I don't know but my guess is that he feels a stronger belonging to Ireland than Israel but understands how to play politics when it suits him. He is also more strongly an American than an Irishman 🇮🇪 so if it suits the USA but angers Ireland then so be it. For example I don't think he's exactly popular in Ireland for that very reason right now.

[–] sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al 4 points 3 months ago

Bro, this hill ain't worth dying on. He produced a few examples of Biden saying it himself. Clearly you don't know him as well as you thought.

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world -3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Biden is very much an ideological Zionist. A politician has no problem throwing his Irish roots under the bus Biden in no way represents the good Irish folk,

Bidens carreer was made by being a corporate ploy and he was always at the forefront of any pro-israel legislation.

Starmer is very similar. His entire carreer exists becacse he coup'd Jeremy Corbyn for israel.

I'm not sure how ideologically Starmer is attached to israel, but his political carreer and israel are very much intertwined.

Nobody is under any illusion that israel isn't committing Genocide anymore. The politicians pretending the are, are getting paid to close their eyes.

[–] mannycalavera 3 points 3 months ago (2 children)

A politician has no problem throwing his Irish roots under the bus Biden in no way represents the good Irish folk,

I think we're agreeing on this point. Im just going one further and saying I don't think he's a true Zionist either. He's a Zionist because it suits him politically. Just like he's Irish when it shits him politically. He's 100% team USA.

I'm not sure how ideologically Starmer is attached to israel, but his political carreer and israel are very much intertwined.

Absolutely true. Especially if the middle east situation drags on.

Nobody is under any illusion that israel isn't committing Genocide anymore

True that. Realistically what can anyone do about it when the US will shield them?

[–] Mrkawfee 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Biden has been consistently pro Israel for decades. I don't think it's political opportunism. If it was he would have read the room months ago and told Netanyahu to wrap up the genocide.

https://youtu.be/86Nrv5izaTs?si=rl5nNFcjrGIP59Of

[–] Zorque@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

I mean, he technically did. He just didn't follow it up with action.

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Realistically what can anyone do about it when the US will shield them?

Not expecting Starmer to stop the Genocide, just not participating in it.

There are laws against supplying arms for war crimes. Just following those laws would be the minimum.