Ed Miliband accuses David Cameron of 'inexplicable silence' in row over Gaza

[malaise]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/02/ed-miliband-david-cameron-inexplicable-silence-gaza
<snip>
An unseemly row has broken out between Ed Miliband and David Cameron over the crisis in Gaza after the Labour leader claimed the prime minister's "silence" on events was "inexplicable".

Downing Street responded with a statement accusing Miliband of "playing politics" as the death toll of Palestinians exceeded 1,650 and Israel confirmed that it had lost 63 soldiers and three civilians, its highest death toll since the 2006 Lebanon war.

The row came after Nick Clegg issued a plea for the Israeli government to halt its military operations and talk to Hamas, warning that the assault on Gaza appeared to be a "disproportionate" response to rocket attacks from the territory.

In the Commons last month, Cameron did voice "grave concern" about the death toll in Gaza but had stressed that Israel had a right to defend itself and accused Hamas of triggering the crisis.

But in a statement on Saturday, which broke with the norm of presenting a united front on matters of foreign policy, Miliband said Cameron had so far failed to send out "clear and unequivocal message" to both sides in the conflict.
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Good and don't forget Miliband is Jewish. Every decent human being is disgusted.
For the record Gordon Brown was the first British politician to condemn the slaughter in Gaza.

[Mutiny In Heaven]

1. I posted this earlier and

am glad someone else has done the same (http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025327223).

Miliband is hardly the most radical politician, yet he is so much more sensible than ANY major American 'progressive' on this issue. Warren, Sanders, Brown etc - none can muster the slightest bit of dissent or balance, all are too scared to say boo to a goose. Yet the oft ridiculed Miliband shames them all without sounding in the least bit extreme.

[malaise]

2. Never saw it

Just gave it a kick

[Mutiny In Heaven]

3. Thanks

I hope I didn't seem snippy pointing that out; I just wanted it to be known that Miliband's eloquent statement had been noticed. Naturally, plenty of people on Twitter have offered ugly responses to his words. That, of course, is because they are cretins.

[stranger81]

4. Complete agree. The spectrum of acceptable political expression is much broader

in England, though, than it is here. Plus, last I read ony something like 15% of the British public supports Israel's current operations in Gaza. Virtually the inverse of public opinion numbers here.

[Mutiny In Heaven]

5. I understand but...

some of the people who are marching lock-step in 'the Likud way' are those who would be considered very much to the left of the Democratic party centre. I understand some measure of caution - just look at how Netanyahu treats behind-the-scenes dissent from the White House - but the absolute, abject inability to be in the slightest bit nuanced on this issue really shames these guys.

People like to brand Obama a coward on every issue under the sun, but he's trying to balance a full fucking city of cards, opposed to Warren, Sanders et al who have to deal with a mere outhouse in comparison. Furthermore, his government is clearly TRYING to do something in the background, or Netanyahu wouldn't despise him so virulently. That's worth keeping in mind when people assume that these characters would waltz into the White House and create a left-wing utopia.

[stranger81]

8. I totally agree. The only Dem who's shown any independence on this issue so far

is Keith Ellison. Thank god for him, but we need MANY more like him to make any measurable difference. I do not understand Sanders, Warren, et. al.'s toeing the party line on this issue, given their general social justice orientation on just about every other issue, and it doesn't bode well for what we can reasonably expect them to be willing to push for if they were to ever get keys to the big office.

As for President Obama and Secretary Kerry, I am personally very grateful to them for continuing to try to press forward towards some kind of cease-fire here. It's a completely thankless job. I'm sorry they haven't been able to make more progress so far, and I wish that they would show more independence from Israeli wishes and demands, but I believe they both genuinely want to see the bloodshed stop. Secretary Kerry also deserves credit for trying to balance the needs of both sides in the draft cease-fire agreement that the Israelis went so nuts over. It's the first step towards balanced U.S. mediation of this conflict that I've seen in a long time.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, malaise.

[kelliekat44]

7. One is always accused of "playing politics" or "anti-Semitism" when criticizing Israeli government

actions.

Who will investigate and speak out about Israeli censorship of the press over the death of the IDF soldier. How was he actually killed? When?

More bombing will be done to cover this up and divert attention away from what Netanyahu has done and is doing and our own government, including the President, is complicit in the cover up.

[Douglas Carpenter]

9. knr