Jonathan Freedland is joined in the studio this week by religious affairs correspondent Riazat Butt, Guardian leader writer Anne Perkins, and Tim Samuels, presenter of Men’s Hour on BBC Radio Five Live.With another ream of secret documents thrust into … Continue reading
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Week in review podcast: Leaks, sexism, and the end of meritocracy
Jonathan Freedland is joined in the studio this week by religious affairs correspondent Riazat Butt, Guardian leader writer Anne Perkins, and Tim Samuels, presenter of Men’s Hour on BBC Radio Five Live.
With another ream of secret documents thrust into the public domain, we begin by discussing what the Palestine Papers tell us about diplomacy in a WikiLeaks world. (Be sure to listen to our Focus podcast about the reaction in Middle East to the publishing of these documents.)
Also in this week’s show, David Schneider gives us his analysis of the Andy Gray and Richard Keys sexism row. The pair were on-mic but off-air – so was this another example of this new WikiLeaks world, where nothing is off the record?
Finally, we examine how class and privilege has crept back into British politics and ask – much as Andrew Neil did this week – has meritocracy had its day?
Blair says leak of Palestine papers ‘destabilising’ for peace process
Former prime minister, now Middle East peace envoy, says intention of leak ‘was to be extremely damaging’Tony Blair today accused those responsible for the leak of vast numbers of papers about talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis of wanting … Continue reading
Blair says leak of Palestine papers ‘destabilising’ for peace process
Former prime minister, now Middle East peace envoy, says intention of leak ‘was to be extremely damaging’
Tony Blair today accused those responsible for the leak of vast numbers of papers about talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis of wanting to seriously damage the peace process.
The former prime minister – now a Middle East peace envoy – said the release of the confidential documents prepared by Palestinian negotiators had been “destablising”.
But, in an interview on BBC Radio 4′s Today programme, he urged the Palestinians to ignore the damage caused and press ahead with the drive for peace.
Thousands of pages of Palestinian documents covering more than a decade of negotiations with Israel and the US were obtained by al-Jazeera television and shared exclusively with the Guardian.
The papers revealed that Palestinian negotiators were willing to go much further in offering concessions than their people realised.
Asked how much damage the leaks had caused, Blair told Today: “I think it’s hard to tell right now, but its intention was to be extremely damaging.
“I think, amongst Palestinians, it is slightly less hyper than it is elsewhere in the region. Most people, when they sit back and think about it, you would expect people to be negotiating, to be putting forward positions, taking them back.”
Blair said he knew from his experience in Northern Ireland how damaging leaks of this kind could be.
“We could not have done the Northern Ireland peace process if, the entire time, [information] was being put out there with a pretty severe spin on it. So I think it is destabilising for the Palestinians,” he added.
But he also said the Palestinians should not let the leak undermine the peace process. “I think we’ve just got to be big enough and strong enough to say, OK, whatever al-Jazeera are putting out, we’re going to get on with making peace,” he said.
In the interview, Blair also said Egypt should “evolve and modernise”, but in a way that ensured stability.
“The challenges have been the same for these countries for a long period of time,” he added. “The question is how they evolve and modernise, but do so with stability. The danger is [that] if you open up a vacuum, anything can happen.
“All over that region, there is essentially one issue, which is how do they evolve and modernise, both in terms of their economy, their society and their politics.
“All I’m saying is that, in the case of Egypt and in the case in Yemen, because there are other factors in this – not least those who would use any vacuum in order to foment extremism – that you do this in what I would call a stable and ordered way.”
Blair said the west should engage with countries such as Egypt in the process of change “so that you weren’t left with what is actually the most dangerous problem in the Middle East, which is that an elite that has an open minded attitude but it’s out of touch with popular opinion, and popular opinion that can often – because it has not been given popular expression in its politics – end up frankly with the wrong idea and a closed idea.”
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Palestinian ambassador to UK’s office taken over by protesters
Palestinian students hold peaceful sit-in at Hammersmith office of general delegation to Britain over negotiations with Israel
The offices of the Palestinian ambassador to the UK have been occupied by a group of students who are demanding new Palestinian national council elections.
At 1pm today, around a dozen Palestinian students from a number of British universities arrived at the Palestinian general delegation to the UK in Hammersmith, west London.
Although they had made an appointment to see the ambassador, Professor Manuel Hassassian, they arrived in large numbers and with computers and banners.
A spokesman for the students said they had been moved to stage a peaceful sit-in by the release of leaked Palestinian papers over the last few days.
“The documents confirmed what we had known all along — that they are out of touch with the people,” the spokesman said.
As well as calling for new elections, the students — from Oxford, SOAS, LSE, City and Westminster universities — are demanding a more inclusive political process that reflects and engages all Palestinians.
“We are ready to stay as long as necessary until our message has been received and understood,” he said.
The ambassador, whose office has been occupied, has asked the students to leave the room but has told them they are welcome to remain in the building.
“They told me they wanted to hold a sit-in in my office. I told them: ‘You’re welcome. This is your embassy. This is your home’,” he said.
Hassassian also said he had agreed to pass their demands on to the Palestinian government, but needed his office back if he was to relay them.
“We are being very hospitable and we hope that they respect our hospitality,” he said.
Two Metropolitan police officers entered the embassy a little after 4pm, and chatted to the ambassador and protesters.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Palestinian ambassador to UK’s office taken over by protesters
Palestinian students hold peaceful sit-in at Hammersmith office of general delegation to Britain over negotiations with IsraelThe offices of the Palestinian ambassador to the UK have been occupied by a group of students who are demanding new Palestinia… Continue reading
Letters: Opposition, intransigence and terrorism in the Middle East
You publish a letter that I find shocking (26 January), arguing that terrorism is a justified moral response to Israeli intransigence. I have spent long periods in Israel and the Palestinian territories, meeting leaders on both sides, and doing the same in Republican areas of Northern Ireland. My conclusion is that terrorism’s audience is a domestic political one; it is designed to make militant a home population and render it fertile to the political ambitions of one party. It cannot be that it holds to a practical aim when that requires the abolition of the state of Israel or “the removal of the British from Ireland”.
Terrorism prolongs conflict and postpones resolution, as well as wasting innocent lives. The rowing back from the bloodshed is hard. Meanwhile, there is in Israel an articulate and motivated peace lobby. Who could argue that terrorism has not empowered the political right in that country and entrenched its divisions, weakening the case of those who argue for a settlement? There is neither a “moral right” nor a practical argument for terrorism in the modern world.
Stephen Davis
Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire
• I have been a supporter of the Palestinian cause for many years, but I do not believe terrorism is justified. If suicide bombing is the only avenue available, then that is tolerable against military forces. Blowing yourself up outside falafel stands is most definitely not.
Kashif Sheikh
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
• Various people have lined up to urge Ian McEwan not to accept the Jerusalem prize. It was such opposition that provoked Susan Sontag into attending. In her speech she attacked Israel for its policy of collective punishment, the demolition of homes and the building of settlements. People left the hall. Arthur Miller had his doubts, but accepted. In his recorded speech, he accused Israel of adopting a self-defeating policy. He was denounced by the newly elected ultra-Orthodox mayor. Good luck, Ian.
University of East Anglia
• Ian McEwan (Letters, 26 January) cites Daniel Barenboim in his defence. The incredibly brave Barenboim has not only formed a wonderful, ethnically inclusive orchestra. He has repeatedly championed the rights of the Palestinians. When a while ago he received an award in the Israeli parliament building, he was insulted for his peace efforts by a minister. He responded with vigour and without apology. Can we expect similar outspokenness from McEwan?
Lab, Manchester Gorton
• How sad that on Holocaust Memorial Day a British writer should be told not to accept a prize from his Jewish admirers in Israel.
Lab, Rotherham
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Letters: Opposition, intransigence and terrorism in the Middle East
You publish a letter that I find shocking (26 January), arguing that terrorism is a justified moral response to Israeli intransigence. I have spent long periods in Israel and the Palestinian territories, meeting leaders on both sides, and doing the sam… Continue reading
Only authentic leaders can deliver a Middle East peace | Seumas Milne
This week’s leaks have exposed the dangerous folly of US and British attempts to control and divide the PalestiniansIt’s a tragedy for the Palestinian people that at a time when their cause is the focus of greater global popular support than ever in th… Continue reading
Only authentic leaders can deliver a Middle East peace | Seumas Milne
This week’s leaks have exposed the dangerous folly of US and British attempts to control and divide the PalestiniansIt’s a tragedy for the Palestinian people that at a time when their cause is the focus of greater global popular support than ever in th… Continue reading
Palestine papers: Erekat asks US, UK and France for help to find leaker
Senior Palestinian negotiator says he wants ex-British spy, US journalist and French national to appear before inquiryA senior Palestinian official today said he has asked the US, Britain and France to help bring three of their nationals for questionin… Continue reading
Palestine papers: Erekat asks US, UK and France for help to find leaker
Senior Palestinian negotiator says he wants ex-British spy, US journalist and French national to appear before inquiryA senior Palestinian official today said he has asked the US, Britain and France to help bring three of their nationals for questionin… Continue reading
Guardian Focus podcast: The Palestine Papers
The spotlight has fallen on the stalled – some day dead – Middle East peace process this week as thousands of pages of secret material were shared with the Guardian by al-Jazeera TV.Ian Black, the Guardian’s Middle East editor, unpacks the week’s relea… Continue reading
Guardian Focus podcast: The Palestine Papers
The spotlight has fallen on the stalled – some day dead – Middle East peace process this week as thousands of pages of secret material were shared with the Guardian by al-Jazeera TV.Ian Black, the Guardian’s Middle East editor, unpacks the week’s relea… Continue reading
PA’s foreknowledge of the Gaza war?
Did the PA know about the Gaza war in advance? That’s a question raised by several exchanges in The Palestine Papers. Continue reading