Activists: Britain must talk to Hamas

Louise Nousratpour in Manchester
Wednesday Sep 24, 2008
The Morning Star

Convention of the Left: PALESTINE campaigners called on Britain and the US to negotiate with the democratically elected Hamas government on Wednesday and to press Israel to lift the devastating siege of the Gaza Strip.

The activists were attending an open debate at the Convention of the Left in Manchester entitled "If they can talk to the IRA, Why can't they talk to Hamas?"

Convention organiser and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) activist Linda Claire acknowledged that there were stark differences between the IRA and Hamas.

But she stressed: "Britain has played a key role in isolating Hamas and I believe that the situation can be compared to Britain's role in Ireland and the IRA."

Terry Callogly, who was one of the international observers at the 2006 elections that brought Hamas to power, described the process as "extremely democratic" and condemned Israel and its allies' refusal to enter into talks.

"More than 70 per cent voted for Hamas, which is twice as much as the 36 per cent former prime minister Tony Blair got in the 2005 election," he pointed out.

"How can he turn around and say that Hamas is not a legitimate government. We must highlight the double standard and pressure our government to talk to Hamas because there is no road to peace unless we do that."

Anne Brown argued that the West and Israel would only be satisfied if "Palestinians continued having elections until they elect a Western puppet regime that will do as it is told."

Martin Brown branded Israel "a proxy state, policing the Middle East on behalf of the US, Britain and European imperialism in search of profits. Peace is not profitable, but war is."

Dorothy Forbes of Campaign Against the Arms Trade highlighted the strong influence that zionist lobbyists in the US have.

"US senators and politicians don't dare oppose Israel because they will lose their position," she noted.

Ms Forbes further expressed her support for the PSC call for a boycott of Israeli goods, adding: "We should also put pressure on arms companies to stop selling weapons to this murderous state."