The government could clear up the issue of Fox Gould and Werritty if it answered these very simple questions. They are questions to which in any real democracy we would be entitled to expect an answer, concerning officials paid by us. I have put these questions to them. Consider why the government refuses to answer these simple and obvious questions.
But the truly terrifying thing is not just that the government refuses to answer these questions from me, it is that the mainstream media refuses even to ask them:
How many times in total did Gould, Werritty and Fox meet?
How many of these are listed in O’Donnell’s official investigation?
Why the discrepancy?
Did the meeting between Fox, Gould and Werritty while Fox was Shadow Defence Secretary follow official rules concerning briefing of opposition front bench spokesmen by officials?
Where did it take place?
When did Gould first meet Werritty?
How many times did Gould meet Werritty without Fox present?
How many communications of all sorts have there ever been between Gould and Werritty?
Where precisely was the “Pre-posting briefing meeting” for Gould with Werritty and Fox held?
Why was it not held in the Secretary of State’s office?
Why was no MOD official present?
Who paid for the “Private dinner” between Fox, Gould and Werritty and “Senior Israelis” in Tel Aviv in February 2011?
Who was present?
Was any note subsequently made of the discussion?
Who paid for the “social engagement” to which Fox invited Gould and Werritty in summer 2010?
Who was present?
Was the possibility of an attack on Iran discussed in any of the above meetings, events or communications?
These really are very simple questions and I will happily report any answer in full. Every media outlet should be asking these questions. Remember Werritty had no security clearance. It is therefore not possible that the answers to these questions is classified information.
If the explanations are innocent, why should these questions not be answered?
ACTION Please send reasoned communications to mainstream media journalists and editors, asking them if they will put these questions to the government. You may also like to contact your MP or any other politician you find reasonable, to ask them whether they are not interested to know the answers.
The answer to these questions would not be hidden in a democracy.
Please post in comments all responses you get, including from journalists.
There is always hope.
Something to cheer you all along.
The funniest piece of political fun you will have watched for a while or two.
Obi Ron Kenobi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9hGCM0v7Eg&feature=player_embedded
Sometimes the good guys do win.
Nobody is safe from Israel’s military assaults.
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AP Video: Aftermath of Gaza air strike
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/aftermath-of-gaza-airstrike/2011/11/14/gIQAB1agKN_video.html
French Consul and family wounded in Israeli attack on Gaza. IMEMC 14 November / The French Consul in the Gaza Strip, Majdi Jameel Yaseen Shaqqoura, 44, his wife and his two children were wounded in an Israeli attack in Beit Lahia. They were in their home when they were injured by shrapnel. Additionally, as a result of the attack, the Consul’s wife suffered a miscarriage. At approximately 01:55 Israeli war-planes launched four missiles at the beach in front of the al-Nawras Resort, in the Al-Sudaniya area, killing Mohammed Zaher Zaki al-Kilani (22), whose body was torn to pieces. {http://www.imemc.org/article/62504}
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These were large bombs
Good catch, Mary. It is sometimes difficult to remember that the State religion of the UK is Christianity, and that Purim is not one of the C of E’s feasts. And while I am sure holocaust survivors in Israel need all the help they can get, that is probably someone else’s responsibility, not ours. No doubt some of them live in illegal settlements…still, that’s what ambassadors are for. Isn’t it? Craig? Expert witness needed here.
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Can anyone find details of this year’s Armistice Day ceremony in Israel? Where those who helped end the holocaust as well as those killed by Irgun were remembered? Clue: Don’t google “Remembrance Day”, as, in Israel, that will lead you to the holocaust remembrance again.
Interesting to see “launched at the beach…” from the WaPo. Less partisan sources reported at the time that the attack had been on a Palestinian naval or police building. Had the consul not been involved, it would have passed unnoticed by the MSM…
More attacks on Gaza at dawn this morning.
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Two Injured In Israeli Airstrikes Targeting Gaza
Wednesday November 16, 2011 11:09 by Saed Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies
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Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported that three Palestinians were injured, on Wednesday at dawn, after the Israeli Air Force carried out a number of airstrikes targeting different areas in the coastal region.
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A woman was wounded when the Israeli air-force fired a missile into an agricultural land in Al Sourani Mountain, in Gaza’s At-Tuffah neighborhood; damage to a number of homes in the area was reported.
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Also, an Israeli war-jet fired a missile at a group of resistance fighters in At-Tuwam area northwest of Gaza Strip; one fighter was mildly wounded while the rest managed to escape the attack unharmed.
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Later on, the army fired a missile into an open area west of Jabalia town, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip but the missile impacted the ground without exploding.
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Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli choppers fired flares over several areas in the coastal region, an issue that caused panic among the civilians who fear further attacks.
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http://www.imemc.org/article/62512
You are so right Komodo. And you get electronic musak on this too.
http://www.masada2000.org/remembrance.html
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The other links were to the Holocaust Remembrance Day which is called YomHaShoah but I couldn’t work out the actual date from the Wikipedia page {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_HaShoah}
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Yom HaShoah was inaugurated in 1953, anchored in a law signed by the Prime Minister of Israel David Ben-Gurion and the President of Israel Yitzhak Ben-Zvi.
‘The original proposal was to hold Yom HaShoah on the 14th of Nisan, the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising (April 19, 1943), but this was problematic because the 14th of Nisan is the day immediately before Pesach (Passover). The date was moved to the 27th of Nisan, which is eight days before Yom Ha’atzma’ut, or Israeli Independence Day.
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While there are Orthodox Jews who commemorate the Holocaust on Yom HaShoah, others in the Orthodox community—especially Haredim, including Hasidim—remember the victims of the Holocaust on days of mourning declared by the rabbis before the Holocaust, such as Tisha b’Av in the summer.[2] , and the Tenth of Tevet, in the winter, because in the Jewish tradition the month of Nisan is considered a joyous month associated with Passover and messianic redemption. Ismar Schorsch, former Chancellor of Conservative Judaism’s Jewish Theological Seminary of America held that Holocaust commemoration should take place on Tisha b’Av.[3]’
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So many days! So little time to carry out the attacks on Gaza.
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Mary: It’s called “schmalz”…
Mary, Komodo,
There is no doubt that Gould’s aggressive promotion of Zionism and Israeli interests is wrong in a diplomat. But there is nothing especially wrong in the specific activities you pinpoint most recently. Diplomatic enetertaining is an important tool of the job – a bit strange to hold it on a Jewish festival, I think the key question is whether he invited arab and other non-Jewish Israelis. But nothing wrong in itself.
I see nothing wrong at all with his charity work for Holocaust survivors.
Thanks, Craig. My ignorance of the limits of diplomatic activities is pretty well complete, thank you for your input.
….but I still think the boundah’s gorn native….
Mary/Komodo
It is perfectly possible to make your observations on the behaviour of the IDF without resorting to bad taste comments about Israeli Jews commemorate the dead and their ancestors or how a British Jew celebrates a Jewish festival while in Israel since quite frankly how they do so is up to them and none of your business.
Stephen,
the last of your points not entirely true as the taxpayer pays directly for Gould’s parties
Glad that’s clear. Anyway mustn’t mention the H word. But it was OK for Vilnai to promise ‘a greater shoah’ on the people of Gaza.
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http://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/2346-shoah-a-promise-of-holocaust-delivered-in-gaza.pdf
“…bad taste comments about [how]Israeli Jews commemorate the dead…”
I wasn’t aware that I had made one, and it wasn’t my intention. Mary had supplied me with a definition of “chutzpah”, a couple of days ago, and I responded with the appropriate Yiddish for the tacky muzak on her link. But if it was offensive, just set it against the “bad taste comments” from (some) Israeli Jews and their supporters about the Cast Lead dead. Thank you.
If Craig is in any danger (which he probably isn’t – they would have bumped him off years ago – before he spilt all the beans), shouldn’t he be keeping his mobile switched on, rather than switched off?
I doubt if anyone is protecting him either, but if they are, keeping his mobile switched on will probably make it easier for security services to keep tabs on him.
Don’t 99.9% of spooks sit in offices behind a keyboard, rather than doing this James Bond stuff?
It’s all info wars now, and mass slaughter, rather than picking off individuals of courage and integrity. They just get fired for doing their jobs. Bumping them off is too messy and leads to too many questions.
Tony
Anyway, back to the topic:
http://www.prozion.org.uk/zf_israel_63_trip.htm
You can meet Gould and Regev in a settlement.
Tony,
I was not avoiding being bumped off. I was avoiding them tracing me to the person I was going to meet.
I know. I thought your article was great, and posted a link to it on the Telegraph yesterday about “Benjamin Netanyahu ‘turning Israel into a dictatorship'”
“What Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition does in Israel is of no great concern to me.
However, The Infiltration into the Highest Levels of UK Government is of enormous concern, because its clear intention is to involve the UK in a disastrous War with IRAN.
You Really Should Read This Article From Former British Ambassador Craig Murray.
Its like reading a mini spy novel except it is now, real and true.
“Matthew Gould and the Plot to Attack Iran”
By Craig Murray
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29713.htm
Tony
Some people are saying that the Grauniad deletes all links to Craig’s article – it ain’t so, as you can see if you search for craigmurray (one word) on CiF. However, if you’re worried, then as Tony suggests above, post one of the mirror links – ICH or wherever.
Am I allowed by the JNF/ZF censors here to repeat the word NAZI conjoined with the words IDF troops? From YNet
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‘Ireland most hostile country in Europe’
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Foreign Ministry accuses Irish government of inciting against Israel. Dublin City Council sponsors display presenting IDF soldiers as ‘Nazi troops’ abusing Palestinians
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Itamar Eichner Published: 11.16.11, 12:02 / Israel News
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Hatred of Israel reaches new levels in Ireland: An outrageous anti-Israel display was held over the weekend on Dublin’s main pedestrian street, presenting IDF soldiers as Nazi troops.
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As part of the display, sponsored by the Dublin City Council, a group of pro-Palestinian activists set up a model of the separation fence and an IDF roadblock.
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Related stories:
Foreign Ministry beats Israel boycotts
Suspension of anti-Israel musicians blasted
Op-ed: Jew-haters welcome in EU
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The activists dressed up as soldiers and beat, humiliated and pointed their weapons at other activists dressed as Palestinians, in front of thousands of Irish citizens and tourists.
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The display joins accusations voiced against Israel at the Irish parliament last week, on the backdrop of claims that Israel “kidnapped”, abused and undressed Irish nationals who took part in a Gaza-bound flotilla stopped by the Israeli army recently.
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Israel has strongly denied the accusations.
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But that’s not all. A Facebook group launched about two months ago called for heavy rocks to be thrown at the Israeli Embassy building in Dublin. Anti-Israel elements recently vandalized a Dublin auditorium slated to host a concert by Israeli singer Izhar Ashdot.
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The Facebook accounts of Israeli Embassy officials have been attacked by Irish hackers and, in addition, anti-Israeli elements are attempting to disrupt an Israeli film festival organized by the embassy in Dublin next week.
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“The Irish government is feeding its people with anti-Israel hatred,” an Israeli official argued. “What we are seeing here is clear anti-Semitism.”
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/…
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http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4149059,00.html
The simple answer to the Israeli official is to stop the IDF and the Israeli government oppressing, arresting and imprisoning, wounding and killing the Palestinians.
So….nothing to do with the 14 Irish passengers on the Saoirse, or the 5 on the Rachel Corrie, then.
Back to Israel Connect, the ZF organisation that brings young people closer to Israel but not together of course.
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We have just missed James Arbuthnot MP Chairman CFoI chairing a meeting on the Balfour declaration.
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The Annual Balfour Lecture
02.11.11
180 guests attended the Zionist Federation’s annual Balfour Lecture at the Foreign Office on Wednesday 2nd November and heard from Professor Benny Morris who recounted the Arab reaction to Balfour Declaration and the consequences of it in the history of the Middle East. Chaired by James Arbuthnot MP, the evening was also an opportunity to hear from Israel’s New Ambassador to the UK who praised the continuing work of the ZF in Israel advocacy.
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We have also missed a trip around Brick Lane where we would have learnt that Ben Gurion was British. http://www.israelconnect.co.uk/uploads/v_1313484495.jpg
Absolutely-no-connection zone:
http://www.webelieveinisrael.org/
“AMONG OUR EMINENT SPEAKERS WERE:
Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP, Secretary of State for Defence
Gideon Sa’ar MK, Israeli Minister for Education
Natan Sharansky, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel
Ambassador Matthew Gould, British Ambassador to Israel
Ambassador Ron Prosor, Israeli Ambassador to the Court of St James
Trevor Kavanagh, Associate Editor and Columnist, the Sun
Matthew Doyle, Political Director, the Office of Tony Blair
Rt. Hon Bill Rammell, Former Minister of State at the Foreign Office and for the Armed Forces,
currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Plymouth
Professor Robbie Sabel, Lecturer in International Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Former Legal Advisor to the Israeli Foreign Ministry
Dr Tal Becker, Former Israeli Negotiator and Ex-Chief Advisor to Tzipi Livni, BICOM Senior Visiting Fellow
Colonel Richard Kemp, Former Commander of British Troops in Afghanistan
Amos Harel, Military Correspondent and Defence Analyst, Haaretz
Jonathan Freedland, Journalist, Author and Broadcaster, the Guardian (hmmm…. -K)
DJ Schneeweiss, Diplomat, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Luciana Berger, Labour & Co-operative MP, Former Director of LFI
Nick Boles, Conservative MP
Louise Ellman, Labour MP…”
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etc, etc.
Komodo,
Excellent!
John Goss: But what do you understand by the following: ‘Gould, who was stationed in Tehran in a previous post, said that his government saw preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons as an important priority.
“My government absolutely agrees with your conception of the Iranian threat and the importance of your determination to battle it.” Dealing with the Iranian threat will be a large part of my work here.” Gould said.’
Me: Seems entirely reasonable. What, honestly, do you think the Iranian regime represent? Motherhood and apple pie? What d’you think they’re gonna DO with these toys?
John Goss: I’m pre-empting your answer here, because I know you will claim that Iran is a threat. But like there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein was developing WMDs there is no evidence that Iran is manufacturing nuclear weapons. But those with an agenda will claim that and use it as an excuse for “Dealing with the Iranian threat”. Many of us are much more fearful that Israel, and the USA again, are much more likely to use nuclear weapons than Iran. What do they teach at St Paul’s?
Me: Very prescient of you. But you are wrong. There was evidence that Saddam intended to develop WMD, and there is plenty to suggest that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. Plenty of it. What more do you want? You have blinded yourself to reality wearing your anti-imperialist blinkers.
What I learnt at school and since, is concrete thinking. Try it !
Ken: You are trying to post a rosy picture of Israel as a democracy,now maybe this might work for you with someone who knows noting about the country but it will not work with me and asking silly questions tying to insinuate that I support Hamas does your argument no good at all. At this very moment their is a debate in the Knesset to stop the Arabic language from being recognised as an official language of Israel.
Me: I have not insinuated you support Hamas. Meanwhile there’s a debate in the Knesset about what should be recognized as official languages. OK, there’s a debate – damn those fascists!!
Ken: So much for your claims of freedom of the press. Some interesting stuff in the link about prosecuting journalists,holding them without trial,shooting them etc etc.
Me: Shooting journalists? I don’t believe you. You are a liar.
Me to Ingo: Your stuff is deeply felt, but there’s so much inchoate sentimentalism in it, it’s impossible to respond to. That’s not to say it’s not genuinely felt. But it does not amount to an argument.
Fedup: Makes me sick the apartheid segregationist ziofuckwits suffering from masada complex whining on about dangers from the world over.
Me: See what I mean?
Anders: Daisy, thsnkd for the attention, but I can’t follow your reasoning. Are you saying that the deaths in Libya satisfy a primitive blood lust in me, and that I’m sad but actually evil? Is that it?
=========
She was trying to say that you are a trolling know-nothing weapons grade tosser, but was too polite to say so.
Me: Bang to rights!
Suhayl Saadi: Hello, Julian. Thank you for responding.
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The debate is much appreciated. Are you in a position to venture to answer Craig’s questions? If not, then, instead of attempting to character-assassinate Craig Murray, I suggest that you also may wish to withhold judgement until you have heard the answers – if indeed, any answers are forthcoming, which at present they do not seem to be.
Me: But Craig’s questions are obvious ones, and will be answered. As a matter of course they will be answered. Why imply they won’t be?
Suhayl Saadi: Incidentally, Stephen, while your typically measured and rational response to Julian was much-welcomed, your characterisation of the many people who comment here as ‘Craig Murray’s fan-club’ minimises the importance of Craig Murray as a key, comprehensive and active whistleblower from within the British establishment. One suspects, from the information he posted on the previous thread, that he gives the hard state considerable cause for concern as a potential, or actual, conduit for other whistleblowers.
Me: Demonstrates that Murray is a cult, like Pilger or Chomsky. The hive-mind at work once again.
Komodo: Julian is a hasbara troll. Safely ignore
Me: Hilarious. Anyway, off to collect my brown envelope now, Cheers!
For the record, have had a note from one of Rory Stewart’s underlings saying he is extremely grateful for the link.
The only one pro active positive move Netanyahu could do now to save himself and pull Israel out of its self lobotomising limbo, is to free Marwan Barghouti as part of the second 550 prsoners till to be released.
His moderate stance could not only bring a new unifying force to palestinians yearning to come off Hamas, but also galvanise many Israelis who support the cause to free him.
More stalling and escalation of illegal buildin programmes can shut this window of opportunity. See it and act upon it if you value the future of Palestine. I’m sure Yeshua would approve of it and so would the wider world community.
Only-marginally=relevant division.
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OK, lemmings, let’s lighten up for a second. But how? I hear you ask.
Copy this link and paste it into your designer handbags, and glance at it surreptitiously when the urge to top yourselves becomes overwhelming. IMO it will raise a snicker even during Lochaber District Council’s Planning meetings:
http://questionabletime.com/tag/liam-fox/
Ye can tell a man who schmoozes
Be the company he chooses =
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2009 Herzliya Conference – no, not that one. He’s Shadow Secretary here.
2
Monday, February 2, 2009
18:00-19:30 Decoupling European-Israeli 18:00-19:15 Multi-Faceted Jerusalem
Relations from the Palestinian Issue Chair: Dr. Gavriel Barkay
Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology,
Chair: Amb. Raphael Barak Bar-Ilan University
Deputy Director General for Western Europe, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa
Custos of the Holy Land
Mr. Alexandr Vondra
Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic Prof. Yossi Shilhav
Department of Geography, Bar-Ilan University
Mr. Thomas Oppermann, MdB
Deputy Chairman, SDP Parliamentary Group Amb. Dr. Dore Gold
President, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
Dr. Liam Fox, MP
Shadow Defense Secretary, United Kingdom Mr. Hanna Siniora
Co-CEO IPCRI
open discussion
open discussion
19:15-19:30 MK Avigdor Liberman
Chairman, Yisrael Beitenu
20:15-22:00 Change of Guard and the Future
of US World Leadership
Chair: Prof. Herbert London
President, Hudson Institute
Mr. R. James Woolsey
Venture Partner with VantagePoint;
Former US Director of CIA
Mr. Richard Gordon
President, American Jewish Congress
Amb. Alfred H. Moses
Chair, UN Watch; Partner & Senior Counsel, Covington &
Burling LLP
Amb. John Bolton
Former US Ambassador to the United Nations….
etc, etc.
Any answers to those questions yet?
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Stupid question, sorry.