The results of war. Palestinians inspect a house after an Israeli air strike, Rafah, southern Gaza, 2024. Photo "https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Abed+Rahim+Khatib" / Shutterstock
Escalating military action in the Middle East rightly worries British workers. But nothing good comes from involving Britain in these conflicts.
Support for Israel and the attempt to divide the region into aggressors and defenders risk further escalation. We should simply say, “Stay out!” We have many matters to deal with here and many calls on our resources and energies.
The well prepared invasion of south Lebanon on 1 October by Israel marked a further escalation of regional conflicts. Tensions in the region were ramped up by Hamas’s terrorist attacks on Israel on 7 October last year and Israel’s response with widely condemned attacks on the people of Gaza.
None of the political leaders want peace. Arming Israel and declaring “Israel’s right to defend herself against Iran’s aggression”, as Keir Starmer did in the Commons on the anniversary of the Hamas attack, only encourages conflict. Does any other country in the Middle East also have the right to self-defence? Apparently not.
Israel is severely stretched, now fighting on several fronts. The prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was deeply unpopular before the 7 October attacks and faces continuing domestic opposition. He is desperately clinging on to power by pandering to warmongers in his government.
Netanyahu’s stance is mirrored by those he is fighting. Hamas is built on the premise of never settling for peace with Israel. Iranian proxies, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthis in Yemen, perpetually seek to chip away at Israel on Iran’s behalf. Now Iran has directly entered the fray with missile attacks, designed to provoke Israel and its supporters.
Israel has always benefited from a “special relationship” with the USA. It is not a member of NATO, but is a “major non-NATO ally”. In July 2022 President Biden signed the Jerusalem Declaration, strengthening these already close relations.
In effect Israel has the backing of NATO and Britain, whatever it does. It is now consulting the US about suitable Iran targets to hit. These reportedly include oil outlets, water supplies, air defence systems, assassinations of senior officials, even perhaps nuclear facilities.
This brinkmanship – by Iran, Israel, USA, Britain and the rest of NATO – can only lead to further and more widespread conflict. Meanwhile Starmer calls for de-escalation and wrings his hands about deaths and suffering. But, continuing the policy of his predecessor, he stands right with Netanyahu.
The embattled peoples of all these lands are weary of endless war. They alone can bring lasting peace by settling accounts with the barbarians who claim to represent them.
For our part, British workers should demand that our representatives stop supporting what are effectively calls for open war. We need our forces to defend our borders and our interests, not indulge in post-imperial sabre rattling.
• A longer version of this article is available on the web at www.cpbml.org.uk