Source: Yahoo News
London (AFP) – A Foreign Office minister who was the first Muslim to sit in the British cabinet dramatically resigned on Tuesday over what she called the government’s “morally indefensible” policy on Gaza.
The surprise decision by Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, who also had responsibility for faith and communities, heaped pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron to take a tougher line against Israel over its actions in Gaza.
The coalition government has faced sustained criticism in recent days, led by the main opposition Labour party, that it has not spoken out strongly enough over the conflict.
“Our approach… in Gaza is morally indefensible, is not in Britain’s national interest and will have a long-term detrimental impact on our reputation internationally and domestically,” Warsi wrote to Cameron in her resignation letter.
She said there was “great unease” in the Foreign Office, where Philip Hammond took over as foreign secretary from William Hague last month, about how recent policy decisions had been made.
“Nearly 400 innocent children killed, we still cannot find the words to say we condemn this,” she later told Channel 4 news, adding that there was “unease” in the ranks of the Conservative Party and that another minister had talked of resigning.
In his letter responding to the resignation, Cameron expressed regret that Warsi had not informed him of her decision before announcing it on Twitter.
Baroness Warsi, a woman with integrity
God love the Muslim
There is no place for a Muslim in British politics. Politics is a dirty game. A Muslim MP, Councillor or a member of the house of Lords is just a show boy the British society. They have no voice.
She is spot on Duffers, I’ve spent 4 years grumbling about her every time I see her on TV, but she’s absolutely right, and it adds some considerable weight to Milband’s criticism of Cameron too, unless they’re now going to accuse Warsi of ‘playing politics’ as well? I’m starting to think that ‘playing politics’ actually means disagreeing with the numbskull ideologues in the current cabinet on anything at all
Lady Warsi had the courage to act on principles grounded in rule of law and respect for human rights. We’d live in a different world if more people emulated her lesson.
A day ago I would have noted that a few politicians and journalists, too few, will be on record for having the courage to condemn war crimes, but in just one day, Kucinich, Carter, an Irish politician, Warsi, and numerous actors have weighed in condemning these atrocities. The tide is finally turning, and some people might want to consider how history is going to assess this debacle. If those in the moment– who have to risk being labelled anti-Semitic and, to quote one of our regulars, “savages”–have the courage to label a war crime a war crime, imagine how much more “savage” the historians–unfettered by these false charges and the rank exceptionalism that continues to imprison too many politicians and journalists– will be when dealing with this grim chapter in history.
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk