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Short Says U.S. Must Try Harder on Israel
LONDON, Dec. 26 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Britain's International Development Secretary, Clare Short, called on the United States to "try harder" to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, in remarks that seem likely to test the patience of her Cabinet colleagues and Britain's coalition partners.
"There is no explanation that legitimizes what was done," Short said in reference to the September 11 attacks on the United States. "It is always wrong to deliberately kill civilians. It was wrong. It was wicked. It was evil."
But the United States had to consider why it attracted so much criticism around the world, she said. "One major cause is the unresolved conflict in the Middle East. That hurts the hearts of people," she said, the British daily newspaper,
The Times, reported.
"If the U.S. tried harder, we could do better," said Short.
The International Development Secretary again urged Washington's "hawks" to take greater interest in nation building in failed states such as Afghanistan and Somalia.
She spoke out against the "very foolish" attitude of hawks in Washington who were opposed to nation building in failed states, such as Afghanistan. If it prevailed, she suggested, then "the rest of us have got to do the job".
Short said that while there was no excuse for the deadly September 11 attacks, the lack of a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - in which the U.S. has traditionally supported Israel - was fuelling resentment against the U.S. in the Middle East region.
The timing of her remarks again put her at odds with Britain's Foreign Office.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw lined up with Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon and Prime Minister Tony Blair against Short and Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, over a £28 million Tanzania deal.
Her implied support for the Palestinians came as Straw was putting pressure on Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat to crackdown on Palestinian resistance activists who staging retaliatory strikes in Israel.
Although Short appears to enjoy a license to depart from the Cabinet line, her words will upset Israeli and U.S. politicians,
The Times said.
In an interview for Newshour, the BBC World Service program, Short urged U.S. President George W. Bush's administration to put more effort into the quest for a settlement in the Middle East, where the latest manifestation of underlying tensions was the ban on Arafat attending Christmas Mass in Bethlehem.
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