Charities and religious leaders condemn Blair
The Independent, UK By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor
Charities, civil rights groups and Britain’s leading Muslim organisation today unite in signing an open letter to Tony Blair condemning him for his failure back the United Nations’ call for a ceasefire in the Middle East.
The letter underlines the widespread anger in Britain at the Prime Minister’s support for US foreign policy. It claims the policy is to allow the Israeli bombing raids to continue in Lebanon until Hizbollah strongholds are destroyed.
Fourteen organisations including Amnesty; Christian Aid; the Muslim Council of Britain; Oxfam; Save the Children and the union Unison have signed the open letter to Mr Blair calling on the meeting of foreign ministers in Rome today to demand an immediate ceasefire.
Mr Blair claimed yesterday to be working behind the scenes to establish a lasting peace deal but the letter underlines the charge that he is diminishing the UK’s authority in the region. It accuses the Prime Minister of reducing the impact of international calls for an immediate halt to the violence by failing to back the UN by calling for a ceasefire.
“As such, your current policy risks putting civilian lives at continued risk rather than helping to protect them,” the letter says. “The present policy looks in danger of placing the UK Government in the uncomfortable position of only calling for a ceasefire once one side in the conflict has achieved its military objectives.” [more]