OPINION:
Turkey was no doubt delighted when British Prime Minister David Cameron sacrificedthe Jewish state upon the altar of political expediency while having the audacity to declare himself to be a friend of Israel (“With friends like these …” Opinion, June 2).
The condescending, arrogant attitude ofMr. Cameron knew no bounds as he made demands upon Israel and side-stepped anything that may have caused offense to Turkey. Conspicuous by its absence was any reference to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s involvement with the Turkish IHH terrorist group behind the Gaza flotilla incident, or any mention of the thousands of innocent Kurds killed by Turkish forces. To dare raise the subject of the Armenian genocide would have been anathema for Mr. Cameron’s self-interest as he sought a political scapegoat in Israel.
As to Gaza being “prison,” Mr. Cameron may wish to cast his eyes toward the territory’s luxury malls, the overflowing markets andthe Mercedes cars as he absolves Gaza’s populace of any responsibility for voting into power a terrorist entity sworn to destroy its Jewish neighbor. He may also wish to recall that Israel ceded Gaza for peace but received a “hell on earth” with thousands of missiles being fired at Israeli civilians from its former territory.
Any untoward situation in Gaza is due to security measures afforded to counter the pursuit of Palestinian aggression. Mr. Erdogan, himself a supporter of Hamas, was clearly appreciative of Mr. Cameron’s echo of Arab propaganda as Mr. Cameron expediently side-stepped another issue: Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier held in Gaza for more than four years without even a visit from the Red Cross.
With “friends” like Mr. Cameron, Israel certainly doesn’t need enemies.
DOUGLAS ROBERTS
Tredegar, Wales
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