Inside Britain's Israel Lobby

[Ibtisam]

Dispatches investigates one of the most powerful and influential political lobbies in Britain, which is working in support of the interests of the State of Israel.

Despite wielding great influence among the highest realms of British politics and media, little is known about the individuals and groups which collectively are known as the pro-Israel lobby.

Political commentator Peter Oborne sets out to establish who they are, how they are funded, how they work and what influence they have, from the key groups to the wealthy individuals who help bankroll the lobbying.

He investigates how accountable, transparent and open to scrutiny the lobby is, particularly in regard to its funding and financial support of MPs.

The pro-Israel lobby aims to shape the debate about Britain's relationship with Israel and future foreign policies relating to it.

Oborne examines how the lobby operates from within parliament and the tactics it employs behind the scenes when engaging with print and broadcast media.

 

 

Monday 16 November 8PM Channel 4

Friday 20 November 3AM Channel 4

[SayidSomal]

that the board of deputies?

 

interesting - should watch it tonight.

[Paragon]

watching it now

 

interesting

[Abyan]

Just watched it. Very interesting indeed.

[N.O.R.F]

So what was said? Who are the bank rollers?

[Ibtisam]

Thought this passage from the pamphlet was just incredible and reveals the very intelligent thinking of the Conservative Friends of Israel lobby group. Streets ahead of any comparable Muslim organisations.

 

'On studying donations to Conservative Constituency offices before the 2005 election a pattern emerges. A group of donors, all with strong connections to pro-Israel groups, (almost all are on the board of the CFI) made donations of between £2,000 and £5,000 either personally or through their companies to the constituency offices of certain Conservative candidates.

 

The donors involved include Trevor Pears, a property magnate, who has sat on the BICOM board, used to sit on the CFI board, and has donated to Cameron in the past; Lord Steinberg, vice-president of Conservative Friends of Israel and sponsor of Stuart Polak in parliament; Michael Lewis, a South African businessman and deputy chairman of BICOM who was formerly on the Board of CFI; three or four other prominent members of the CFI. The method of donation – medium-sized sums to constituency offices often through companies rather than personal names – means that connections to the CFI or other pro-Israel group are by no means obvious. These donors may never have met the candidates, nor stepped foot, let alone actually live, in the constituency, but were happy to make donations. All candidates in these constituencies either won the seat or came close. Interestingly, in constituencies where the Conservative candidate stood little chance, the CFI made the £2,000 donation themselves.'

Read more:

 

http://www.iengage.org.uk/home/1-news/634-peter-oborne-on-britains-pro-israel-lobby-friends-in-high- places

[Ibtisam]

‘Jon Mendelsohn, a former chairman of LFI [Labour Friends of Israel] and now Gordon Brown's chief election fundraiser, was quoted in the Jerusalem Post as saying that "Zionism is pervasive in New Labour. It is automatic that Blair will come to Labour Friends of Israel meetings."

 

‘After Hague said Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 2006 was "disproportionate", there was an explosion among donors. Only a few weeks ago Hague, following CFI pressure, put out a statement demanding Britain reject the Goldstone resolution at the UN.’

 

The US pro-Israel lobby has been scrutinized for its influence over US foreign policy in the superb study by Professors Mearsheimer and Walt, ‘The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy’.

 

In tonight’s Dispatches programme Peter Oborne turns the lens on the UK’s own pro-Israel lobby and its far-reaching influence on British politics:

 

'The financial arrangements of a number of the organisations that form part of the pro-Israel lobby are by no means widely known. The pro-Israel lobby, in common with other lobbies, has every right to operate and indeed to flourish in Britain. But it needs to be far more open about how it is funded and what it does', he writes.

 

See also Ian Black in the Guardian today on the influence of the pro-Israel lobby on the Conservative party, 'Pro-Israel lobby group bankrolling Tories, film claims'.

Source: http://www.iengage.org.uk/home/1-news/634-peter-oborne-on-britains-pro-israel-lobby-friends-in-high- places

[BOB]

Please keep me updated on where this journalist ends up because he's just kissed his career Good bye.

 

One of the tactics they use is to make sure that you’ll never ever get a job that is worthy of your immaculate journalism and professional ethics but their all time favourite line is 'Are You Anti-Semetic?' that’s how most people end up being their puppets for the fear of being labelled Anti Semetic.

 

 

PS. I feel sorry for the poor misinformed parents and wives who will receive that dreaded report as you’re reading this which will say their loved one got killed in action but I wonder when will they ever know that their loved one actually did not die defending his/her country but died protecting the interest of Israel in a far far away land called Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

[Allamagan]

I wonder why this is not available to watch online even on Channel 4's website itself!!

[Faheema.]

^ Available Here

[Alle-ubaahne]

^^I don't think its accessible from the U.S., I tried several times and each time it says something like "server error".

[Dhubad.]

^Its on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POtk6G7q4Bw

[Alle-ubaahne]

^Thank you so much, bro Dhubad. I am watching it finally.

[chubacka]

interesting but also disheartening, amounts of money involved is crazy, they seem to just throw money at anyone who has any chance of stepping foot into parliament.

 

Good on the Guardian for sticking to its guns.

[Rayyan]

Originally posted by *Ibtisam:

quote: ‘Jon Mendelsohn, a former chairman of LFI [Labour Friends of Israel] and now Gordon Brown's chief election fundraiser, was quoted in the Jerusalem Post as saying that "Zionism is pervasive in New Labour. It is automatic that Blair will come to Labour Friends of Israel meetings."

 

‘After Hague said Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 2006 was "disproportionate", there was an explosion among donors. Only a few weeks ago Hague, following CFI pressure, put out a statement demanding Britain reject the Goldstone resolution at the UN.’

 

The US pro-Israel lobby has been scrutinized for its influence over US foreign policy in the superb study by Professors Mearsheimer and Walt, ‘The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy’.

 

In tonight’s Dispatches programme Peter Oborne turns the lens on the UK’s own pro-Israel lobby and its far-reaching influence on British politics:

 

'The financial arrangements of a number of the organisations that form part of the pro-Israel lobby are by no means widely known. The pro-Israel lobby, in common with other lobbies, has every right to operate and indeed to flourish in Britain. But it needs to be far more open about how it is funded and what it does', he writes.

 

See also Ian Black in the Guardian today on the influence of the pro-Israel lobby on the Conservative party, 'Pro-Israel lobby group bankrolling Tories, film claims'.

Source:

http://www.iengage.org.uk/home/1-news/634-peter-oborne-on-britains-pro-israel-lobby-friends-in-high- places

Those who have an eye in history could see where the similarity is coming into this Juncture and today's modern political arena so similar and so excat 2000 years ago, when the filthy rich and learned Pharisees in the temple, in jersulem, selling religeous duties to the public see the threat for their interest, coming from the new Prophet in their midst - Jesus, then proscuted him and accused him blasphemy first - that he's claiming that he's son of God, then changed it to a treason to the Roman state to change the heart and the mind of the Roman Governor/Judge so its more quicker to send him directly to the gallows by the latter, by scheming, plotting and conispring, its that midnight instructions, and midnight phone calls, no modern-day-politican can resist to reject it, but to follow-up, and fulfill, excute and embrace all the contents by word and by dot. and report back how he shifted the haystack looking for a little needle.

 

Aduunyada Rag baa ku nool, but at the end it comes back flying to their face.

 

"Istikbaaruun fil arad wa Makra Alsa'yi - Wa la ya-xiiqu makra si'u ila bi ehli" - Quraan.