Break in taboo on criticism of
Israeli policies

IRNA / Iran Daily
4 July 2002

Daily lauds break in taboo on criticism of Israeli policies

Tehran, July 4, www.IRNA.com -- `Iran Daily' on Thursday said that up until recently criticism on the repressive Israeli policies against Palestinians has been taboo.

"Very few western politicians and personalities were free to express impartial, honest and true opinions on the Palestinian crisis," it said.

"This might explain why the European Union has put several Palestinian resistance groups on its terrorist list and is quick to denounce Palestinian suicide attacks, but is shy of words to condemn Israeli atrocities," it added.

However, thanks to a better informed global community brought about by access to modern public information sources such as the Internet and satellite TV, an increasing number of politicians and people of influence in the west are beginning to "openly cross the red lines," the daily said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife, Cherie, recently expressed sympathy for the Palestinians and their legitimate struggle against the foreign military occupation.

At the launch of a charity appeal in London dubbed `Medical Aid for Palestinians,' she was asked to comment on one of those fatal bomb blasts which hit Al-Qods recently.

"As long as young people feel they have got no hope but to blow themselves up, you are never going to make progress," was the prime minister's wife's answer, pointed out the daily, without emphasizing the fact that the response was readily made an issue by the British media as a statement of support for the Palestinians. It cited similar comments by a German opposition leader, Jergen Moellemann, in support of the Palestinians: "Whoever occupies the lands of other people, should not be surprised if the others defend themselves."

Moellemann, among the few German politicians who dare to criticize Israel's lawlessness which is fanning violence in the volatile occupied territories, is the deputy chairmn of the opposition liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) in Germany.

Moreover, a Palestinian flag was hanged by Gretta Duisenberg, wife of the European Central Bank President, from her window in Amsterdam to protest "the suffering of the Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp," the daily further pointed out.

It also referred to an interview published in the British tabloid, the Guardian, with CNN founder Ted Turner who said that "the Israel army is engaged in terrorism against the Palestinians that can be compared to the Palestinian suicide bombings against Israeli civilians."

However, notwithstanding the positive development in western political circles, Israeli atrocities and violations of human rights as well as pressure on western governments continue, it pointed out. Likewise, the pressure on the western media not to present factual and unbiased reporting about Israel and its brutal agenda continues, it added.

However, all such deception will eventually end as "you can fool some of the people all the time, all the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time," concluded the Perspective column.