No UK-US-Israeli conspiracy, says Blair
Palestine-Israel-UK, Politics, 3/16/2006

British Prime Minister Tony Blair Thursday denied that there was any collusion over the withdrawal of British monitors that lead to the Israeli assault on Palestinian Jericho prison in the West Bank.

There was 'no collusion' between the UK, US and Israel, Blair insisted at his monthly press conference in London.

He said that he could understand Palestinian anger that led to the burning down of the British Council center in Gaza, but said that there should be understanding on both sides.

The British premier was being challenged for the second consecutive day over Britain's role in the Israeli attack after being questioned in Parliament on Wednesday.

Labor MP Phyllis Starkey, who chairs the all-party Deputy Prime Minister committee, told Blair during Prime Minister's Questions that the government now had a 'shattered reputation' as an honest broker after withdrawing monitors ahead of the Israeli assault.

But Blair rejected the accusation, which has also been raised by peace campaigners, human rights groups, Palestinian organizations and Muslim groups, insisting that Britain had kept to its commitment under the 2002 Ramallah agreement 'every inch of the way'.

"The idea that this was either precipitate or uncalled for or unthought through is simply wrong," he told MPs.

Doubts about Blair's claims have also been expressed by Rachel Aspden, who was among the first Britons to be rapidly evacuated from Jerusalem following the Israeli army's prison raid.

In an article for next week's New Statesman, Aspden suggests that the speed of the evacuation indicated that such plans were expected if not orchestrated.

Meantime, WAFA reported that the Israeli occupation forces arrested today twenty four citizens in the West Bankcities of Jenin, Qalqiliya, Nablus, Hebron and Bethlehem and "In Jenin, Israeli troops, swept into the city, amid intensive fire shooting, besieged a house at Al-Ibrahemia neighbourhood and forced citizens to leave their house, in order to demolish it."

Previous Stories:
  Israel plans biggest settlement in West Bank   (3/15/2006)
  US - UK collusion raised in Jericho prison Israeli break in   (3/15/2006)
  Palestinians ask Red Cross help from Israel's attack on Jericho Prison   (3/14/2006)
  British architects back Israel boycott   (2/10/2006)
  British architects back Israel boycott   (2/10/2006)
  Church of England to divest companies profiting from Israel's occupation of Palestinians   (2/7/2006)
  British report on Israeli violations of human rights   (7/23/2005)

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