Labour: Israeli lessons
AN INCOMING Labour government will learn from the Israeli hi-tech success story and consolidate the UKIsrael trade relationship, according to Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls. Speaking at the Labour Friends of Israel annual lunch on Tuesday, Mr Balls announced the launch of a UK-Israel economic dialogue. This will enable the UK to learn from Israel in the area of the modern digital economy, venture capital, research and development and universities.
Mr Balls said: “I want to dig deeper into the nature of our bilateral relationship and also understand how Israel has succeeded so impressively in building a modern digital economy.
Israel’s economy grew by 4.7 per cent last year while the UK drifted back into recession. Despite the boycott movement, the UK is Israel’s second biggest export market after the US and more than 250 Israeli companies are based in Britain. Mr Balls insisted that the strong links between business and the Israeli state were a model for Britain to follow.
The dialogue initiative is backed by LFI and longstanding Labour supporter, Sir Trevor Chinn. It also has the backing of Israeli ambassador Daniel Taub and his British opposite number Matthew Gould. Senior shadow cabinet members, including Work and Pensions spokesman Liam Byrne and shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna will be working on the project. A delegation to Israel is planned for the autumn.
Ed Miliband’s leadership has seen a shift in Labour policy on Israel, with the party last year backing the Palestinian bid for recognition of statehood at the United Nations. Mr Balls used the LFI lunch to reiterate Labour’s support for Israel, warned of the threat posed by Iran and urged vigilance with
ARSENAL FOOTBALL Club banned an Islamist preacher from a conference held at the Emirates Stadium last weekend, after complaints from season ticket holders.
Fans of the club contacted officials expressing concerns about preacher Abdur Raheem Green, due to attend Human Relief Foundation’s “The Illustrious Goldmine” conference. Videos of the preacher had been posted on the Harry’s Place blog, including an interview posted this year, where he claims Muslims who meet a Jew or a Christian walking down the street, should “push them to the side”.
An Arsenal spokesman said: “A guest scheduled to attend the event had caused some concern.
“After making enquiries...the club requested that the guest was withdrawn from the conference, to which they agreed, along with written assurances that the content of the event was in line with club policies.”
Mr Green told BBC Panorama in 2009 that he does not support terrorism, even if he has said “some radical things in the past.”
Meanwhile, an Islamic conference due to be held in London this weekend was cancelled on police advice. The Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden barred the Al-Muntada Trust’s “Month of Mercy” Ramadan confer- ence after concerns were raised about extremist speakers.
Anti- extremism group Stand for Peace compiled a report on the conference, which suggested speakers had glorified suicide bombings and encourage antisemitism.
Members of the English Defence League had also posted comments urging members to protest outside the venue.
Stand for Peace founder Hasan Afsal said he noted with “a degree of dejection that far-right groups, including the EDL, had attempted to hijack this campaign”.
A spokesman for the Grand Connaught Rooms said: “After careful consideration and liaison with the local police force we have taken the decision to cancel the booking.” Speakers due at this weekend’s event included Muhammed Salah, a presenter on Huda TV. Mr Salah described Israel in a 2010 broadcast as “worse than any disease that we have ever known… We ask Allah to give us the chance to die for his sake and to prove to the coward Zionists that the Muslims are still there.”
Another speaker listed was Kuwaiti Islamist preacher Nabil Al- Awadhi, who has called on Muslims to reclaim Jerusalem from “the descendents of apes and pigs” in a 2010 video.
Both Al-Muntada Trust and Human Relief Foundation did not respond to requests for comment.