Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown has issued a parliamentary statement to deny that his government was reversing its policy towards Hamas and Hezbollah following his earlier comments in the House of Lords. During a parliamentary debate on the Middle East Lord Malloch-Brown said that a political negotiation with the largest Palestinian party was ‘vital’. He also said that “many of the same arguments apply to Hezbollah” in Lebanon. But in his parliamentary statement he said that he wanted to clarify the Government’s policy on contacts with both organisations to the House of Lords. Reports in July suggested that the British government was already secretly expanding its links with Hamas after temporarily suspending its political boycott earlier this year to seek help for release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston. It came as the Foreign Affairs Select Committee renewed its call to end the international boycott of Palestine’s elected government following the role played by Hamas in gaining Johnston’s release.
UK DENIES SOFT CORNER FOR HAMAS, HIZBULLAH
Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown has issued a parliamentary statement to deny that his government was reversing its policy towards Hamas and Hezbollah following his earlier comments in the House of Lords. During a parliamentary debate on the Middle East Lord Malloch-Brown said that a political negotiation with the largest Palestinian party was ‘vital’.
