Return to Election 97 Main Page1. BRITAIN-ISRAEL RELATIONS
a(i)
Peace Process
(ii) Aid to the Palestinian Process
b) Trade Relations
c) Arms Embargo
d) State Visit of President Weizmann
2.
BRITAIN-JEWISH COMMUNITY ISSUES
a) Holocaust Denial
b) Hizb-ut-Tachrir
c) Education
d) Shechita
“To us falls the duty of support, understanding and a cast iron
determination to do what we are able to do: to support the peace process”
(Rt Hon John Major MP, CFI Dinner, Wednesday 18 December 1996).
The British Government has played an important role in the Middle East peace negotiations by steadfastly supporting the Government of Israel in its desire for peaceful co-habitation with its Arab neighbours. It has also consistently urged Syria to enter into peace talks with the State of Israel, and has used its influence in the region to erode the Arab boycott of Israel. The British Government has also respected Israel’s desire for direct talks with her neighbours, and has discouraged European Union involvement.
Britain’s historic involvement in the region has enabled her to play an effective role in facilitating the secret meetings between Israel and Jordan, which resulted in the signing of the Israeli-Jordanian peace agreement.
The British Government has proved its commitment to the peace negotiations by providing substantial aid to the Palestinians. The Government’s belief in and support for the peace negotiations is shown by the fact that Britain has given the Palestinian Authority more aid than the whole of the rest of the European Union. Support and encouragement for the Palestinian economy is in everyone’s interest, because a more prosperous Palestinian Authority will help to secure lasting peace in the region.
Baroness Chalker’s visited the region in February 1997. She announced the launch of a water and sewerage project for Hebron, and emphasised the importance of international aid which was facilitating the development of the Palestinian Authority and illustrating the benefits of peace with Israel.
“I have had the privilege of working on this process with a
series of highly distinguished Israeli counterparts”
(Rt Hon John
Major MP, CFI Dinner, Wednesday 18 December 1996).
Trade between Britain and Israel has gone from strength to strength. Bilateral
trade has doubled since 1991 and was worth over £2 billion by the end of
1996.
British exports to Israel increased by 22% last year. The Prime
Minister’s visit to Israel in March 1995, with the largest delegation of
Businessmen ever, certainly contributed to this rise. The visit endorsed
Israel’s favoured trading partnership with the United Kingdom and showed
Britain’s larger companies how mutually beneficial and profitable it is to
trade with the State of Israel. Israel is one of Britain’s major 25
trading partners and the second largest in the Middle East.
CFI was instrumental in helping to lift the arms embargo in 1995, which banned co-operation between both countries’ defence industries. This important development has enabled British and Israeli companies to tender for contracts in each other’s countries and has led to the inauguration of a fund which promotes joint research and development in technological matters.
“I believe there is no better personification of this long
standing relationship than Ezer Weizmann”
(Rt Hon John Major MP,
CFI Dinner, Wednesday 18 December 1996).
The first ever official State visit to Britain by an Israeli President took place in February 1997. President and Mrs Weizmann were guests of Her Majesty the Queen and were invited following advice from the British Government. It was an historic occasion, highlighting the close and warm relationship which exists between Britain and the State of Israel. Her Majesty the Queen and President Weizmann jointly unveiled a memorial to the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, whose heroic actions in Hungary saved tens of thousands of Jews from Nazi extermination. President Weizmann concluded his visit to Britain by inviting Her Majesty the Queen to visit the State of Israel, an initiative which is warmly welcomed by CFI.
“I am determined that ... the significance of the Holocaust will never
be forgotten”
(Rt Hon John Major MP, Board of Deputies’
Dinner, Wednesday 12 February 1997)
This is a complex issue with arguments for and against legislation. Despite calls to make denial of the Holocaust illegal, the Government believes that to do so might give credibilty to individuals and organisations whose views are otherwise generally ignored. Those who deny the Holocaust are regarded as eccentrics, but were they to face prosecution they could become martyrs for freedom of speech and benefit from the publicity. It would also be difficult to define and prove Holocaust denial, especially as academics and historians must be free to examine evidence and reach their own conclusions.
At the Board of Deputies’ dinner, the Rt Hon John Major MP acknowledged and sympathised with the Jewish Community’s concerns about Holocaust denial and stated that he could understand the offence and distress which survivors, survivors’ families and the families of those who perished felt. Mr Major expressed his belief that bigotry and Holocaust denial must be confronted and countered with education, adding that the National Curriculum requires all eleven to fourteen year olds to study the Holocaust and that the Imperial War Museum was mounting a permanent exhibition on the Holocaust. The Government will continue closely to monitor the situation.
“There can be no excuse at all ... for intimidation or
harassment of innocent students”
(Rt Hon John Major MP, CFI Dinner,
Wednesday 18 December 1996).
Hizb-ut-Tachrir is a radical Islamic political and religious movement which
seeks the death of the Jewish and Hindu peoples, and which is committed to the
destruction of the State of Israel. It is particularly active on student
campuses in Britain.
At the CFI dinner, the Rt Hon John Major MP welcomed
the measures which university authorities had taken to curb the activities of
Hizbu-ut-Tachrir and their supporters.
The Government is committed to preventing organised activities against the Jewish and all other communities in Britain. Universities enable young people to express their views, but the intimidation and harassment of innocent students cannot be tolerated. Intentional harassment is already a criminal offence, and the police and courts have powers to restrict harassment.
The Government will combat all terrorist activities in the United Kingdom and will not allow Britain to be used as a base for those who support terrorism overseas. The fight against terrorism has a high priority for the police and security services.
“Choice in education is one of the cornerstones of my vision of
Britain”
(Rt Hon John Major MP, Board of Deputies’ Dinner,
Wednesday 12 February 1997)
Many Jewish parents would like their children to receive a Jewish education. Britain has a long tradition of schools catering for particular religions within the state sector. Since 1979 there has been an increase in the number of Jewish schools, which has provided diversity and parental choice, and about 20 more state-aided schools are planned for the future.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats would remove choice and diversity from education, posing a threat to Jewish schools. The Assisted Places Scheme benefits schools like Carmel and Clifton College and would be eliminated under a Labour government, and would also damage the trust status of independent schools. The nursery voucher scheme assists parental choice and would be abolished by a Labour Government.
Shechita is the method used to slaughter animals for “kosher”
consumption and is an important part of Judaism. It is a humane method which
requires an observant Jew to pursue an extensive period of training, learning
how to cut swiftly and cleanly through the trachea and oesophagus of the animal,
so that the animal immediately becomes unconscious and cannot then feel any
pain or distress.
Organisations such as the Farm Welfare Council and the
RSPCA, which traditionally have been supported by the Labour Party, have called
for Shechita to be banned. Were Shechita to be banned, Jewish people in Britain
would not be able to eat “kosher” meat or observe their religion in
its entirety. The Prime Minister upholds Britain’s noble tradition of
religious freedom and tolerance and has pledged that this will continue, thereby
safe-guarding shechita.
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