As Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, in his first speech as head of the terrorist group’s political bureau, promised to ‘continue on the same path and footsteps as before, carrying the banner high, until it flies over Al-Aqsa (Jerusalem) and the lands of a free and proud Palestine,’ Britain’s new Defence Secretary was also making his own promises to diminish Israel. 

Labour’s strange fixation on Israel appears increasingly driven by the need to satisfy a political constituency that treats each concession as the starting point for another demand

Labour’s strange fixation on Israel appears increasingly driven by the need to satisfy a political constituency that treats each concession as the starting point for another demand

Just two days into his new job, Wesley Streeting declared that he ‘fear[s] Israel has fallen short’ of British military standards in Gaza. It is an extraordinary claim from a man who has been in the job barely long enough to set up his computer login, but long enough to have attracted the criticism of former army chief Richard Dannatt, who said Streeting ‘knows pretty much the square root of nothing about defence’.

As Britain adjusts to its new Prime Minister and his new choice for Defence Secretary, Hamas is also under new leadership, with al-Hayya promising the terrorist group will ‘continue to act across all fronts for Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem.’ When it comes to their policy on Israel, Messers Streeting and Burnham seem determined to do the same, following on from Keir Starmer’s decision to ‘recognise’ a Palestinian state which has no defined borders, population or just about any other required feature of statehood. No matter: it is Israel which has ‘fallen short’ and must be punished. The invaders of October 7th shall reap the rewards of British recognition and a tsunami of British taxpayer money in aid.

Streeting had already decided Israel was guilty of war crimes when he texted his pal Peter Mandelson months ago. But what has he seen during his first two days at the Ministry of Defence that has enabled him to........

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