The incoming visit of the President of Israel this week is likely to stir up strong feelings in some places. It’s a fact now most of the political parties in our system are part of a fight against Israel, critiquing its domestic and foreign policies in equal measure.
It’s small comfort that it’s a different matter on a personal level. In response to a negative sentiment by a Labour staffer, new Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper once stated about Israeli leaders, “It’s always a privilege to meet one.”
It’s unlikely to be shared on the streets, but a small patchwork of politicians in Parliament feel the same. They regret the actions of the IDF and what happens in Gaza, but they see pragmatism in dealing with it as a democracy, and not by bullying people.
