Thread by @TFletcher

This tweet inevitably prompted a range of responses and questions. It is a raw and difficult debate. So some responses to the more polite ones …

1/12

https://twitter.com/tfletcher/status/1733233893526970733

‘Situation different now to Israel/Hamas war of 2008/9.’

Yes, brutality of 7 Oct Hamas attacks and IDF retribution are different scale. But ways out of horror show are same: new, moderate leadership in Palestine and Israel; normalisation with region; two state solution.

2/12

(For more on that, @simonmontefiore was excellent and powerful on @TheRestHistory on these two stories and the case for two states):

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sim…

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory 'But UNSC resolutions are just symbolic'.

Often, but they do have power. This is why opponents of this resolution and SCR 1860 lobbied hard against them: I was yelled at by then Israeli PM in middle of the night in Jan 2009. We had a ceasefire within week of resolution.

3/12

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory Shouldn’t UK be one step from US (they vote against, so we abstain)?'

This was convention among generation of UK diplomats. I’m unconvinced it bought us influence. World sees it as weakness, not strength. In 2009, @GordonBrown/@DMiliband moved US to abstain by voting yes.

4/

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory @GordonBrown @DMiliband 'Abstention shows balance?’

Hmm, only in that it annoys everyone equally. Do the French have more or less influence and international credibility compared to UK for voting for the resolution, or about the same?

5/12

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory @GordonBrown @DMiliband ‘Abstention buys us more quiet influence in restraining Netanyahu and the hard right in his cabinet.'

How’s that going?

6/12

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory @GordonBrown @DMiliband ‘But calling for an end to the military action against civilian areas is worse for Palestinian civilians?'

Ask a Palestinian civilian, while we still can.

7/12

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory @GordonBrown @DMiliband ‘But Israel will ignore the resolution and carry on anyway?’

Probably. Then at least back brave UN colleagues like @UNLazzarini @FilippoGrandi who are desperately and unequivocally calling for an end to the violence. We must protect UN staff too.

8/12

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory @GordonBrown @DMiliband @UNLazzarini @FilippoGrandi ‘But Israel needs more time to destroy Hamas?’

We must indeed all share in the effort to ensure an alternative to Hamas. They cannot be allowed to return. But how much time for doing it in this way, and at what cost in lives, and to future prospects of peace?

9/12

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory @GordonBrown @DMiliband @UNLazzarini @FilippoGrandi ‘But what about hostages?'

Yes, we must maintain huge effort to free them. As US diplomats and special forces say privately, that means more diplomacy, not bombs on areas where they are. We have ceasefires with many countries into which we send special forces to save hostages.

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory @GordonBrown @DMiliband @UNLazzarini @FilippoGrandi But flattening Gaza is best way to deter Hizballah/Iran?’

This is Netanyahu argument, and what IDF call ‘mowing lawn’. It has chilling logic, but is counter to international law.

And Hizballah have no intention of interrupting their enemy in process of making mistake.

11/12

@simonmontefiore @TheRestHistory @GordonBrown @DMiliband @UNLazzarini @FilippoGrandi Don’t get me wrong. These are tough, complex calls. Foreign Secretary has great experience and clout. Outstanding diplomats - working flat out in London, NY, network - speak truth to power.

But in 2009, PM called it right on a ceasefire resolution. This time, PM didn’t.

12/12