Israel’s plan for post-Brexit Britain
Introduction by Gilad Atzmon
“If you have been puzzled by the insane campaign against British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, spearheaded by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Chronicle, the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, and others, the Ynet article raises the possibility that the campaign has not actually been about ‘anti-Semitism’. It is more likely about shekels, in that Corbyn in Number 10 Downing Street could easily interfere with ‘Israel’s plans for Britain’.”
The following is a translation of the last segment of an article on Brexit published in Israel’s Ynetnews website on 3 February. The article explains that the Jewish State has located itself as post-Brexit Britain’s gateway to the world. It says: “Once out of the EU, Britain will have to sign separate trade agreements with each state, and Israel will be the first.”It continues: “Israel has become Britain’s strategic ally.” And, of course, “the British government totally disregards the boycott campaign against Israel. On a political level, they boycotted the boycott.”
A few years ago we learned that back in 1982 Oded Yinon devised an Israeli “plan for the Middle East”. The following Ynet segment provides us with a glimpse into the current “Israel’s plan for Britain”.
If you have been puzzled by the insane campaign against British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, spearheaded by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Chronicle, the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, and others, the Ynet article raises the possibility that the campaign has not actually been about “anti-Semitism”. It is more likely about shekels, in that Corbyn in Number 10 Downing Street could easily interfere with “Israel’s plans for Britain”.
The Ynet article may also help Britons understand the bipartisan forces that are operating intensively to push Britain to break away from the European Union. For some reason, some of the staunch Israel supporters within the government and in the Parliament are also pushing hard for Brexit. Ask yourself: Do they do it for Britain, Britons and the British national interest or are they, once again, serving the interests of that dark and oppressive foreign state, Israel?
Below are the excerpts from Ynet , translated by Gilad Atzmon. Emphasis added throughout. (For the original article in Hebrew, click here.)
The Brexit hurricane
“… It turns out that on some fronts the British began to prepare in advance. When Britain decided to withdraw from the European Union, it was even more enthusiastic about reaching agreements to sign bilateral trade agreements, this time not through the EU, but with countries around the world. The Britons saw the signing of these trade agreements as evidence of Britain’s steadfastness. Time and time again, British leaders, headed by Teresa May, said that “Britain can maximise its business and commercial potential beyond the EU as well”. Israel was one of the first stations in that campaign. Once out of the EU, Britain will have to sign such agreements with each state, and Israel will be the first.
In recent years, Israel has become Britain’s strategic ally. Innovation, technological, intelligence and cyber capabilities have made Israel one of the most popular potential partners for Britain. The volume of trade between the two countries rose to a record $11 billion last year, of which $5 billion was Israeli exports to Britain, and the rest was British imports from Israel. After the United States, Britain is the largest exporter to Israel. Trade relations span a wide range of fields – energy, pharmaceuticals, food and technology – and the British government total disregards the boycott organisations against Israel. On the political level, it boycotted the boycott.
In the past year, teams from the British and Israeli economy ministries have gathered to discuss bilateral trade agreements. They had to draft new agreements, since the current trade agreements between the two countries were within the framework of the European Union. Ohad Cohen, head of the Foreign Trade Department in the Ministry of the Economy who was in charge of the talks on the Israeli side, said that the British had entered talks with a simple task: to continue without unnecessary shocks and to repeat most of the clauses in the agreement that Israel signed with the EU in 1995.
“They came and said: ‘Whatever was, will be,’” Cohen said. “In other words, they wanted Israel to continue to trade with Britain on the same terms, with full customs exemptions, and to make very small changes to existing agreements, especially in quantities. Britain has named Israel as one of the first countries with which it wants to sign a bilateral agreement, and it is important for the British government to ensure that the commercial ties between the two countries are not harmed.”
According to Cohen, the negotiations were oblivious to the many changes that have stirred the British political system in the past year. The British did not arrive with any panic for the negotiations with Israel, not even when ministers resigned one by one and Theresa May’s government was crushed under the wheels of Brexit. “The only difference is that they were required to set up a unit that deals with trade agreements, which they did not have before, because before everything went through the EU institutions in Brussels,” says Cohen.
Thus, in the coming month a trade agreement between the two countries is expected to be signed. After Israel, Britain expects to sign trade agreements with some 70 other countries, including its closest ally, the US. The agreement with the Americans is very important, because for a Brexit government this is a prestigious card and proof that Britain can stand on its feet even outside the European Union…”
