Bahrain: Former British Ambassador Resigns from Advisory Post after Bahrain Foreign Minister Supports Israeli Aggression
Featured image: Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa
21st Century Wire says…
Bahrain’s foreign minister tweeted out ‘Israel had a right to defend itself from Iran’ on May 11th. In an unprecedented show of support for the Zionist regime, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa issued the extraordinary statement on the social media platform:
“As long as Iran has breached the status quo in the region and has (yet to) evacuate its troops and missiles, any state in the region, including Israel, is entitled to defend itself by destroying the sources of danger.”
Peter Ford, who was British Ambassador to Bahrain 1999-2002, has resigned from his position as adviser to the Royal Charity Organisation of Bahrain, in protest at Bahrain’s new found support for Israel.
Peter Ford (image on the right) told 21st Century Wire:
“This is the latest step in the downward path Bahrain has been taking recently, distancing itself from its previous staunch support for Palestinian and Arab rights. The exchange of fire was started by Israel and not Iran, in a transparent design to provoke an Iranian reaction following President Trump’s decision to end the Iran nuclear deal.
I find the Bahraini position even harder to understand coming at the same time as the transfer of the US Embassy to the holy city of Jerusalem, which will clearly give Israel encouragement to be belligerent and must be condemned.”
For a detailed and accurate analysis on those 10th May attack by Israel against Syria, please watch this commentary from Syrian expert and media analyst, Kevork Almassian of Syriana Analysis:
Peter Ford’s resignation letter in full:
“It is with enormous regret that I feel obliged to terminate the Cooperation Agreement between the Royal Charity of Bahrain and myself dated 1 January 2015, in accordance with clause 8 of that agreement and respecting the provision for 30 days notice.
My action is prompted by the support reportedly expressed by Shaikh Khaled Bin Ahmed Al Khalifah for Israel’s latest attacks on Syria.
Such support is first of all founded on an Israeli lie, in that Israel was not attacked by Iran, Syria or anybody else before launching its obviously pre-planned attacks transparently designed to provoke Syria and Iran following President Trump’s decision to take the US out of the Iran nuclear deal.
More importantly, the understanding expressed for ‘Israel’s right to defend itself’ signalled yet another downwards step on Bahrain’s path of distancing itself from its previous staunch support for Palestinian and Arab rights, a sound and wise policy which has I believe served Bahrain well for many years and which is consistent with the wishes of a majority of Bahrain’s population, as well as the requirements of justice.
That the Foreign Minister should express his support for Israel in the same week in which the US transfers its Embassy in Israel to the holy city of Jerusalem makes it even harder to understand his position.
With the region set for more turmoil as an emboldened Israel backed to the hilt by reckless advisers in the US administration pushes to take more and more advantage of a weakened Arab world, it is in my view impossible to accept the wisdom of giving Israel even more encouragement. I say with a heavy heart that Bahrain will be one of the first to suffer if the conflict in Syria is widened.
I am most grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with you in the highly esteemed work of the Royal Charity and wish you personally and the Royal Charity every success in the future.”
As Ford also told 21st Century Wire –
“a good reputation is only worth having if you are prepared to put it on the line for a good cause.”
It seems we still have among us, great men (and women) who are prepared to put principles and integrity above their own interests.
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This article was originally published on 21st Century Wire.
