Beginning her endorsement of the Anglican vicar with "Dear Bishop Christopher," a form of address common to all the testimonials, Ms Short, who's described on Wikipedia as an atheist and has described herself as "an ethnic [i.e. lapsed of Irish descent] Catholic" continues:
"I have read with great sadness the complaint which came to you through the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Stephen’s response. I am afraid there is a pattern across many sectors of society of mobilising such complaints against people who criticise Israeli policy. ...
I have met Stephen at a variety of meetings and conferences and have read his most important work on Christian Zionism. I hope that you have read it. This movement is very powerful in the US and is I think gaining ground in the UK. It is a complete distortion of the teachings of Christianity and is used to justify persecution, oppression and grave breaches of international law inflicted on the Palestinian people, including the Palestinian Christians who have been practising their religion in the Holy Land since Jesus moved amongst the places in which they live. ...
Stephen is not in the least way anti Semitic. This is a disgraceful and completely false allegation and those who have made it should be held to account for their wickedness. ..."Ms Short, who as an MP represented the constituency of Birmingham Ladywood, where Muslims of Pakistani background form a not insignificant part of the electorate, is of course renowned for her sure and certain judgments of men and affairs.
'Short has condemned Israel as being guilty of "bloody, brutal and systematic annexation of land, destruction of homes and the deliberate creation of an apartheid system." She has also stated that "the EU and Britain are colluding in this operation and the building of a new apartheid regime" because they give Israel privileged trade access. Short has expressed support for a boycott of Israel, stating at the 2007 United Nations International Conference of Civil Society in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace that "The boycott worked for South Africa, it is time to do it again". She also told the conference that Israel is "much worse than the original apartheid state" and that Israel "undermines the international community's reaction to global warming".
Regarding the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, Short stated that "Israel is out of control and our Government and the US is giving them a green light to continue" and that "Britain clearly now just backs President (George W.) Bush in whatever he does, in automatically backing Israel in breaching international law, in disproportionate attacks on Lebanon and attacks on Gaza"....'Reported The Guardian in 2011:
'Former international development secretary Clare Short accepted £1,580 worth of flights, hotel accommodation, food and travel expenses from al-Manar television in Lebanon in 2008. Al-Manar is described by the US government as "the media arm of the Hezbollah terrorist network", and was classed as a specially designated terrorist entity by the US in 2006.
Short said her trip had been registered with Commons authorities and that the visit allowed her to see how reconstruction in southern Lebanon was proceeding after the country's conflict with Israel in 2006.
"I did an interview for the TV programme and was free to express my views without censure, and I also met with senior Hezbollah officials," she said. "I do not accept US advice on who I should speak to. UK diplomats also talk with Hezbollah. I have also met with Hamas leaders on a number of occasions as well as Fatah leaders, and the Syrian and Lebanese governments."'Ms Short seen in this video uploaded by Sizer busily traducing Israel by making comparisons between it and Apartheid South Africa, famously campaigned (unsuccesfully) against the notorious "Page Three" in The Sun newspaper on the grounds that the daily dose of a topless model displayed there demeaned women. So it's no surprise that she hosted at the House of Commons in 2006 representatives of an impeccably feminist organisation, the Islamic supremacist Hizb-ut-Tahrir.
"I read with alarm that you are facilitating a meeting of the misogynistic, homophobic and anti-Semitic Muslim fundamentalist group, Hizb ut-Tahrir, at the House of Commons today, Wednesday 1 March, in Committee Room 17.
If this is true, I am very surprised. Perhaps you are not aware of the true nature of this group and its anti-democratic, anti-humanitarian goals, as enshrined in its constitution?
Please allow me to illuminate you concerning my own personal experiences with Hizb ut-Tahrir:
During the early to mid-1990s, Hizb ut-Tahrir distributed leaflets explicitly inciting the murder of homosexuals. Their members subjected me to repeated death threats because I spoke out in defence of gay and women Muslims who were being abused by members of their organisation.
Since this thuggery was exposed, Hizb ut-Tahrir has sought to project a less extreme public image. But I have no doubt that many of its members continue to hold, in private, violent homophobic and misogynistic views.
Hizb ut-Tahrir still endorses Sharia law, which stipulates the death penalty for gay and lesbian Muslims, apostates and unchaste women...."The meeting was described in detail by Migsug on Harry's Place:
'On Wednesday at 5 pm, Clare Short hosted Hizb ut-Tahrir for a meeting in the Houses of Parliament. The meeting was supposed to give Parliamentarians an opportunity to quiz Hizb ut-Tahrir before the attempt by the Prime Minister to have the organization proscribed. The meeting began rather tellingly with Clare Short refusing impolitely the request by the Jewish Chronicle to take photos of herself with either of the two representatives of HuT. [Emphasis added here and below] At the meeting were around a dozen parliamentarians from both houses, including some heavyweight figures such as Lord Lawson and Lord Avebury. ...
The two representatives of HuT, Imran Waheed and Jamal Harwood (a white, middle-class ‘city accountant’ – poor sod) sat facing their would-be interrogators. Imran Waheed dressed in a sharp suit with an open collar and proceeded to give a well-rehearsed autobiographical outline of his life that made Richard Curtis seem like a working-class rebel. Waheed went to the top grammar school in the country (where, rather surprisingly he found HuT), after university he joined the NHS to become a psychiatrist....
....The polite manner in which Waheed delivered his propaganda meant criticisms from our democratic representatives had to be delivered respectfully and with equal grace – it was only just, but deeply depressing. Often parliamentarians would interject to refute HuT’s lies (such as they wanted a peaceful co-existence with Israeli Jews under a Caliphate: not war), but Clare Short would consistently interject telling parliamentarians they ‘shouldn’t interupt’. One MP, Ian Austin, got visibly agitated by Short’s kid-gloves approach. Short’s body language was outwardly warm towards Imran Waheed and her outburst at the beginning against the Jewish Chronicle was matched by another startling observation that, ‘many orthodox Jews are against the Israeli state’. This rattled the increasingly vocal audience with an angry refutation from Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Falkner....
....HuT avoided, prevaricated and soundbited their way out of some difficult issues, such as anti-Semitism. Lord Avebury did manage to force them to admit their ‘false choice’ over Israel – that is, Israel being given the choice whether it would join the Caliphate before force was used. Clare Short didn’t bat an eyelid at the threat to a sovereign state, instead continuing to use her position as Chair to allow the HuTistas to explain their position in ever-increasing length (thus reducing the time for MPs and Peers’ questions).
As HuT proselytized in the comfort of the Palace of Westminster – their liberties secured - I became increasingly irate. After passing Ian Austin MP a copy of the Hizb ut-Tahrir Constitution with a pen-starred Article 184 (‘[with] belligerent states, like Israel, a state of war must be taken’), Clare Short barked, ‘Young man, I think the MPs can manage without your help.’ Soon afterwards I was warned I would be asked to leave; MPs looked at Short like she had left leave of her senses.
At the end, I handed out copies of the HuT constitution to the parliamentarians. A dour looking HuT member (again suited) walked over to me and in a not-very polite tone asked me my name and if he could have a copy. I obliged (and gave him my name – well, they are peaceful after-all).'See also my posts here and here
