Ben Wallace warns Israel 'killing rage' in Gaza will fuel 50 years of conflict

18 December 2023 , 11:50

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Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has warned that Israel's actions mean the conflict could go on for 50 more years

Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has warned Israel against a "killing rage" as calls grow for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The ex-Cabinet member said he fears Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's tactics risk fuelling the conflict for another 50 years. He urged Mr Netanyahu to heed the lessons of Northern Ireland, saying a "disproportionate response" can be a terrorist organisation's "best recruiting sergeant".

The intervention comes as Rishi Sunak added his voice to those calling for a "sustainable ceasefire" . The PM said that "too many" civilian lives had been lost in the latest conflict.

Mr Wallace, who resigned from the frontbench in August having served as Defence Secretary since 2019, said Israel "needs to stop this crude and indiscriminate method of attack". Much of northern Gaza has been flattened since Hamas's sickening terror attack on October 7, with human rights groups estimating over 20,000 people have been killed including 9,000 children.

Mr Wallace said the Israeli Prime Minister would be feeling deep shame for not foreseeing the Hamas attack, but said his action would end up silencing "moderate Palestinians". In an article in The Telegraph he wrote: "But if he thinks a killing rage will rectify matters, then he is very wrong. His methods will not solve this problem. In fact, I believe his tactics will fuel the conflict for another 50 years."

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Mr Wallace said he was "unequivocal" in his condemnation of Hamas, which killed an estimated 1,200 in its brutal terror attack in October. He said that going after Hamas is legitimate, but added that "obliterating vast swathes of Gaza" is not.

His article states: "As sure as night follows day, history shows us that radicalisation follows oppression." He gave the example of Bloody Sunday and internment in Northern Ireland, where he served as a soldier in the Scots Guard.

He said watching the events in Gaza are making people "more and more uncomfortable". He warned that Mr Netanyahu's action are "radicalising Muslim youth across the globe", and said that previous Israeli politicians would never have missed the signs of the imminent attack.

Mr Wallace went on: "But lack of wisdom in a new generation of Israel politicians has led them to a place where they act like a bull in a china shop - crashing from one crisis to another."

He said Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely was "wrong" to say there can be no two state solution in comments which provoked outrage last week. It comes as the US voices growing unease about the way Israel is conducting the war.

Today Mr Sunak stepped up the UK Government's call for a "sustainable ceasefire", which would see increased access for much-needed humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip. He said: "Israel obviously has a right to defend itself against what was an appalling terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas, but it must do that in accordance with humanitarian law.

"It's clear that too many civilian lives have been lost and nobody wants to see this conflict go on a day longer than it has to. And that's why we've been consistent - and I made this point in Parliament last week - in calling for a sustainable ceasefire, whereby hostages are released, rockets stopped being fired into Israel by Hamas and we continue to get more aid in."

And on Sunday French foreign minister Catherine Colonna called for an "immediate truce". Lib Dem MP Layla Moran has spoken about her growing fears for her relatives, who are among a group of Christians who have sought shelter in a church compound in Gaza City.

At the weekend the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said two Christian women in the Holy Family Church had been killed by Israeli sniper fire "in cold blood" and seven others were wounded.

Ms Moran said of her relatives' plight: "It's a week to Christmas Eve, these are Christians in a church who went there to seek sanctuary. This is making a mockery of the assertion by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) that they do not target civilians. They have known for two months that these are civilians. If they thought Hamas were there, they would have come earlier. There were no leaflets dropped, there was no prior warning – nothing. We are terrified for them, we don't know if they are going to last until Christmas."