UK troops in Gaza ‘insane’, say MPs

DEPLOYING British troops on the ground to assist Gaza aid efforts would be “completely insane” and should be ruled out, senior Conservative MPs warned.

Leo Docherty, Minister of State for the Armed Forces, declined to comment on reports that the UK Government is considering deploying troops to land humanitarian supplies from a temporary pier currently being built by the United States military.

This could involve driving trucks carrying aid from landing vessels via a causeway to the shore, where it would be deposited and picked up by aid agencies.

Mr Docherty faced strong warnings from his own party and opposition MPs against such a move, amid fears for the safety of UK personnel, and calls for neighbouring Arab states to lead the distribution of supplies.

The minister told the House of Commons yesterday: “We are not going to comment on the speculation that there might be a ground role for UK forces; it wouldn’t be right for me to comment on speculation.”

Robert Jenrick, a former Conservative cabinet minister, said: “Hamas is a terrorist organisation that hates the United Kingdom and everything we stand for. It would therefore be deeply unwise for the UK to commit British servicemen and women, whether on the ground or on the pier in Gaza. It’s for precisely that reason that the White House has categorically ruled this out.

“Will the minister take the opportunity to do the same and reassure our constituents that we don’t make an inadvertent mistake and British troops continue what they should be doing, which is facilitating the complete eradication of Hamas?”

Mr Docherty replied: “I agree entirely with his analysis and his comments about Hamas. Other than that, of course, I won’t comment on speculation in the media.”

Conservative MP Sir Julian Lewis, who chairs Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee, said: “May I urge the minister not to comment on the suggestion that we might have British boots on the ground in the Gaza Strip, but to take the message back to the Secretary of State for Defence [Grant Shapps] that this would be a completely insane idea.”

Conservative MP Sir Jeremy Quin, who chairs the House of Commons’ Defence Committee, sought assurances that the UK would “only contemplate UK boots on the pier with appropriate force protection in place”.

Mr Docherty said: “Our forces in the region operate with the full force of the law behind them on the basis of collective selfdefence.”