Another kidnapping - but ignored by the world

As with terrorism, Israel is not exactly above criticism with regards to kidnapping. Mordechai Vanunu took a heroic faith based stand against weapons of destruction long before Bush and Blair.

Sadly he was kidnapped by Mossad. This kidnapping did not take place in Israel but in another country, Italy. Vanunu who would have been a hero if he was an Iraqi, went on to serve 18 years in prison, 11 1/2 in solitary confinement. He still lives with sever restrictions.

A few years ago, I took up Vanunu's case with my MP. She kindly made representations to the Foreign Office. The response on four occasions was a combination of cleverly worded evasion and misrepresentation of my points.

It always seemed strange that the West which talks of freedom and the need to prevent nuclear proliferation, cast Vanunu adrift. Were I a cynic, I would suggest that there was much hypocrisy on this matter. After all we were prepared to go to war over WMDs of one country whilst ignoring the kidnapping of a public spirited whistleblower of another country.

Anyway, my point is that nobody in the Middle East is totally clean. Furthermore, I suggest that just as it would have been wrong for Italy to indulge in mass killing at a kidnapping on their territory, so to it is wrong to kill children and UN arms inspectors in Lebanon for what was not their fault.