The Pathetic William Hague

Peter Oborne writes:

 

Today’s decision by an Egyptian court to condemn three Al Jazeera journalists to seven years in jail shows that President Sisi is not set upon returning his country to democracy, as Secretary of State Kerry seems to think, but rather returning it to a pariah state.

It is a tragedy for Egypt.

Today’s decision by the judge follows yesterday’s announcement that 183 Muslim Brotherhood supporters, including the Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie, have been condemned to death by hanging.

The outlook is something very frightening in Egypt, and yet the British response has been pathetic.

In his official response yesterday, William Hague was unable to express more than the fact he was “deeply concerned” about the death sentences.

Indeed Mr Hague is yet even to label the events of last July as a military coup d'état.

We know why the British response is so underwhelming.

It is because we are afraid of upsetting our allies in Saudi Arabia, who have been diehard enemies of the democratic Muslim Brotherhood and strong allies of President Sisi.

Nor do we want to upset the United States.

That means that we have not been prepared to stand up for the British values of decency, democracy and the rule of law.

Hague's response to today's announcement has been pathetic.

The people sent to jail today were guilty of no crime except journalism.