London Mayor Ken Livingstone, in an interview with The Guardian newspaper, called for throwing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a cell with former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, for the Saudi Arabian royal family to be "swinging from lampposts," and for UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to press US President George W. Bush regarding Israel.
As for President Bush, though, "I'm not even sure he was aware there were any Palestinians before he was elected…." Livingstone said.
Furthermore, he explained, there cannot be peace in the Middle East until "the West shows it is taking on board the injustice of what's happening to the Palestinians, and looks at the financial network of corruption between some of the oil sheikhdoms, the oil companies and the White House."
The conservative Tory party opposition candidate in London, Steve Norris, took a surprising tack in his reaction, saying, "With the threat of a terrorist attack on London in the air, this kind of Livingstone rant is downright dangerous." Liberal Democrat candidate Simon Hughes mentioned the offense given to the Americans and Saudis.
No British politician condemned Livingstone's remarks regarding Prime Minister Sharon.
As for President Bush, though, "I'm not even sure he was aware there were any Palestinians before he was elected…." Livingstone said.
Furthermore, he explained, there cannot be peace in the Middle East until "the West shows it is taking on board the injustice of what's happening to the Palestinians, and looks at the financial network of corruption between some of the oil sheikhdoms, the oil companies and the White House."
The conservative Tory party opposition candidate in London, Steve Norris, took a surprising tack in his reaction, saying, "With the threat of a terrorist attack on London in the air, this kind of Livingstone rant is downright dangerous." Liberal Democrat candidate Simon Hughes mentioned the offense given to the Americans and Saudis.
No British politician condemned Livingstone's remarks regarding Prime Minister Sharon.