Nick Clegg is the rising star of the first-ever British televised debates among party leaders prior to an election. The leader of the UK Liberal Democrats, and possible future prime ministerm is an Israel-basher. Four days ago, Adam Shaw warned AT readers about Clegg's leftism, but his anti-Israel stance was not evident in the first prime ministerial debate. Today, Nile Gardiner of the UK Telegraph lays out the Clegg's views on the Middle East:

With Thursday night's foreign policy debate looming, it's important to take a look at Nick Clegg's willingness to vilify Israel, and his inclination towards bashing the Israelis over the head. I've written about Clegg's distinctly anti-American views and his complete disregard for the NATO alliance, but his policies towards Israel deserve attention as well. [snip]

In his statements, Clegg has drawn a dangerous and false parallel between the Israelis and Islamist terrorist groups. For example he wrote a piece for The Guardian in January 2009 entitled "We Must Stop Arming Israel" condemning Israel's response to Hamas attacks, and in effect calling for the EU to isolate and even sanction Israel. [snip]

In December 2009, Clegg was the lead signatory to an Observer letter by a group of MPs which made sensational claims about Israel "imprisoning" millions of Palestinians.... [snip]

Also in December 2009, Nick Clegg penned another piece for The Guardian entitled "Lift the Gaza Blockade: The Suffering is Shocking", which in parts reads like an anti-Israeli propaganda document drawn up by the Palestinian Authority.