Israel's bitterest foe yet

Israel faces a new front against a foe potentially more dangerous than Hamas, Hezbollah or Iran. A fierce battle for territory is being fought over the Best UK Blog section of the 2008 Weblog Awards, the winners of which traditionally go on not to win an Academy Award next month.

Neil Clark, last year's winner of the Weblog Awards in the thankfully discontinued Most Unspeakable Twat category, and an extremely well-respected blogger, anti-imperialist and champion of oppressed Muslims everywhere (except quislings and Bosnians), has waged a one-man rearguard action against Israel. Clark, 7, has been a lone voice of principle in a blogosphere too ready to condemn Hamas' modest, home-made rocket fire into Israeli cities and too quick to offer thoughtful commentary on an intractable conflict. Too often critics of Israel have been reluctant to demonise Israel and Zionists, and Clark rightly notes that it is only recently that protesters have felt able to compare Israel to the Nazis.

Israel has responded to Clark with disproportionate force by calling in overnight votes from the US in favour of Melanie Phillips, which is unfair, wrong and Zionist.