Once again proving that Jews can be our own worst enemies -- British MP wants economic sanctions against Israel.

A British Member of Parliament from the ruling Labour party, Gerald Kaufman, has called for economic sanctions against Israel, including cutting off arms supplies, to force it back to the negotiating table with the Palestinians.

"It is not enough for the world community, including our own Government, to condemn the Israeli Government's brutal policies of repression," he said, addressing members of his Manchester constituency.

"Only widespread economic sanctions on Israel, together with cutting off arms supplies, can make any impact on this Government without a conscience".

Mr Kaufman, himself Jewish, said US President George W Bush's father, the former president Bush, had "understood the importance of forcing the Israelis to the conference table by imposing economic sanctions on a previous Likud Prime Minister, Yitzhak Shamir".

Mr Kaufman, once a frontbench Labour foreign affairs spokesman when the party was in opposition, criticised a decision by Mr Bush to receive Mr Sharon in Washington.

"Bush has shown whose side he is on in this grossly unequal struggle by refusing to invite the Palestinian Prime Minister, even though the ostensible purpose of the invitation to Sharon is the Middle East peace process," Mr Kaufman said.

Mr Sharon has received an invitation to meet Mr Bush on April 14.

-- AFP