The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office is sometimes termed the “Camel Corps,” because of its pro-Arab stance. The theory is that the career staffers who reach the senior echelons have normally spent some time in the richer Arab countries where British companies have important links left over from colonial days. By contrast, very few of them will have spent any time at all in Israel. I have no idea, not having a copy of Who’s Who nearby, if Sir David Manning, HM Ambassador to the United States, is potentially a member of this clique, but The Times is reporting that he took sides on the Lebanon issue, influencing Tony Blair’s retreat from his previous stance:

Mr Blair was keenly aware of the damage being done to his international standing. Nevertheless he reiterated the policy side by side with President Bush on July 28 at the White House, when the two men refused pointedly to call for a immediate ceasefire.
But according to British diplomats, Sir David then made a second attempt. This time the two men spoke alone and at length as Mr Blair travelled to California for public engagements without his normal No 10 retinue. “The Downing Street aides went home leaving Manning to work on Blair,” a British official said. “Manning urged Blair to be more robust in calling for a ceasefire and criticising US policy.”
Britain, which has never played a leading role in Lebanese affairs, was being damaged unnecessarily. Also, Sir David feared that the conflict could grow and that hardliners in the Bush Administration could push Israel to extend its campaign to Syria. Mr Blair was told he must bolster the position of Dr Rice and moderates at the State Department.

Speaks volumes, as they say.