In September Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband announced a package of sanctions, going after entities that profit from illegal settlements by banning the trade of goods from illegal Israeli settlements and taking action on services and banning advertising and promotion of land and property in illegal settlements. It was a pivotal moment where the government stated plainly that the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank is a moral emergency and we will no longer just condemn but create consequence.
We will not be bystanders to the further suffering of the Palestinian people. Settler expansion and occupation in the West Bank are a flagrant violation of international law and cannot go unchallenged. These measures send a clear message that the actions of the Israeli authorities and those who enable and facilitate the ongoing occupation and violence against the Palestinian communities will not go on with impunity.
As co-chair of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, I welcomed the announcement and the shift in approach that it represented. You can read the full statement released below:
Although this was a significant milestone hearing the Foreign Minister saying that
“In Gaza, we have seen the most unimaginable trauma and suffering in the last three years—death, destruction and dehumanisation on an appalling scale; a stain on the conscience of the world and of this country too.”
I still asked what more can be done for the children in Gaza who have managed to survive the onslaught which has killed 20,000 other children. There are tens of thousands of unaccompanied children in Gaza in desperate need, particularly since the collapse of the medical system who need protection and medical aid.
My question and the Minister’s response:
I am under no illusion about the strength of feeling of my constituents and I want to assure you that I continue to push for more pressure on the Israeli authorities to put an end to the violence, displacement and humanitarian crisis that they continue to enable.
Palestinian Ambassador Dr Husam Zomlot was able to see the strength of feeling and scale of support that his people have in Newham when he attended a flag raising ceremony at Newham Town Hall. I was pleased to be able to attend and support our Mayor Forhad Hussain at this event. We made sure to tell Dr Zumlot that if it weren’t for the security risks associated had his attendance been promoted more widely, then we’re sure thousands would have attended to show their support.
In his speech Ambassador Dr Husam Zomlot said, “Newham is the closest thing the UK has to the world in a single borough” he’s right, there are nearly 200 languages spoken here and we have a long tradition of supporting our friends and families across the world especially at a time of need.
I am glad that those values of support and solidarity across borders that can be found in Newham are being matched by the actions of our government.
