By Left Horizons reporters
The isolation of Keir Starmer and the Labour Friends of Israel lobby has been shown by the many resolutions and letters of protest from members, CLPs and groups of councillors all over the country. There are too many for us to publish them all, but this one from the Northern Region is typical of many:
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The Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic Network Labour North (BNLN) strongly condemns Hamas for the unspeakable massacre of civilians including children and the taking of over 200 hostages that occurred in Israel on 7th October 2023.
The disproportionate response by the Israeli government to the attack by Hamas – cutting off food, water, electricity and fuel from 2.4 million people, including 1 million children, and the continued bombing of Gaza (including the apparently safer space in Southern Gaza) that has destroyed the homes, places of worship and the local infrastructure – is utterly horrifying and is a form of collective punishment which is in clear violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime.
We are appalled at the UK Government and the Labour Party leadership’s tacit public approval of this collective punishment of the people of Gaza.
The Israeli government’s decision to continue to bombard Gaza resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians, including children, is catastrophic. Further, rationing the flow of humanitarian aid thereby risking the lives of babies, children and those who are sick and dying is inhumane. We call on the UK Government and the leadership of the Labour party to clearly and publicly condemn the Israeli government for not operating under international law and urge for an immediate ceasefire from all those involved in this futile war.
We are dismayed at the many resignations of Labour Party members and elected Labour Party Muslim Councillors and those of other faiths and none. We call on the Labour Party leadership to take action to make people of all heritage feel safe in the party. This includes urgently addressing all forms of racism in the party and standing in solidarity with Muslim and Jewish party members and Palestinians of all religions and none and all those who support them.
In a democratic Labour party, members have a right to make their views heard on the war involving Hamas and the Israeli government in party meetings and join demonstrations to express their solidarity and support for peace and justice without fear – a right currently being denied by the party’s leadership.
We call on all sides involved in the conflict, the international community and the UK political leadership to demand:
- an immediate ceasefire from both sides of the conflict
- urgent humanitarian aid to be allowed to reach the millions of Palestinian people in Gaza
- implementation of the many United Nations resolutions that aim to end the occupation, systematic violence, discrimination and denial of the rights of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank
- a fully resourced plan for the Palestinian people to rebuild Gaza and the surrounding area that has also been affected.
The Labour party leadership should remember that it was the British commitment to the 1917 Balfour Declaration and subsequent agreements that have led to the current situation involving the Israeli government and the Palestinian people. We believe that there will not be peace for all involved without a political settlement that includes the right to self-determination for the Palestine people and an end to the creeping illegal settlements in the West Bank.
We send a message of solidarity to the Israeli and Palestinian people of all faiths and none in the region and support the calls for peace, equality and economic justice for all.
[Picture top from Al Jazeera TV feed: part of the pulverised Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza]
