Voice for Justice

On behalf of the Voice of Justice, we denounce the recent atrocities of Israel on the innocent people of Palestine.

We are deeply concerned that the so-called super powers and guardians of the free world continue to watch the Israelis penetrate into a sovereign state with their declared mission of escalating the carnage and killing babies, school children, women and totally innocent Palestinians.

It is our considered opinion that without the support of its powerful “allies”, Israel could not engage in these acts to total mayhem. We consider the aggression by Israel on the innocent people of Palestine as a crime against humanity.

We are therefore urging you to take immediate steps towards saving the innocent civilians particularly the children and, at the same time, impose sanctions against the aggressor such as ban on the sale of arms and ammunition, withdrawal of aids and of moral support.

Last week I spoke at a special meeting of the Waltham Forest Council of Mosques, I will also be attending their peace march this coming Saturday.

For information, here's a copy of a letter I've sent to the Foreign Secretary and a draft of a public letter to the press I've signed along with other MPs.

Harry Cohen MP
COHENH@parliament.uk

To: Rt Hon David Miliband MP
Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London SW1A 2AH

I am extremely concerned at the Israeli military assault on the inhabitants of Gaza which has already killed (murdered) around 300 individuals, including many women and children, and injured around 2,000 more.

It is both disproportionate and illegal as a response to the ending of the cease-fire and the random rocket firing, also wrong and unacceptable, from the Gaza Strip.

I strongly favour an immediate cease-fire and cessation of all hostilities, but you must also be aware that the blockade of Gaza, including the stopping of humanitarian aid and basic necessities like medicines, has also cost the lives of many inhabitants, most of whom were innocent women and children. This ‘strangulation’ was plainly the reason Hamas ended the cease-fire. It cannot be a prevailing state of affairs.

In these circumstances, I believe that the Government’s response to date, including the statement by the Prime Minister, was weak and ineffectual. It was also not the appropriate response ("concern" rather than "condemnation" or even "the strongest objection") when considering the loss of life and illegality.

I also consider that the Israeli barbarism could act as a recruiting sergeant for extremist acts of ‘vengeance’ in other parts of the world and in the UK. I understand that you have alluded to this aspect yourself in your comments.

A weak UK response is not acceptable in these circumstances and I urge a UK Government position that publicly and privately, unequivocally demands the immediate end of the Israeli military action and blockade of Gaza.

Harry Cohen MP

Israel’s continuing massive military strikes on Gaza are an outrage that the international community must not allow to continue. Palestinian rocket attacks which traumatise the lives of communities in Southern Israel are also utterly unacceptable. Both sides must cease fire.

Israel’s actions are disproportionate and counter productive to achieving either security for the people of Israel or peace in the Middle East. Physicians for Human Rights (Israel) have warned that "targeting of civilians and of medical facilities is a breach of international humanitarian law. The targets chosen by the Israeli military include also clearly civilian installations."

Gaza is one of the poorest and most densely populated places on earth. For the last two years, the blockade and previous Israeli strikes had already disrupted electricity supplies and access to clean water. Even before the current attack, Gaza’s health system was near collapse. Hospitals are short of medicines, blood and essential equipment. Only half of Gaza’s 58 ambulances are functioning.

We call on the international community, and especially the High Contracting Parities to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to intervene to stop the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. We call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties and for an embargo on the supply of military equipment to both sides. The international community must also assert unambiguously that there is no military route to peace in the Middle East and redouble its efforts to create a secure and independent state of Palestine alongside a secure and independent Israel.