UK: MP makes urgent Palestine appeal amid violence

LONDON

A prominent member of the UK opposition has appealed to the government to end escalating Israeli violence against Palestinians.

Lisa Nandy, an MP for the opposition Labour Party and the shadow foreign secretary, wrote to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, demanding an end to violent attacks against Palestinians and forced evictions of their families in Sheikh Jarrah.

“The UK and our allies should also examine what more can be done to disrupt the flow of rockets into Gaza and ensure humanitarian access and resources, particularly to Gaza, which already faced a tragic and desperate humanitarian situation before this latest round of violence,” Nandy said.

“The government must also assess - in line with all obligations - the use of exported arms and equipments in this conflict. There ought to be a report to Parliament setting out any further licenses issued for exports of arms and equipment to the Israeli security forces could be used to commit acts of internal repression or external aggression or violations of international humanitarian law,” she added.

The shadow minister also demanded an end to the forced evictions of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, describing them as “unjust, illegal and provocative.”

She also insisted that all sacred sites of faith be treated with respect and that there should be no repeat of excessive violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Nandy also called for the immediate halt to all illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land “which violate international law, entrench divisions, and make peace harder to achieve.”

She also called on Israel to observe and respect international law and norms.

Importantly, however, the Labour figure urged the government to recognize the State of Palestine “as nearly 140 other countries have already done”, arguing that its recognition would help bring about a defining resolution to the attacks and violence against Palestinians.

Saturday marks the 73rd anniversary of the Nakba, when Zionist armed groups displaced hundreds of thousands Palestinians in 1948 and declared the State of Israel.