CEASEFIRE NOW
The Issue
Dear Mr Starmer
We the undersigned have been Labour supporters and voters for the majority if not all our adult lives, some of us turned Labour due to our dismay in politics of late and thought under you we may do better. Some of us are members of the party, others councillors, and others voters. Some of us are from the Muslim community (an overwhelming 79% of the Muslim vote goes to Labour), some of us are of other faiths and some of us are of no faith, but the thread between us is that of humanity, we call on you for the sake of humanity!
By now we are sure you are fully aware of how despicable most found your comments regarding you thinking Israel has the right to breach International law and collectively punish Gazans by withholding necessities such as water and fuel. As a Human Rights (“HR”) KC we are sure you know better than most on HR matters so this remark is quite simply astounding coming from a man of this level of intelligence and knowledge and one who has also in the past stood with the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign.
Your local councillors and even MP candidates in Swindon, though have shown some sympathy towards Palestinians they echo your line of “I stand with Israel’s right to defend.” Undoubtedly, any country under attack has a right to defend, but this is not defence, this is pure blood shed and nothing short of genocide. Over 7,000 Palestinians have been killed since 7th October 2023, 50% of those killed are children, some babies barely out of their mother’s womb! It is also quite outstanding that such defiance is shown yet they know little about the history of Palestine and the occupation and siege under which Palestinians “live.” We advise that before you get out the whip on this matter and provide the party line, you ask your Councillors and MPs to first educate themselves on the matter before they commit themselves to a side of history that will be unforgiving!
The analogy that best describes this is “I have had disputes with my neighbours for decades now but last week someone that sympathises with him did something outrageous and attacked my son. So I have now killed his entire family, wiped out his road and will stop at nothing until he and his sympathiser and anyone that opposes me is killed.” Human emotions aren't always logical but that's why we have laws and law makers and upholders to ensure reasonableness and safety is applied! For goodness sakes is English law not built on the premise of a reasonable man- men's rea in murder to satisfactory quality disputes under consumer goods legislation, reasonableness is applied- what is expected of and by a reasonable man! Then why is this not applied to the situation of Gaza and Palestinians?
Making this a religious matter simply stokes the flames of aggressive hate crime. Please make a stand and say no more! We simply cannot keep turning our backs on this matter and say “its a complex matter.” It will be complex to resolve the decades of conflicts yes, but we must try. The issue itself is not complex. The resolution on the other hand will need much negotiation and much courage to seek truth and seek justice
We as your voters demand you retract your LBC statement, apologise and demand a ceasefire now. We also demand that you encourage peace-talks that would see to the end of the siege which would allow Palestinians to have their own autonomy, land and sea without any occupier military checkpoints. This must be a fair negotiation that looks to uphold UN resolutions including those re Israeli withdrawal from illegal settlements! But that is a long way off- for now call for a ceasefire and allow in much needed aid. Turn back on the flow of water, electricity and fuel.
The Labour Party has always stood for fairness and the common man, it is a socialist party and we simply cannot allow a party to fall into appeasing the Red Wall. This is not us.
The undersigned
10,811
The Issue
Dear Mr Starmer
We the undersigned have been Labour supporters and voters for the majority if not all our adult lives, some of us turned Labour due to our dismay in politics of late and thought under you we may do better. Some of us are members of the party, others councillors, and others voters. Some of us are from the Muslim community (an overwhelming 79% of the Muslim vote goes to Labour), some of us are of other faiths and some of us are of no faith, but the thread between us is that of humanity, we call on you for the sake of humanity!
By now we are sure you are fully aware of how despicable most found your comments regarding you thinking Israel has the right to breach International law and collectively punish Gazans by withholding necessities such as water and fuel. As a Human Rights (“HR”) KC we are sure you know better than most on HR matters so this remark is quite simply astounding coming from a man of this level of intelligence and knowledge and one who has also in the past stood with the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign.
Your local councillors and even MP candidates in Swindon, though have shown some sympathy towards Palestinians they echo your line of “I stand with Israel’s right to defend.” Undoubtedly, any country under attack has a right to defend, but this is not defence, this is pure blood shed and nothing short of genocide. Over 7,000 Palestinians have been killed since 7th October 2023, 50% of those killed are children, some babies barely out of their mother’s womb! It is also quite outstanding that such defiance is shown yet they know little about the history of Palestine and the occupation and siege under which Palestinians “live.” We advise that before you get out the whip on this matter and provide the party line, you ask your Councillors and MPs to first educate themselves on the matter before they commit themselves to a side of history that will be unforgiving!
The analogy that best describes this is “I have had disputes with my neighbours for decades now but last week someone that sympathises with him did something outrageous and attacked my son. So I have now killed his entire family, wiped out his road and will stop at nothing until he and his sympathiser and anyone that opposes me is killed.” Human emotions aren't always logical but that's why we have laws and law makers and upholders to ensure reasonableness and safety is applied! For goodness sakes is English law not built on the premise of a reasonable man- men's rea in murder to satisfactory quality disputes under consumer goods legislation, reasonableness is applied- what is expected of and by a reasonable man! Then why is this not applied to the situation of Gaza and Palestinians?
Making this a religious matter simply stokes the flames of aggressive hate crime. Please make a stand and say no more! We simply cannot keep turning our backs on this matter and say “its a complex matter.” It will be complex to resolve the decades of conflicts yes, but we must try. The issue itself is not complex. The resolution on the other hand will need much negotiation and much courage to seek truth and seek justice
We as your voters demand you retract your LBC statement, apologise and demand a ceasefire now. We also demand that you encourage peace-talks that would see to the end of the siege which would allow Palestinians to have their own autonomy, land and sea without any occupier military checkpoints. This must be a fair negotiation that looks to uphold UN resolutions including those re Israeli withdrawal from illegal settlements! But that is a long way off- for now call for a ceasefire and allow in much needed aid. Turn back on the flow of water, electricity and fuel.
The Labour Party has always stood for fairness and the common man, it is a socialist party and we simply cannot allow a party to fall into appeasing the Red Wall. This is not us.
The undersigned
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Petition created on 31 October 2023