We are writing to ask you urgently to support a motion for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

We are in real distress as we sit and watch tens of thousands of people in Gaza being killed, wounded, made homeless,  threatened with disease, hunger and starvation – and this is no natural accident but the declared intent of the leaders of Israel.

This is a genocide happening in full view and though the representatives of most countries in the world have made it clear in the United Nations that they want it to stop and though the people of the world have been demonstrating for a ceasefire,  the carnage goes on and on. Health workers, journalists, thousands of children are among the victims – The stories are terrible and they keep getting worse.

The government of South Africa is taking Israel’s government to court for genocide and has documented the case very clearly.

Why does this concern Camden?

After the vile racism and violence of the European holocaust in the twentieth century, the world vowed “never again”. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international humanitarian law, conventions on weapons etc were drawn up to protect all human beings.

Camden proudly took a stand against apartheid in South Africa and in human rights in other places. Camden’s people, Camden’s council, Camden’s policies stand for equality and inclusion.

Now in Gaza international law and the human rights protections are being defied,  wild violence is continuous and racism and genocidal calls are public. This affects us all and the world we and our children will live in. Every one of us is less safe when our own politicians justify racism and unspeakable violence or when people are silent in the face of genocide.

As human beings believing in the equal value of all human beings, we cannot stand by when such agony is being caused and while bombing and inhuman acts continue daily.

The situation is more than urgent and this letter is to ask you to support a Camden motion asking for a ceasefire.