The current crisis in Palestine and Israel and the indiscriminate loss of life is completely unacceptable. The continued bloodshed and violence in the Middle East has rightfully angered many of my constituents and the international community.

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My colleague Anas Sarwar MP wrote this and I totally agree.

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“I was cautiously optimistic about the recent peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis under John Kerry’s encouragement. Whilst no bold assurances were made, it was seen as a step in the right direction with both parties coming to the negotiation table.
Not many would have predicted that only a few months later, innocent Gazans would again be under attack. With reports of 120 Palestinians killed already, this new wave of aerial bombardment is worryingly similar to the first days of Operation Caste Lead, in which 1,350 Palestinians were killed in 22 days.

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The international community cannot sit back and watch another Caste Lead. We cannot maintain a silence on this bloodshed nor can we accept the status quo of two million people under siege.
We will only move to a meaningful peace process, when every life is treated as equal. Every Palestinian life treated as equal to every Israeli life.

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When the Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and brutally and wrongfully killed, the Government called members to the House of Commons for an urgent statement. Those responsible for this unprovoked crime should be held to account and punished.
The Israeli authorities have since continuously and indiscriminately bombarded the Gaza Strip with war planes, including specially adapted deadly F16s, killing at least 120 people with the death toll still climbing.”

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The position is worsening by the day. I’m shocked at both the aggression and indiscriminate killing of over 135 Palestinian people and the injuring of over 1,000. Collective punishment is abhorrent and against international law.

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I think we all absolutely deplore the deaths of Palestinian people and that of the Israeli teenagers that sparked off this situation. However, the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians as a response is disproportionate and wrong.

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I’ve written to the Foreign Secretary to express my strong view and that of your email and that of many other constituents. I shall also be attending the emergency Parliamentary Palestine Group in the House of Commons on Tuesday that I’m a member of and I have applied for a question to the Foreign Secretary a week on Tuesday. I know many of my colleagues are also trying to raise it in Parliament as opportunities arise.

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I was in Gaza about two years ago on a delegation. I saw for myself the suffering of the Palestinian people as a result of the blockade and the movement of people. What the trip emphasised to me was the aggression shown by the Israelis and that if you don’t offer young people (especially men) a future then they are likely to pick up arms and fight back.

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The International community must act now to stop the bloodshed and aggression before more civilians are killed. There should then be the immediate cessation of the building of illegal settlements and a return to delivering a proper two state solution.

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As a member if the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, the parliamentary group on Palestine and having been to Gaza I’m fully aware of the issue and will continue to press these points both within and outside the House of Commons.

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There is a statement by the Foreign Secretary this afternoon (Monday).

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