On October 24th, 2023, Tower Hamlets Labour councillors wrote to Keir Starmer MP, calling on the Labour Party to back an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. In the 120 days since, the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations has risen to 29,000, with many more injured. The majority of these casualties have been women and children.
There are still 134 families anxiously awaiting the return of those taken hostage by Hamas in their horrific October 7th attack. Some of these families have protested against the Israeli Prime Minister, calling on their own government to agree to a ceasefire and negotiate the safe return of their loved ones.
Last November, the House of Commons had the opportunity to vote for a ceasefire. To our dismay, there was a belief that it was not the right time, resulting in a large number of Labour MPs either voting against the motion or abstaining.
Since that vote, there have been numerous and sustained calls for Israel’s international partners to exert real diplomatic pressure to halt its operations. Additionally, there’s been domestic pressure from the families of those taken hostage by Hamas to negotiate their safe release.
The scale and intensity of the onslaught on the Palestinian population have led to a rare and serious interim ruling from the International Court of Justice, which is investigating whether such conduct amounts to genocide.
The Israeli government’s reaction to the International Court’s ruling, its rejection of a ceasefire, and its stated intention to press ahead with military operations in the city of Rafah (home to a million displaced Palestinians) should inform all MPs about the direction in which Israel is headed.
Recent comments and statements by senior Hamas figures and Israeli ministers demonstrate that without serious pressure from the international community, extremists will lock the Palestinian and Israeli people in a deadly spiral.
On a personal level, the images of destruction, death, and carnage wrought upon the Palestinian people over the last 137 days have left an indelible mark on me and my colleagues. Many Tower Hamlets residents have experienced the brutality of war and conflict, which is why they feel so strongly about this cause and oppose the increase in indiscriminate violence against the Palestinian civilian population since the October 7th terror attack.
The International Court of Justice’s ruling must be respected and implemented. The UK government must ensure that we are not enabling a State in breach of international law. Even in Opposition, Labour must play its part in pressuring the UK Government to ensure this is the case.
Our sister parties in Spain, Belgium, and France have called for an immediate ceasefire, as have our international allies in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It is simply not the time for disagreements about semantics or wording – just as it wasn’t in November. This must be the point where the Labour Party, as a government in waiting, takes a stand and advocates for the type of world we want to live in.
Councillor Sirajul Islam, Leader of TH Labour Group |