As the bombardment and tightening siege of Gaza enters it’s fifth week, millions of people around the world have been shocked and horrified by the immense suffering they are seeing on their screens and by the relentless brutality of the Israeli government towards innocent Palestinian civilians, so many of whom are children and newborn babies.
A ceasefire saves lives. This is an avoidable tragedy with more than 400 people killed by Israel every day.
From the outset, the overwhelming majority of the UK public has supported an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as has the Green Party. Though shockingly late in the day, the Liberal Democrat Party are now also calling for a ceasefire.
But Labour Party leader Keir Starmer still calls for “humanitarian pauses” in the fighting, despite, at time of writing, more than a third of Labour Party MPs, including almost 20 frontbenchers, supporting a ceasefire in Gaza. Moreover, the leadership required MPs to abstain on a ceasefire motion raised in Parliament on the 15th November- putting them completely at odds with the public.
It is time all Labour politicians realise what most of their constituents realised weeks ago, that an immediate ceasefire in Gaza is not only a moral imperative but a political necessity for any kind of peaceful settlement to be reached, which includes the right of all people to live in safety and without persecution across the region.
Unfortunately, the government also does not support a ceasefire, however we call on Conservative councillors to support one anyway as a matter of conscience.
We therefore call for BANES Labour, Conservative and independent councillors to show the courage, leadership and compassion we expect from our elective representatives and to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
We, the undersigned
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