“These are some of the daily examples of discrimination faced by my friend in Gaza. These are some of the examples of what is now a form of systematic oppression and control by Israel over the Palestinian people.”
Today at the Labour Party Conference, a historic motion in support of the Palestinian Struggle was passed reaffirming the parties commitment to international justice in the region. Conference delegate Lesley Cook, seconded the motion, speaking passionately from the conference floor. Read her contribution to the debate in full here:
Lesley Cook, Wolverhampton South West CLP, speaking in support of Composite One, Israel and Palestine. First time delegate.
I have had the privilege to have visited Palestine on four occasions. In the course of my visits and my time in Palestine, I have made many friends and contacts.
Let me tell you about my friend in Gaza. I cannot tell you her name – or how we met – as this might put her at risk. We discovered that we have a lot in common – we are both mothers – we are both teachers – we are both well-educated. But there the similarity ends.
Israel has been holding the Gaza Strip under blockade since June 2007. Instead of clean water -my friend and her family have severe water restrictions due to infrastructure neglect and water pollution. Such restrictions do not apply to the vast majority of Israeli citizens living in Israel.
I do not find my electricity cut off just when the kids need to do their homework but my friend’s home power supply is often restricted to just 4 hours a day.
I have been double jabbed. My friend in Gaza is still waiting to have her first vaccination. Meanwhile 70% of Israeli citizens have been fully vaccinated.
These are some of the daily examples of discrimination faced by my friend in Gaza. These are some of the examples of what is now a form of systematic oppression and control by Israel over the Palestinian people.
Conference – if we as a party are to make any serious contribution to help resolve this injustice based on international law – we must confront the reality recognized by our TUC colleagues in 2020 and 2021, affirmed by HRW and B’tselem, Israel’s leading human rights body this year, that Israel is practicing the crime of apartheid as defined under the Rome statute.
Conference -my friend deserves justice.
Conference – the people of Palestine deserve justice.
Please support Composite one.
- You can read Unite the Union delegate Paula Brennan’s planned contribution to the debate here, and our coverage of the motion passing here.
- Add you support to the Labour & Palestine statement here.
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