“These sessions will shine a light in parliament on the brutal crimes that Israel is carrying out in Gaza and add to the mounting pressure for our Government to speak out and finally demand an immediate ceasefire.”
Richard Burgon MP
By Labour Outlook
With mounting concern that the Israeli government’s military actions in Gaza are in breach of international law, MPs have announced that they will be launching a series of evidence panels in parliament, documenting evidence of Israeli War Crimes.
This follows news that over 23,000 people have been killed since the start of the military campaign, with the daily death rate reported as the highest of any 21st-century conflict.
Public pressure is mounting on the UK government to challenge Israel’s breaches of international law after South Africa formally accused Israel of committing genocide in a hearing at the International Court of Justice. Mass demonstrations also took place in cities across the globe this weekend, with hundreds of thousands marching in London on Saturday demanding government support for a ceasefire.
Richard Burgon MP and Imran Hussain MP will host a range of legal experts and rights groups to address MPs at the Parliamentary Evidence Panels.
During the panels, which begin next week, MPs will be presented with testimony and evidence of Israeli war crimes. Evidence from the sessions, which will be published for the public, will also be submitted to the relevant authorities, including the International Criminal Court
Richard Burgon, MP for Leeds East and Secretary of the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs said:
“Our Government’s repeated failure to demand an immediate ceasefire has given the green light to Israel to carry out more killings and more war crimes against the people of Gaza.”
As MPs, we cannot stand by while international law is openly violated. We have a responsibility to do all we can to prevent war crimes and to hold those perpetrating such crimes to account.”
These sessions will shine a light in parliament on the brutal crimes that Israel is carrying out in Gaza and add to the mounting pressure for our Government to speak out and finally demand an immediate ceasefire.”
Imran Hussain, MP for Bradford East, said:
“The brutal conflict in Gaza has seen repeated serious reports of war crimes committed by the Israeli military, but instead of condemnation and investigation, these reports have been met with silence and dismissal by the UK Government who have refused to properly investigate the Israeli military and government’s violations of international law.”
If our Government continues to refuse to stand up for justice or for international law where those responsible for war crimes are held to account, and continues to refuse to press for the immediate ceasefire that we need to see, then these panels will do it for them, and we will make it clear that there is no escaping accountability for violating international law.”
- Richard Burgon is the MP for Leeds East, the Secretary of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs and a regular contributor to Labour Outlook. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- Imran Hussain MP is the MP for Bradford East, you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- If you support Labour Outlook’s work amplifying the voices of left movements and struggles in the UK and internationally, please consider becoming a supporter on Patreon.
