“Political leaders must finally act & call for an immediate ceasefire & an end to all arms sales to Israel.”
Zarah Sultana
By Ben Folley, Labour Outlook
Thousands of protesters demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to prevent a massacre of civilians in Rafah gathered outside Downing St in central London last night.
In an emergency protest called by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, thousands gathered on Whitehall outside the gates of Downing St, to demand the UK Government oppose the growing threat of an Israeli ground force invasion of Rafah where over a million displaced Palestinians have already been displaced to and are surviving in temporary shelters.
The protest was called as intensifying air strikes in the Rafah area have already killed dozens of Palestinian civilians.
Rafah is the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt and is known for its border crossing through which most of the remaining aid getting into the strip arrives.
Whilst an approximate 200,000 people lived there before the conflict began – around 10% of Gaza’s population – an estimated 1.3million are now sheltering there – now over half of Gaza’s population. Palestinians moved south after Israeli ground forces invaded northern Gaza and Gaza City. Some initially moved to areas such as Khan Younis but with Israeli forces steadily moving south, Palestinians have been displaced again and again before reaching Rafah.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said, “extremely high number of civilians, again mostly children and women, will likely be killed and injured” but also added, “this incursion into Rafah may also mean the end of the meager humanitarian aid that has been entering and distributed with huge implications for all of Gaza, including the hundreds of thousands at grave risk of starvation and famine in the north. The prospect of such an operation into Rafah, as circumstances stand, risks further atrocity crimes.”
Reflecting the anger of the protesters on the streets in London, a number of Labour MPs have expressed concerns that official UK Government calls on Israel for restraint are not matched by enforcement.
John McDonnell said, “The massacre in Gaza is under way. The bodies are piling up already and civilian families cower in fear with no safe evacuation possible. For anyone claiming any sense of humanity there can only be one response, clear, without caveats, it is immediate ceasefire.”
Richard Burgon said, “We need our Government to do more than express concern. It must act. At the very least, it should force a UN Security Council vote against an attack on Rafah and for a ceasefire. And it should stop arms sales to Israel.”
Kim Johnson MP said, “We need an immediate ceasefire, and the UK to stop selling arms to Israel.”
Jon Trickett said, “Time to stop the slaughter. No attack on Rafa. Ceasefire now.” and reiterated the need for the release of prisoners and hostages and to restore the peace process.
Zarah Sultana MP also amplified the call for an immediate ceasefire, enforced by ending all arms sales to Israel, which she has sought through a private members bill in Parliament recently, saying, “Political leaders must finally act and call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to all arms sales to Israel.”
The calls for an end to arms sales come as a Dutch Court ordered the Dutch Government to stop the shipments of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel, because of the risk of their use in violations of humanitarian law in Gaza.
- The Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others have called a National Protest for a Ceasefire Now on Saturday 17th February, gathering from 12 noon at Speakers Corner – Marble Arch in Hyde Park, Central London. Details here
