“The ICJ couldn’t have been clearer when it said that Israel must prevent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza & enable the provision of basic services & humanitarian assistance.”
Louise Regan. NEU
Louise Regan, National Education Union, addressed the Labour & Palestine “Women for Palestine” rally in the run-up to International Women’s Day. You can read a published version of her speech or watch the event below:
I am very proud to belong to the NEU a trade union which has a long and proud history of standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
We have all been shocked by what we have witnessed over the last four months in Gaza. Over 30,000 Palestinians killed, two thirds of them women and children.
No education has taken place in Gaza since 7th October, all university buildings have been destroyed and the majority of schools have been partially or totally destroyed.
At the ICJ case taken by South Africa we heard that 10 children a day are facing an amputation without anaesthetic.
Last week I heard from a medic in Gaza that a young child who had had to have both hands amputated had asked his parents if his hands would grow back.
As an educator I can’t get these images and stories out of my head – how shocking that children are facing this.
People in Gaza have nowhere left to go – there is no safe space.
The International Court of Justice could not have been clearer when it said that Israel must prevent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and enable the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance.
Yet, as the bombs and missiles rain down in Rafah, it is hard to imagine a more flagrant abuse of that order…
Rather than suspending arms sales to Israel, the UK Government has halted funding for UNWRA – the only lifeline available for two million Gazans.
Instead of de-escalating the conflict they escalate it through airstrikes on Yemen.
And they continue to abstain on UN votes for a ceasefire.
That’s why many UK charities have warned the UK Government that unless it changes course it is complicit in the slaughter of civilians in Gaza.
We also know that Palestinians in the West Bank are facing increasing oppression and aggression with death tolls being the highest since they were started to be recorded with 413 Palestinians killed, 107 of them children.
The NEU has continued to support the national demonstrations with our General Secretary and national President speaking. We have encouraged members to attend and take along their union banners. Our members have set up an educators for Palestine group to share resources and ideas and we have set up a fundraiser with Save the Children to raise money for urgently needed aid.
But as others have said we know this did not begin on the 7th October. Palestinians have suffered decades of oppression and dispossession so we must continue to push for a permanent ceasefire now and humanitarian aid but then we must continue to fight for justice and freedom for the Palestinian people.
- This article is a published version of the speech given by Louise Regan during Labour & Palestine’s ‘Women for Palestine‘ rally held in the run-up to International Women’s Day 2024.
- You can watch back the event on YouTube or listen back on the Arise Festival podcast.
- You can follow the Palestine Solidarity Campaign on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram.
