“We need elected politicians who will stand up for Palestinian rights, back an immediate ceasefire, support full humanitarian access, and endorse proper accountability for all parties under international law.”
By Malaka El-Gammal, Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU)
The Prime Minister has called for a General Election to be held on 4 July 2024. It is vital that, between now and polling day, the issue of Palestine and the ongoing horror in Gaza is effectively raised with all candidates.
Official figures show that over 37,000 have been killed in Gaza, including over 15,000 children. Famine is already likely to have reached Gaza, due to the continued obstruction of humanitarian aid. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that it was plausible that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza, while illegal settlements continue to grow and reports of human rights abuses, including torture of detainees, mount. Here in the UK, we witness the boomerang effect as public anger rises at potential UK complicity, and increased police crackdown on pro-Palestine protests and those who speak out in support of Palestinian rights.
At Caabu, we believe that knowing our candidates’ views on Palestine is important as we need elected politicians who will stand up for Palestinian rights, back an immediate ceasefire, support full humanitarian access, and endorse proper accountability for all parties under international law.
This is for a myriad of reasons – one of which being the respect for democratic norms. In a YouGov poll commissioned by Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and Caabu, an overwhelming majority of the British public believe that there should be an immediate ceasefire (73%), while 55% of people back an end of arms sales to Israel. In fact, only 13% support the continuation of arms sales to Israel.
Such lack of support means our politicians should listen. Meanwhile, in a YouGov poll commissioned by Action for Humanity 59% of the British public believe that human rights are being violated by Israel in Gaza. Democratically elected politicians should be there to properly reflect the views of their constituents. Therefore, before going to the polls, it is paramount to know where your candidate stands and whether they will accurately represent your voice in parliament.
However, this should not just be about respecting electoral will, but also and most crucially, a matter of morality. Will your future MP stand up for and protect the human rights of all people? An unprecedented number of civilians in Gaza, over half of whom are children, have been subject to unimaginable horrors by Israel. In the UK, we have watched through our screens some of the most harrowing videos and images that barely cover the reality on the ground, such as children having their limbs amputated without anaesthetic. It should be the duty of elected representatives to work to end Israel’s impunity and demand justice and accountability for Palestinians.
It is therefore paramount that our politicians back the decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as backing the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for seeking arrest warrants for the Israeli Prime Minister and Defence Minister. We need to call out politicians who undermine our protections and rights under international law.
Respecting international law matters and this is not just about Gaza. This continued refusal by our representatives to respect international and legal norms where war crimes may not be met with proper accountability sets a dangerous precedent and risks the entire breakdown of the post-WW2 international system that protects us all.
We would therefore urge that everyone determines the views of the candidates on offer in your constituency and what they stand for in relation to the conflict in Gaza and wider international law.
At Caabu, we have created a resource to help you determine party and your candidates’ stances on Gaza.
Here are our suggested questions for your constituency candidates that cover the issues mentioned above. You can find your candidates here. Please send correspondence you receive to malaka@caabu.org.
- Do you support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza?
- Do you support the UK restoring funding to UNRWA to ensure that the humanitarian needs of Palestinians in Gaza are met?
- Do you fully support and respect international law and believe that it applies to all parties in a conflict?
- Do you believe that Israel and Hamas must adhere to the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in January, March and May, including an end to the ground invasion of Rafah?
- Do you fully respect the independence and jurisprudence of the International Criminal Court (ICC)?
- Do you support measures to ensure Israel permits full humanitarian access into Gaza, particularly given the levels of famine and malnutrition experienced by Palestinians in Gaza?
- Are you in support of an arms embargo on Israel while it continues to perpetrate war crimes across Gaza and in the West Bank?
- Given that Israeli settlements in occupied territory are illegal, do you support a ban on UK trade with Israeli settlements?
- Do you support the immediate UK recognition of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines?
- Do you fully and unequivocally support the right to assemble/protest and freedom of expression in the UK?
- Malaka El-Gammal is the Campaigns Officer for the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU).
- You can view CAABU’s toolkit for contacting your candidates on upholding international law and ending the horrors being inflicted on Gaza here.
- You can follow CAABU on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X.
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