The conflict in Gaza has been an issue of significant concern to constituents in Oldham West and Royton.
News that the offensive into Rafah is underway will be a humanitarian disaster. With millions displaced the small area is now refuge to 1.5m civilians including 600,000 innocent children.
Labour’s ceasefire motion in February firmly stated its opposition to an offensive into Rafah, and I spoke at the time about the risk to children and other innocent lives. It was one of a number of contributions in the House of Commons I’ve made which focuses on the impact of innocent civilians, especially children who have done nothing to deserve the horror they are facing.
The government minister seemed to object to my observation about the different value given to a Palestinian child. It’s time to prove all innocent lives are equal.
I fail to see how any further loss of life will achieve the objective Israel set out especially the substantive call for the release of hostages.
The full text of that motion is below, and you can view the video of my Oral Question in February here:
- That this House believes that an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences and therefore must not take place;
- notes the intolerable loss of Palestinian life, the majority being women and children;
- condemns the terrorism of Hamas who continue to hold hostages;
- supports Australia, Canada and New Zealand’s calls for Hamas to release and return all hostages and for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which means an immediate stop to the fighting and a ceasefire that lasts and is observed by all sides, noting that Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence and that Israelis have the right to the assurance that the horror of 7th October cannot happen again;
- therefore supports diplomatic mediation efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire;
- demands that rapid and unimpeded humanitarian relief is provided in Gaza;
- demands an end to settlement expansion and violence;
- urges Israel to comply with the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures;
- calls for the UN Security Council to be meet urgently;
- and urges all international partners to work together to establish a diplomatic process to deliver the peace of a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state, including working with international partners to recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to rather than outcome of that process, because statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and not in the gift of any neighbour.
Jim McMahon for Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton 