Tag: Palestinians

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Quakers call for end to violence in Palestine

Quakers call for end to violence in Palestine

11 May 2021

Paul Parker describes some of the things done by Israelis over 7 decades which are against international law.

Paul Parker, Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain said:

“Our Quaker testimonies to peace and equality compel us, once again, to speak out on this issue. At this time, (11 May) over 850 people (840 Palestinians and at least 21 Israeli police officers and 7 Israeli civilians) have been wounded. In Gaza, 24 Palestinians including 9 children, were killed overnight.

“The latest round of this 73-year cycle of violence has taken place amid provocative and discriminatory actions by the Israeli government. There are threats to forcibly remove more Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem in favour of Israeli settlers, which the UN has warned may constitute a war crime, and tear gas and stun grenades have been fired by Israeli soldiers into the Al Aqsa Mosque as Muslims meet in worship for the end of Ramadan. We have seen violent crackdowns on peaceful protestors, retaliatory rockets fired indiscriminately from Gaza into Israel and airstrikes from Israel kill civilians in Gaza.

“All of these actions are grave violations of international law and must end immediately.

“As Quakers we place equal value on every human life and believe the structural violence of occupation damages all people of the region. We have said before that the conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis will only be resolved when Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is ended, and the inherent equality, dignity and worth of all is realised. We still believe this to be so. We urge our faith and political leaders to speak out with us. For as long as we remain silent, and choose to step back from uncomfortable words and actions, we are all complicit in the ongoing violence.”

We urge our faith and political leaders to speak out with us.

– Paul Parker, Recording Clerk [Quakers in Britain]

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Email to MP: Stop arms sales to Israel. Condemn Israeli aggression

andrew-griffith-mp-web
12 May 2021
 
Andrew Griffith MP, Arundel and South Downs
 
Dear Andrew Griffith
 
On Monday night Israel carried out airstrikes that are reported to have killed 24 people including at least 9 children. The air strikes follow several days of attacks by Israeli police and settlers on Palestinians in Jerusalem, injuring over 300 people.
 
This morning I heard on the radio that a 13 storey apartment block in Gaza had been destroyed by Israeli air attacks  – all evidence of the continuing abuse of Palestinians and grossly disproportionate use of force by Israel against Palestinians. I trust you are aware of what Israel has been doing to Palestinians over the decades. Let’s not fudge the issue of who the abusers are in this conflict.
 

MY REQUEST IS THAT YOU LOBBY FOR THE CESSATION OF BRITISH ARMS SALES TO ISRAEL AND CONDEMN ISRAELI AGGRESSION 

 

Why I support the Palestinians

Ever since I read a Christian Aid report about twenty years ago on the treatment of Palestinians I have realised that we get a distorted view of the conflict in Israel and Palestine (the latter literally wiped off the map although the people are still there). I trusted the report especially as it came from a Christian organisation writing on behalf of a predominantly muslim people. Since then I have taken a bit more interest in what Israel does to Palestinians and I find it shocking that Britain supports Israel in its appalling policies towards Palestinians. 
 
More on my blog.
Best wishes
David Roberts,   www.davidrobertsblog.com
 
Protests around the world
Protest have erupted in cities around the world condemning Israeli action.
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Palestinians suffer once again at the hands of one of the most militarised states in the world

Tuesday 11 May 2021

Britain should halt the sale of our British arms to Israel and unequivocally condemn Israeli abuses and provocations.

I have written to my MP today and urge readers to write to their MPs. See my separate post to read what I said to him.

Last night’s airstrikes

Air strikes by Israeli jets on Gaza last night are reported to have killed 24 people including at least 9 children. The air strikes follow several days of attacks by Israeli police and settlers on Palestinians in Jerusalem, injuring over 300 people. Israeli forces stormed the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Palestinian homes fired on by Israeli jets

Regrettably Palestinians have retaliated with a barrage of their primitive rockets fired into Israel, killing 5 people.

From the Christian Aid website

Today, as Palestinians continue to experience exile, blockade, relentless spikes in violence and huge increases in land dispossession, we work with Palestinian and Israeli partners to protect human rights and promote resilience for Palestinian communities and civil society.

All our work aims to support the foundations for a just, lasting peace for all.  We work on protecting human rights. Our partners work to challenge discriminatory laws, practices and decisions affecting Palestinians living under occupation in the West Bank and Gaza, and Palestinian citizens of Israel.

From Al Jazeera website 11 May 2021

Arab League chief, Ahmed Aboul Gheit  condemned deadly Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip as “indiscriminate and irresponsible” and said Israel had provoked an earlier increase in violence by its actions in Jerusalem.

The violence began after Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Monday for a third consecutive day, firing rubber-coated steel bullets, stun grenades and tear gas at Palestinian worshippers inside Islam’s third holiest site in the final days of the holy month of Ramadan.

David Roberts

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