Refugees International on Ceasefire: Humanitarian aid is a right under international law, not a bargaining tool.

Statement from Refugees International

Yesterday, Israel and Hamas announced a temporary ceasefire and a pathway for the exchange of hostages in return for a surge in humanitarian aid, relief supplies, and fuel, along with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza and the return of internally displaced Palestinians to their homes. 

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas offers a reprieve from the relentless and indiscriminate Israeli military assaults that have devastated Palestinian civilians for the last 15 months, and an end to the terrifying ordeal for the hostages and their families. The Israeli military has killed an estimated 47,000 Palestinians to date, with potentially tens of thousands more deaths that have not yet been recorded. Thousands more are missing and injured. The initial six-week pause outlined in the agreement must evolve into a permanent ceasefire–one that provides the necessary space for sustained recovery, long-term solutions to the root causes of this crisis, and adherence to international law by both Israel and Hamas.

The scale of the assault on and destruction of Gaza’s civilian population and infrastructure is unprecedented. The systematic targeting of essential infrastructure and restrictions on critical humanitarian supplies have unleashed famine, disease, and untold suffering. All warring parties must commit to the immediate and unconditional protection of civilians, an end to attacks on civilian infrastructure, and unimpeded humanitarian access. 

The deal, while a start, does not go far enough in outlining the explicit protections Israel and Hamas are obligated to provide Palestinian civilians. We are particularly concerned that the agreement ties the delivery of humanitarian aid and civilian protections—which are obligations under international law—to both sides’ compliance with prisoner exchanges. Every ceasefire attempt between Israel and Hamas has ended in violations, and this should not be permitted to again imperil humanitarian action. 

Humanitarian aid is a right under international law, not a bargaining tool. Humanitarian access must be ensured under any scenario, and the Israeli government must allow unimpeded humanitarian aid and access into all parts of Gaza, through all functional border crossings. Israel’s well-documented practice of restricting critical aid must be reversed, and the international community must hold Israel accountable and ensure the unconditional, uninterrupted flow of aid to Gaza.

Israeli forces have forcibly displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza. Their withdrawal from populated areas, while necessary, is not sufficient to address the plight of hundreds of thousands who cannot return to homes in northern Gaza and other areas systematically depopulated by Israeli military operations. Refugees International calls on Israel to guarantee the freedom of movement for all Palestinians, including access to areas it has unilaterally designated as “military zones.” They must also release Palestinian doctors and aid providers taken and forcibly disappeared after being captured during Israel’s sieges of Gaza’s major hospitals and clinics.

This is a hopeful moment in a conflict that has seen few of them. But it is a midpoint, not an endpoint. All international partners must deploy all tools of diplomatic leverage to hold the warring parties accountable for fulfilling these terms and producing a definitive end to this horrific war.

 

The Amnesty Report on Israel's alleged Genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the Westminster Hall debate

 

The Amnesty Report, 'You feel like you are subhuman': Israel's Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza, has not received the attention it deserves in the mainstrea, media so I am publish their introduction and a link to the full report here:

‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza

"Our damning findings must serve as a wake-up call to the international community: this is genocide. It must stop now." - Agnès Callamard

 

Amnesty International has found sufficient basis to conclude that Israeli authorities committed, and continue to commit prohibited acts under the Genocide Convention.

Amnesty’s report analyses the Israeli authorities’ policies and military actions in the occupied Gaza Strip (Gaza) in the context of the military offensive they launched in the wake of the attacks on Israel carried out by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023. It assesses them within the framework of genocide under international law, finding that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that Israel’s conduct amounts to genocide. 

 

The Genocide Convention was the first international treaty to explicitly define and criminalise genocide. It was unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. The definition of genocide is provided for in Article II of the Genocide Convention, which reads: “…genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

 

(a) Killing members of the group; 

(b) Causing serious bodily harm or mental harm to members of the group; 

(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; 

(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; 

(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.” 

 

Through our research findings and legal analysis, we have found sufficient basis to conclude that Israel committed, during the nine months under review, prohibited acts under Article II (a), (b) and (c) of the Genocide Convention. We interviewed 212 people, including Palestinian victims and witnesses, local authorities in Gaza, and healthcare workers, conducted fieldwork and analysed an extensive range of visual and digital evidence, including satellite imagery. It also analysed statements by senior Israeli government and military. 

 

KEY CALLS 

 

Israel must urgently end the commission of genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza; agree to and uphold a sustained ceasefire; reverse all policies and actions that have resulted in the rapid deterioration of conditions of life in Gaza; and ensure that the humanitarian needs of Palestinians in Gaza are urgently and duly met. 

 

The UK must take urgent and meaningful steps to pressure Israel into ending its genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza. As a first step, they must ensure that Israel agrees to a sustained ceasefire, and fully implements all provisional measures ordered by the ICJ since 26 January 2024. 

 

The UK must immediately suspend arms transfers to Israel and the provision of training and other military and security assistance and services.

 

The UK must act to ensure justice and accountability for any alleged crimes under international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, by exercising universal or other forms of extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction, pressuring Israel to allow entry into Gaza of members and staff of any international investigative or UN-mandated mechanism, and supporting the investigation of the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC into crimes allegedly committed in Israel and the OPT, including through executing any ICC arrest warrants.

 

The UK must oppose any attempts by Israel to establish a permanent Israeli military or civilian presence in Gaza, alter its borders and demographic makeup, or shrink its territory. Displaced Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes and communities. 

 

The UK must urge the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC to urgently add the crime of genocide by Israeli officials since 7 October 2023 to its ongoing investigation into the situation in the State of Palestine. 

 

The UK must press the UN Security Council to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on all parties to the conflict, and targeted sanctions, such as asset freezes, against Israeli officials most implicated in crimes under international law, including those committed in the context of Israel’s ongoing offensive on Gaza.

THE FULL REPORT IS HERE

Unfortunately none of the Brent or Harrow MPs attended the recent Westminster Hall debate on citizens' petitions that called for the UK to recognise  the state of Palestine and for the end of UK arms  sales. This also received hardly any publicity.

I watched the debate (there is no vote) and was impressed by John McDonnell's moving ontribution:

John MacDonnell (Independent):

Every week of the last year, virtually, we have had a debate in this or the main Chamber: questions are asked and then we go home and watch on television the bodies of children being dug out of rubble—body parts, in some instances—with those white wrappings around their bodies. In every debate we seem to have got virtually nowhere because the arms are still being sold. We are still supplying essential parts for the F-35—the very vehicle that is dropping the bombs, firing the weapons and killing the children.

Carla Denyer (Green: 

Was the right hon. Member as shocked as I was to learn that, contrary to the notion that the UK’s trade in F-35 parts is untraceable, as we were told previously, not only is it traceable but the US Government are tracking it? The reason we do not have that information is that we have not even asked them.

John McDonnell

I will be careful with my language here, but one of the frustrations, in this debate as well, is getting the truth about what is happening and what is contributing to the murders that are taking place. Unless we can stop that and prevent the UK from participating, we will all be implicated. History will judge us all for not doing enough to stop it.

I am pleased that the petition has taken place and pleased about the numbers; I congratulate the people who organised it. The petition represents the sense of frustration felt out there and the real depth of anger.

I have been on virtually every national demonstration. They have been peaceful, but there is a level of frustration that I do not think we can contain any more. We are alienating whole sections of our own community. It is not about the Labour party or other political parties, but democracy itself. People say, “You’re an MP. You go to Parliament. Why aren’t you stopping this? It’s no good just shouting on demonstrations. Why isn’t democracy being exercised to stop this?”

I want to make just one point about the lack of action by the Government. Yes, petitions are taking place, but other people are taking direct action and have been imprisoned. Those cases will be sub judice, so I will not mention them individually. But Palestine Action took direct action to close down an arms factory that was supplying goods and materials for the F-35 and the drones. Those people were arrested under counter-terrorism powers and detained. They are young people, a lot of them young women—some of them just starting out at university. They exercised their influence and power because we failed to exercise ours. Some have been in court; when they are in front of a jury, they usually win the case. A number of them are now on remand and will have been in prison since last March until next November, when their trial is listed.

 Chair: Order. I remind the right hon. Member that the case is sub judice and we should not talk about it.

John McDonnell

I am careful about not mentioning any names. I am raising the issue of the process itself, which is the use of counter-terrorism powers against direct action groups. The last Government even came forward with proposals and discussions about proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. I hope this Government are not going anywhere near that.

But why are the people in prison at the moment on remand? Why can they not be tagged before their trial comes up next November? A number of them, most probably, will be proven innocent, but they will have served nearly two years in prison—for what? For trying to do what we are failing to do: prevent this Government from supplying arms to a regime that kills children.

I say to the Government: it is now time to act. All arms licences need to be closed down. The Minister may say that it is a matter of defending Israel; if so, let us have a conversation with Israel itself about how to supervise that defence internationally, rather than using it as an excuse to kill children. I have had enough of coming back here every week—as you can tell, Mrs Harris. We need action from the Government now.

Mike Tapp (Labour, Dover and Deal) made a contribution that opposed both petition requests:

The petitions reflect the deep concern and passion of many in our society about the ongoing conflict and suffering in the middle east, and I respect the sentiment behind them. This Government are already working towards the same objectives that many of the signatories seek: an end to the violence in Gaza, the immediate release of all remaining hostages, an improved supply of humanitarian aid and, crucially, irreversible progress towards a lasting two-state solution. Peace in the middle east will come from negotiations, dialogue and the willingness of both sides to find common ground.

I turn first to the question of recognising the state of Palestine. Both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples have a legitimate right to self-determination. The foundation of a two-state solution is an independent, viable and democratic Palestine living alongside a safe and secure Israel. Since the Oslo accords, the principle has been clear: a two-state solution can be reached only through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. An action that undermines that principle, such as unilateral recognition of Palestine by the UK, only complicates that matter and makes peace more difficult. It creates the false impression that a Palestinian state can be imposed from the outside, without the necessary negotiations. Unilateral recognition, as seen with countries such as Spain, Norway and Ireland, has led to no real progress on the ground. It is a symbolic gesture, but it does not advance the cause of peace.

We must also approach the matter of arms exports with a clear-eyed view of the facts. Revoking UK arms export licences would once again be a largely symbolic gesture, with little practical impact on the situation in Gaza. It would also undermine our credibility as a security partner in the region and send the wrong messages to adversaries, including Iran.

Andy McDonald (Labour, Middlesborough and Thornby East)

Presumably, my hon. Friend will recognise that 15% of the F-35 construction parts come from the United Kingdom, and they are the choice of delivery of the 2,000 lb bombs that obliterate civilian populations in Gaza. Does he share my concern that continuing to participate in that programme leaves the United Kingdom at risk of being prosecuted under various conventions for complicity in those heinous acts?

Mike Tapp

We must bear in mind that 95% of weapons come from the US and Germany, and on the legal side of things, the Prime Minister and the Government have been clear that they have consulted legal advice, which of course will continue—I expect that there will be more from the Minister on that.

That is not to say that we ignore the suffering or the rights of Palestinians—far from it—but revoking arms sales to Israel, particularly when the country is engaged in a seven-front conflict against Iran and its proxies, would undermine our national security interests in the middle east. The UK has a long-standing defence and security relationship with Israel, which played a key role in defending Israel against an unprecedented Iranian ballistic attack earlier this year.

We have real-world experience in peacebuilding through initiatives such as the International Fund for Ireland, which invested in cross-community projects in Northern Ireland long before the Good Friday agreement was signed. Over time, these projects help to change attitudes and foster the conditions for political leaders to negotiate and compromise. The UK can and must apply thos

lessons to the middle east. By supporting peacebuilding civil society organisations in both Israel and Palestine, we can build the foundations for lasting peace. That approach has already received backing from the G7, and was reinforced by the Prime Minister's recent announcement on supporting civil society peacebuilding.

I urge us all to focus on actions that have a tangible long-term impact. Unilateral recognition of Palestine or the withdrawal of arms exports to Israel may offer a moment of symbolic protest, but will not move us closer to a genuine and lasting peace. The real path to peace lies in dialogue, supporting peacebuilding initiatives and encouraging both Israelis and Palestinians to come to the table. The UK can play a meaningful role by investing in projects that build trust and create the conditions necessary for a sustainable two-state solution.

 

THE FULL HANSARD REPORT IS HERE (INCLUDING THE GOVERNMENT RESPONSE)

Labour Group call on Brent Council to consider a formal twinning arrangement with Nablus in the occupied West Bank

 Nablus (Copyright: istock Getty Images)

The Labour Group have tabled a motion for the Full Meeting of Brent Council to consider twinning with the city of Nablus in the Israeli Occupied West Bank.

The meeting is on Monday 18th November at 6pm and the  motion is number 9 on a 19 item agenda so will probably be debated between 7pm and 8pm. You can watch live HERE or attend in-person at Brent Civic Centre.

The Motion:

Brent Twinning with Nablus

 

This Council notes:

 

That Brent currently has a single twinning relationship, that with South Dublin, established in 1997, at a time when Brent had the largest Irish-born population in mainland Britain.

 

That Brent currently has the second highest Arab diaspora in England and Wales, within which there is a significant number of residents of Palestinian heritage.

 

That like Brent, Nablus in Palestine – as one of the oldest cities in the world – has a long and rich history of culture, diversity and dynamism, ranging from historical architecture, a lively economy and a youthful population.

 

That Brent has a long history of internationalism, including conferring on Nelson Mandela the Freedom of the Borough.

 

That a growing number of community and charitable organisations, including Brent Trades Union Council, Brent NEU and Brent Friends of Palestine have developed productive relations with Palestinian organisations and diaspora, further strengthening bonds to the city of Nablus.

 

That through the joint work of Brent Trades Union Council, Brent NEU and of Brent and Harrow PSC, CADFA and the Palestinian Forum in Britain, opportunities have been provided to young Palestinians to meet Brent young people, Councillors and MPs, and share and develop a bond over their experiences in education, sports and culture. Opportunities for visits to Palestine by young Brent residents are being planned.

 

That the establishment of the “Brent-Nablus Twinning Project” organisation provides an opportunity for Brent to explore the potential of a formal twinning arrangement with Nablus through community engagement.

That community organisations and official representatives in Nablus have shown a desire to develop a more formal arrangement of partnership with Brent and have communicated this desire with their partners in Brent, leading to this proposal.

 

This Council believes:

 

Twinning enhances bonds and improves relations between communities, creating friendships through what we have in common, as well as learning from other cultures, traditions and experiences.

 

Twinning allows avenues for growth through togetherness, improving understanding and ability to tackle issues through collaboration, knowledge and skill shares.

 

A successful twinning relationship would promote initiatives like educational collaborations, sports programmes, and heritage preservation workshops, creating long-term connections between residents and institutions and engages with local communities, cultural organisations, and leaders in both twinned regions to support the establishment of the partnership.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

Consider a formal twinning agreement between Brent and the city of Nablus, which sits under the governance of the Palestinian National Authority, and receive a report considering the proposal at a future council meeting.

 

Explore immediate steps to foster connections, such as cultural exchange programmes, student and school collaborations, and shared community projects, to create a foundation for future growth.

 

Engage with the “Brent-Nablus Twinning Project” organisation to develop a framework for the potential twinning, whilst engaging with local communities, cultural organisations and leaders in both Brent and Nablus to support theestablishment of this partnership.

 

Councillor Ihtesham Afzal

Wembley Hill Ward

Barry Gardiner challenge to Government on Gaza: Show that you respect international rules-based order

There was a debate in Westminster Hall yesterday on Gaza and Humanitarian Aid instigated by one of the new Independent MPs,  Ayoub Khan (Birmingham Perry Barr), elected in the wake of the Gaza conflict.

Westminster Hall debates do not make policy but give MPs a chance to register their concerns.

This is Barry Gardiner's contribution from They Work for You

As politicians, we talk of the international rules-based system, by which we mean the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations, but often we do so only when it suits our position. When it does not, we ignore it. That is why it is crucial that we grasp the legal implications of the decision promulgated on 19 July this year by the International Court of Justice. It settled the law in its advisory opinion on the legality of Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. The opinion came from a request by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2022, and I believe it carries immense weight. It is the interpretation of our world’s highest court of law as it relates to the occupation of Palestine.

The court ruled that the occupied Palestinian territory is to be considered a single territorial unit, which means that the failure to recognise Palestine as a state is now out of step with international law. On 10 September, Palestine took its seat at the 79th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. It is not yet a full member, because it has been blocked by the United States, but it has the right to submit proposals and amendments. The Government of the UK still does not recognise the Palestinian state, and I believe that that is now incompatible with international law.

The court ruled that settlements and outposts in the west bank and East Jerusalem were unlawful. It does not matter that Israeli law considers settlements to be lawful; they are not, and they should be evacuated. The court ruled that Israel’s exploitation of natural resources in settled land was also unlawful. The court ruled that Israel occupied Gaza. It ruled that it occupied the west bank and East Jerusalem. It ruled that that occupation was unlawful. It ruled that the occupation must be brought to an end.

That also means that, in its actions, Israel must behave not as a warring nation state against another warring state, but as an occupying force, with all the obligations that entails about its conduct, including ensuring that aid can get through to all who need it. Israel ought to cease its unlawful activities, halt all new settlement activity and provide full reparation for the damage caused by its wrongful acts, which includes returning land, property and assets seized since the occupation began in 1967 and allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their original places of residence.

The court made it clear that other states also have obligations. It emphasised that all states are required not to recognise the illegal situation created by Israel’s actions in the occupied territories. That means that they should not engage in trade, investment or diplomatic relations that would entrench Israel’s unlawful presence. The advisory opinion is a landmark in the legal and political struggle over the fate of the Palestinian people and the integrity of international law. It highlights the obligations of all states, including the United Kingdom, to ensure that the rule of law prevails. We are all duty bound not only to act in the interests of justice and human rights, but to uphold the very principles of international law. That is the law. It is clear. It has been authoritatively stated by the court. What is not clear is whether Governments will abide by it. The law can state, the court can rule, but none of it brings about anything unless the power of enforcement lies behind it.

In the UK we are very fond of saying that we respect the international court and the international rules-based order. My challenge to the Minister is this: show it.

 

 

Brent Council urged to divest for Palestine as 2,000 signature petition presented

Supporters of the petition gathered outside Brent Civic Centre were joined by some councillors

 The presentation and response

Supporters of the campaign to 'Divest for Palestine' gathered outside Brent Civic Centre yesterday afternoon ahead of the presentation of a 2,000 petition calling on the Council to divest its local government pension fund from any companies deemed complicit in the current attacks on the Palestinian people, Israel's illegal occupation and the apartheid system.

They were joined by a number of Labour councillors and a small pro-Israel Government counter demonstration was joined by Cllr Michael Maurice.

Apart from a battle of loudspeakers the demonstrations were peaceful. 

There was some heckling by the pro-Israel supporters when the petition was presented and more serious disruption when people began to leave after the presentation.

In her response to the Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign petition,  Cllr Mili Patel siad the Council did not 'activelyinvest directly' in UN considered occupied territories nor does it 'actively invest directly' in arms companies.

She has asked the Council's Chief Finance Officer to conduct a full audit of all the Council's allocations in line with the UN's principles for responsible investment.

The phrase 'actively invest directly' recognises that that may be indirect investment via fund managers or the London Collective Investment vehicle.  The need to trace those investments was encapsulated in the similar Camden campaign with their slogan 'Disclose, Divest'.

The response did not include a commitment from Brent Council to work with other London councils in putting pressure on the London CIV.

When the Palestine Solidarity Campaign asked Brent Council recently to list its investment they responded that they were unable to do so.

They did supply details when PSC made a similar request in 2020. These were the top five of their complicit investments at the time and a check on whether they still have such investments would be a starting point:

HSBC £4,663,056

HSBC invests over £830million in, and provides financial services worth up to £19billion for, companies arming Israel. These investments include up to £100million worth of shares in the company Caterpillar, who supply the Israeli army with bulldozers which are weaponised and used to demolish Palestinian communities, build Israel’s illegal settlements and apartheid infrastructure including the apartheid wall and military checkpoints. For more info: https://www.palestinecampaign.org/campaigns/stop-arming-israel/

Barclays £1,252,342

Barclays is a British multinational bank and financial services company. Barclays hold approximately £1,167.6 million of investments in companies that are known to supply the Israeli military. This includes Babcock, BAE and Boeing, Cobham and Rolls Royce. More information available in War on Want’s 2017 ‘Deadly Investments’ report.

BAE Systems  £970,233

According to CAAT, “BAE Systems is the world’s fourth largest arms producer. Its portfolio includes fighter aircraft, warships, tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery, missiles and small arms ammunition. It has military customers in over 100 countries. BAE has a workshare agreement with Lockheed Martin producing the US F-35 stealth combat aircraft. Israel, for example, took delivery of its first F-35 in 2016. According to Investigate, a project by the American Friends Service Committee, BAE has worked in cooperation with Lockheed Martin and Rafael to produce and market the naval Protector drone used to maintain the siege of Gaza along the Mediterranean coast.

Smiths Group £316,811

According to CAAT “Smiths Group is a global technology company with five divisions: John Crane, Smiths Medical, Smiths Detection, Smiths Interconnect and Flex-Tek. Smiths Connectors is part of Smiths Interconnect and comprises Hypertac, IDI and Sabritec brands. Products include connectors used in fighting vehicles, unmanned vehicles and avionics systems.” They have applied for a number of military export licences to Israel.

Rolls Royce £294,535

Rolls-Royce is a British manufacturer that produces military aircraft engines, naval engines and cores for nuclear submarines. Despite arms comprising only 26% of its total sales, it is still the world’s 17th largest Arms trade. In 2014, the year of Israel’s arial bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, which killed over 2,200 civilians, nearly a quarter of them children, Rolls-Royce was granted export licenses for engines for military aircrafts to Israel.

 

MEETING: In Gaza a 'live-streamed genocide' is ongoing: what are we doing? Tuesday 24th September. RALLY: Divest from Palestine Rally at Brent Civic Centre Thursday September 19th 5pm

 

Exploring what is happening in Gaza, the role of the UK government & media, and how the UK public is responding to 'live-streamed genocide'. Organised by Kensal and Kilburn Better 2023

St Lukes West Kilburn,  Fernhead Road London W9 3EH

Tuesday, September 24 · 7 - 8:30pm

 

 TICKETS

 

 SPEAKERS

Ahmed Alnaouq, Palestinian journalist based in London. Co-founder of We Are Not Numbers

Matt Kennard, Co-founder/Investigations at Declassified UK. Author, latest book, The Racket

Sheila Gudhadasan, Chair of Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Layla Carmey, Expert in international law

 

Israel is on trial at the International Court of Justice for the crime of genocide in Gaza.

This is the first time in history that people have been able to see daily atrocities, supported by Western democracies, in near real time.

This event will explore what is happening in Gaza, the role of the UK government and media and how the British public is responding to 'live-streamed genocide'.

EDITOR'S NOTE

 

📢 BRENT COUNCIL RALLY -  DIVEST FOR PALESTINE
🗓️Thurs 19th Sept
🕔 5pm Rally | 6pm Council Meeting
📍Outside Brent Civic Centre, Wembley Park, HA9 0FJ
Join Brent & Harrow PSC as we present our petition calling on Brent Council to divest for Palestine.

Use this e-action to email your Brent councillors ahead of the meeting (2 mins):
https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/councilloraction
 

On Thursday September 19th a petition will be presented to Brent Council calling for the Brent Local Government Pension Fund to divest for Palestine. The petiton reads:

We ask Brent Council to stand on the right side of history and join the growing number of councils and other public bodies and institutions divesting for Palestine.

We, the undersigned, call on Brent Council to:

1. Divest all funds administered by the Council, including Local Government Pension Scheme funds, from companies complicit in Israel’s genocide and apartheid against Palestinians. This includes arms companies supplying Israel with weapons and military technology; companies providing infrastructure for Israel’s unlawful military occupation of Palestinian land; and companies conducting business activity in Israel’s illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land.
   
   
2. Use its influence as part of London Collective Investment Vehicle (CIV) to publicly lobby it to divest from companies enabling Israel's human rights abuses. 
   
   
3. Commit to end procurement contracts with companies complicit in Israel’s attacks. For example, end any banking arrangements with Barclays, which provides substantial financing to companies supplying Israel with weapons used in its attacks on Palestinians.

 

 

Campaigners launch petition to ask Brent Council to divest for Palestine

 Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign have launched a petition to ask Brent Council to divest from companies complicit in arming Israel or enabling illegal occupation.

The petition should be signed only by people who live, work or study in Brent.

 

THE PETITION

 

We ask Brent Council to stand on the right side of history and join the growing number of councils and other public bodies and institutions divesting for Palestine.

We, the undersigned, call on Brent Council to:

1. Divest all funds administered by the Council, including Local Government Pension Scheme funds, from companies complicit in Israel’s genocide and apartheid against Palestinians. This includes arms companies supplying Israel with weapons and military technology; companies providing infrastructure for Israel’s unlawful military occupation of Palestinian land; and companies conducting business activity in Israel’s illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land.
2. Use its influence as part of London Collective Investment Vehicle (CIV) to publicly lobby it to divest from companies enabling Israel's human rights abuses. 
3. Commit to end procurement contracts with companies complicit in Israel’s attacks. For example, end any banking arrangements with Barclays, which provides substantial financing to companies supplying Israel with weapons used in its attacks on Palestinians.

 

Here's why:

 

Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians - almost half of them children. 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, many of whom multiple times. Nowhere in Gaza is safe: entire residential neighbourhoods have been levelled, UN schools sheltering the displaced, and hospitals treating the wounded, have been repeatedly targeted.  

 

Palestinians in Gaza are facing famine due to Israel's blockade and its targeting of life-sustaining infrastructure. In June 2024, UN experts declared that “Israel’s intentional and targeted starvation campaign against the Palestinian people is a form of genocidal violence and has resulted in famine across all of Gaza.”

 

We all have a responsibility to stand with Palestinians in the face of such catastrophic violence and do everything in our power to bring such suffering to an end.   

• In January 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world court, handed down an interim ruling affirming there is plausible evidence Israel is committing genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. As a State Party to the Genocide Convention, the UK has a binding obligation to employ all means reasonably available to prevent and deter further genocidal acts.
• In June, UN experts issued a statement demanding that both states and companies stop all arms transfers to Israel. In issuing their call, they outlined that financial institutions, such as banks and pension funds, investing in arms companies supplying Israel must cease, writing that financial institutions “failure to prevent or mitigate their business relationships with these arms manufacturers transferring arms to Israel could move from being directly linked to human rights abuses to contributing to them, with repercussions for complicity in potential atrocity crimes.” The council must heed this call.
• In July, the ICJ confirmed that Israel's occupation of Palestinian land and treatment of Palestinians is illegal and amounts to systematic discrimination on racial and ethnic grounds - apartheid. It stated that countries and bodies - like UK councils - must not assist Israel in maintaining it. 

 

The recent defeat of the previous government’s draconian attempts to restrict the right of public bodies to take ethical investment and procurement decisions means that there is no barrier to Brent Council exercising its profound moral obligation not to contribute to Israel’s grave violations of Palestinian rights.

 

We are signing this petition as residents, workers and students in Brent. 

 

SIGN HERE

 

School students concerned that they are being silenced over the Middle East conflict

 Michaela School in Wembley has made an impact on some neighbouring Brent secondary schools which have taken up the 'strictest school' challenge.  There is currently a hot debate on the Next Door website about what constitutes bullying by adults, rather than strict discipline, at Wembley Technology College.

There is a new headteacher at Preston Manor High School whose approach is causing waves amongst students and parents. The current conflict in the Middle East has resulted in complaints that children are being disciplined over their support for the Palestinian cause.

One student said:

We see the bodies of children killed by Israel on the internet and want to speak out. The school is supposed to teach British Values. Isn't 'freedom of speech' supposed to be a British Value?  Isn't it our human right? We are being denied our freedom of speech.

Back in the 1970s and 80s teachers developed educational resources to address racism and sexism so that the issues could be discussed in a safe and open environment. A disciplinary approach with detention or exclusion punishments for views expressed was rejected as it tended to harden and polarise attitudes.

Controversial issues are tricky for teachers but surely it is an education establishment's job, whether school, college or university, to address the issue, rather than silence all discussion?

An article in the Guardian LINK  describes how students at a Luton 6th College are demanding lessons about the context of the conflict in Gaza.

The National Education Union has produced guidance for its members on the Israel/Gaza conflict LINK.

Meanwhile groups of school students across the country have been striking over Palestine and there is a rally at lunchtime today.

 

At the end of October the National Education Union issued a statement on the conflict:

Further to our statement on 14 October, the NEU is distressed and alarmed by the rising death toll of Palestinian civilians, particularly children, caused by Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza. Half of Gaza’s two million population are children and 40 per cent of all those killed in Gaza since 7 October are children. 

According to Save the Children, child fatalities in the besieged enclave since this date have surpassed the annual number of children killed across the world's conflict zones since 2019.

We call on the UK Government and wider international community to work for an immediate ceasefire and ongoing peace settlement that secures the release of Israeli hostages, ends the bombardment of Gaza, and restores the flow of vital humanitarian aid, including food, fuel and medical supplies into Gaza.  

More than 1.4 million people in Gaza have been internally displaced, with some 671,000 sheltering in 150 UNRWA facilities. We decry the attacks on UNWRA schools and hospitals and reiterate the call from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for “all parties to the conflict to take all precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure [including] health workers, patients, health facilities and ambulances, and civilians who are sheltering in these facilities.”

The NEU is committed to challenging racism in all its forms, and we will continue to speak out against the alarming rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia that we are witnessing in the UK and elsewhere. Attacks on, or harassment of, Jewish or Muslim people are abhorrent and inexcusable. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their schools, colleges, places of worship and communities.

We encourage all NEU members to take peaceful action in support of calls for a ceasefire, including joining peaceful protests and contacting their members of parliament.

 A group called Teachers for Palestine has been formed and will be holding a solidarity vigil tomorrow:

 

The strong advice to any parent of a student who has faced expulsion/sanction for advocacy for Palestine is to get in touch with the European Legal Support Center as soon as possible where you will be asked to fill in an incident report. https://elsc.support/

It would be useful to hear about any local schools where a positive educational response has been taken.

Saturday's actions across Brent, Camden and Harrow supporting 'Ceasefire Now!' in Gaza conflict

 Supporters of a ceasefire in Gaza will be marching to the Camden  offices of Tulip Siddiq (MP for Hampstead and Kilburn) and Keir Starmer (Holborn and St Pancras) tomorrow to call on them to declare their support for a 'Ceasefire Now! before more lives are lost. 

 

Barry Gardiner MP (Brent North) and Dawn Butler (Brent Central) both defied the Labour whip yesterday and joined other from Labour, SNP and Green Party in voting for a ceasefire and have been thanked by PSC members.

Members of Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Tulip Siddiq's constituents from both side of Kilburn, plus supporting organisations ,will travel to Chalk Farm Station to assemble from 1130am and march to Camden Town station to join with Camden PSC and others at 12.30pm for the last lap of the march to the Crowndale Centre near Mornington Crescent station where a rally will be held at 1pm.

 

The 31 bus from Swiss Cottage Station, Kilburn High Road station and Kilburn Park goes to Chalk Farm station. Those wanting a shorter walk are advised to join at Camden Town station by 12.30pm.

 

The route will be the direct main road between the stations,

Last week Brent and Harrow PSC held a candlelit vigil outside Kilburn station where the names and ages  of Palestinian and Jewish children killed in the conflict were read out, interspersed with poetry readings in a deeply affecting event supported by diverse members of the community.

 

Tomorrow there will also be an event in Harrow organised by Brent and Harrow PSC  with a
rally outside the office of Harrow East MP Bob Blackman at 11am-12 noon outside 209 Headstone Lane, Harrow HA2 6ND.  In  Kingsbury leafleting will take place outside Barclays, 505-507 Kingsbury Road, NW9 9EG. Barclays invests in arms companies that supply Israel's armed forces.

Members of both groups are invited to join the rally in Camden at 1pm at the Crowndale Centre, 218 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BD.

 

Brent and Harrow PSC on the peaceful 800,000 strong march on Saturday