The British government’s role in the current crisis in West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem

This statement was discussed at the PSC branch forum on 23 June. PSC is urging all members to write to Gordon Brown as the new Prime Minister to ask him to act on the demands and PSC will also be producing a petition for circulation.

Since the Palestinian parliamentary elections in January 2006, the British government has actively supported the policy of Israel and the US to overturn the results of a democratic and fair election by brutal and undemocratic means. The West, having demanded the Palestinian people hold elections, must respect their results. Palestinians have the right to elect their own representatives, and to form a government that reflects the results of those elections free from international intervention.

For over a year, the Israeli, US and UK siege of Palestinians, has collectively punished the Palestinians and attempted to starve them into submission. Israel blocks essential supplies from reaching the Gaza Strip, including food and medical supplies, and has bombed essential infrastructure including Gaza’s only electrical station. A third of the elected members of the Palestinian Authority have been abducted and imprisoned by Israel. Weapons were provided by the US in preparing to militarily undermine the Palestinian Unity Government, which represented 96 per cent of the Palestinian electorate. And whilst the US, EU and Israel are talking about lifting the siege on the West Bank, the suffocating siege on Gaza is intensifying, with military incursions, air strikes and threats to escalate this even further.

We are now seeing the fruits of that intervention. The United States has a long history of using all methods possible, including violent ones, to overthrow democratically elected governments of which it has not approved. The strategy of forcing Palestinians to live under occupation and destroying their democratic right to choose their own representatives is creating death, destruction and poverty.

Israel, with the acquiescence of the US, has destroyed the PA institutions developed under the leadership of secular national political figures since the Oslo Accords. It is now attempting to separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank. This is a long-planned strategy, currently being implemented to further fragment the people and land, and destroy hopes of a viable state of Palestine.

The British government must end its support for policies designed to overthrow democracy. Palestinians have the right to elect their own representatives, and to form a government that reflects the results of those elections free from international intervention.

The British government must:

Immediately call for international support for the Palestinian power-sharing framework of the Mecca Agreement and a return to a unity government, based on the results of the January 2006 elections.
Demand that the blockade on all Occupied Palestinian Territories be lifted and freedom of movement guaranteed
Reinstate funds and aid to Gaza and ensure there is no separation of the Gaza Strip from the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Act to ensure Israel releases all elected Palestinian parliamentarians, and all other Palestinian political prisoners
PM Gordon Brown

10 Downing Street,
London,
SW1A 2AA

Via the website: http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Email_The_PM_Form.asp

or fax: 020 7925 0918

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Sign the PSC Petition: Kick Israeli Apartheid Out of Football - Fair Play for the Palestinians

http://www.palestinecampaign.org/petition.asp?PetitionID=4

We the undersigned urge the Football Association (FA), the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to take appropriate measures to ban the national Israeli football team from all international fixtures until the state of Israel entirely complies with International Law and relevant United Nations resolutions to end Israeli occupation.

For the past 60 years, Israel has been destroying Palestinian lives, livelihoods and homes daily, is refusing to stop the building of illegal settlements and the apartheid wall on stolen land.

Palestinians love football but both amateur and professional players and the Palestinian Football Association are unable to function fully because of the occupation. Children have been killed and injured by the Israeli army while playing football. International and national football organizations must take action to support the Palestinians right and ability to participate at every level of the game.

We believe that, like the sporting boycott against Apartheid South Africa, only international pressure can make Israel end its violations of international Law and human rights towards the Palestinian people to bring about a just and lasting peace to the Middle-East.

(This petition will be brought to the attention of the FA, UEFA and FIFA ahead of the England - Israel Euro qualifier on 8th September 2007)

Sign the PSC petition here: http://www.palestinecampaign.org/petition.asp?PetitionID=4

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For a listing of all events on Palestine in the UK please visit the PSC website: www.palestinecampaign.org

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www.palestinecampaign.org

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Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Box BM PSA
London
WC1N 3XX

Email: info@palestinecampaign.org

Tel: 020 7700 6192
Fax: 020 7609 7779
Web: www.palestinecampaign.org