Debate on Iran-Israel Statement at the House of Commons
in the British Parliament - continued.. 2
Dr Mozammel Haque
Though the British Prime Minister
Rishi Sunah MP gave a Iran-Israel statement in the House of Commons in the
British Parliament on 15 April 2024 the debate and discussion was most of the
time time around humanitarian situation in Gaza – such as the death and
destruction and humanitarian situation in Gaza and West Bank; imminent famine
or ongoing famine in the Palestinian territories; the UN Secretary General’s
comment on the situation and about the funding of UNRWA and the question of
export of weapons to Israel and above all, asking for the protection of women
and children from Israeli attacks and calling for an immediate ceasefire to end
the destruction in Gaza and taking steps towards peace by calling a permanent
ceasefire and bringing aid to Gaza.
Followings are what the members of
Parliament debated in the House of Commons in the British Parliament on 15th
of April, 2024.
Continued…
Lib. Dem Member of Parliament for the
constituency of Orkney and Shetland, Alistair Carmichael, said, “When he speaks
to Prime Minister Netanyahu, will he make it clear to him that if Israel were
now to proceed with its much-anticipated attack on Rafah, it would be not only
a humanitarian catastrophe for the 1.5 million Palestinians who are sheltering
there and make the release of the hostages more difficult, but make that
stability and de-escalation more difficult to achieve and, as a consequence,
would not have the support of this Government?”
(Feltham and
Heston) (Lab/Co-op)
Labour/Co-Op Member of Parliament for
the constituency of Feltham and Heston, Seema Malhotra, said, “The core issue
now must be de-escalation, an immediate ceasefire on all sides to end the
devastating situation in Gaza, and a political solution for the long term.
UNRWA is arguably the single biggest multilateral tool to support a political
solution, and it is unmatched in its administrative ability to deliver aid. The
UK stands behind other countries in not renewing funding to UNRWA. Further to
the question of my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Marsha De Cordova),
will the Prime Minister set out a clear path for funding to resume?
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SNP Member of Parliament for the constituency of Airdrie and Shotts, Ms
Anum Qaisar, said, “The events of the weekend mark a dangerous new chapter in a
long history of conflict in the middle east. Does the Prime Minister accept
that proportionality is key and must include the conduct of all parties,
including the 192 days of uninterrupted and constant bombardment of Gaza in
response to what was, of course, a horrific attack by Hamas? That has killed
over 33,000 civilians in Gaza, a place where children look to the sky not
knowing if aid or bombs are going to fall on them. I ask the Prime Minister: is
that proportionate?”
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Hammersmith, Andy Slaughter, said, “The Prime
Minister rightly calls for restraint and de-escalation in the middle east, but
is there not more chance that his words will carry weight if a ceasefire is
advocated for all sides, including the warring parties in Gaza?”
Independent Member of Parliament for the constituency of Islington North, Jeremy Corbyn, said, “Thirty-three
thousand people have died in Gaza. More bombs have been dropped there than were
dropped in the whole of the Iraq war. This weekend’s horrific events show the
danger of a war escalating across the whole region. Does the Prime Minister
recognise that the kernel of the whole issue across the region is the continued
Israeli occupation of Palestine? What does he say about bringing an end to that
occupation, and calling for a permanent ceasefire?”mn8is
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Denton and Reddish, Andrew Gwynne, said, “I
echo the calls for restraint and de-escalation. I was interested in what the
Prime Minister said about the diplomatic efforts over the past six months, with
the Palestinian Authority looking towards a two-state solution. Given that the
issues are settlements, water and access between Gaza and the west bank and
Jerusalem, what window of opportunity does he think there is with the Netanyahu
Government to get all parties round the table?”
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Lewisham East, Janet Daby, said, “Yesterday,
the United Nations Secretary-General said:
“The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are
confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time
to defuse and de-escalate”.
Does the Prime Minister agree with the Secretary-General, and if so,
what is the Government’s strategy to achieve this, as the Prime Minister works
with our international allies?”
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Brent North, Barry Gardiner, said, “Iran
sought to justify its unjustifiable attack on Israel on the basis that it was
retaliating for Israel’s attack on its consulate. I welcome the fact that the
Prime Minister said that in his telephone conversation with Prime Minister
Netanyahu later today, he will urge de-escalation. In that telephone conversation,
will he set out the measures that the UK will take if, in fact, Israel seeks to
retaliate further?”
Labour Member of Parliament for the
constituency of Cynon Valley, Beth
Winter, said, “Diolch yn fawr, Madam Deputy Speaker. At the Security Council
last night, the UN Secretary-General warned of “devastating full-scale
conflict” and called for de-escalation and maximum restraint. Today, the
Foreign Secretary said in response that there could have been “thousands of
casualties” and pressure for an escalation of this conflict. Does the Prime
Minister agree with that, and does he also agree that the very real tens of
thousands of deaths and casualties that Israel’s military attacks and imposed
famine conditions have caused in Gaza are drivers of regional instability?
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bedford, Mohammad Yasin, said, “Four former UK
Supreme Court judges and more than 600 lawyers, including over 60 KCs, have
warned the Prime Minister that the UK risks breaking international law relating
to a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza if it does not stop its weapons exports
to Israel. The Prime Minister is ignoring their warnings and hiding his
Government’s legal advice on this matter. Why, Prime Minister?”
(Oldham East and
Saddleworth) (Lab)
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Oldham East and Saddleworth, Debbie Abrahams,
said, “The middle east has entered a very dangerous new phase that can be
resolved only by diplomatic and political solutions. Can I push the Prime
Minister on what he said earlier about the sanctions that he is considering
taking, with international allies, against Iran, including the proscribing of
the IRGC? Will he also confirm that the UK will not take part in any offensive
action of Israel’s?
(Dulwich and
West Norwood) (Lab)
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Dulwich and West Norwood, Helen Hayes, said, “The Prime Minister said in his statement that it was important that aid gets into Gaza, and he said a few moments ago that the Government were right to take their time in deciding on the restoration of funding to UNRWA. The organisational infrastructure of UNRWA is unparalleled and cannot be replicated. A further delay on the part of the UK Government will cost further lives, in a context in which famine is taking hold. I urge the Prime Minister to think again and to today set out a path for the restoration of funding to UNRWA.”
Mr Tanmanjeet
Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab)
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Slough, Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, said, “Iran
is of course no ally of the UK, and its huge unprecedented assault on Israel
must be called out, but the UK Government must now work hard to prevent further
escalation of the crisis in an already volatile region. It is a matter of
principle that diplomatic premises are not targeted, so will the Prime Minister
confirm what conversations he has had with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
about the attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria, or whether he plans to
discuss that with him?”
Lib. Dem Member of Parliament for the constituency of Edinburgh West,
Christine Jardine, asked, “ Can the Prime Minister assure us that when he
speaks to the Prime Minister of Israel later today, he will impress upon him
not only the need for restraint to restabilise the region, but the unique
opportunity he has now to take steps towards peace by promoting a ceasefire and
allowing aid into Gaza?”
Labour Member of Parliament for the
constituency of Chesterfield, Mr. Toby
Perkins, said, “The question from the right hon. Member for North Somerset (Sir
Liam Fox) exposed that there is much more we could be doing to undermine the
murderous Iranian regime. Simultaneously, the way that Israel continues to
ignore the United Nations resolution is deeply troubling. Is the Prime
Minister worried that his approach at the moment risks failing, both on Iran
and on Israel?”
(Kingston upon
Hull West and Hessle) (Lab)
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, Emma
Hardy, said, “In response to my hon. Friend the Member for Feltham and Heston
(Seema Malhotra), the Prime Minister said that he would take the time to set
the right future approach to UNRWA. As the famine continues, I wonder how much
time the Prime Minister needs before he makes up his mind to restore funding
and get aid to the people who need it.”
Independent Member of Parliament for
the constituency of Leicester East,
Claudia Webbe, said, “Since the UK is clearly capable of acting to prevent air
strikes in the region, and both the International Court of Justice and the UN
special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories have implicated
Israel in a genocide in Gaza, why are the Government not interested in
fulfilling their obligations under international law by protecting Palestinian
women and children from Israeli airstrikes? Why are the Government not acting
to prevent the killing of Palestinians?”
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(Warwick and
Leamington) (Lab)
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Warwick and Leamington, Matt Western, said, “The
threat of imminent famine hangs over the people of Gaza; aid urgently needs to
get into the country and to be safely distributed. With the deaths of those
three UK charity workers, working for World Central Kitchen, will the Prime
Minister confirm whether he has received a written apology from the Prime
Minister of Israel?
(Kilmarnock and
Loudoun) (SNP)
SNP Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kilmarnock and Loudoun,
Alan Brown, said, “ Over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza,
including 14,000 children. Some 76,000 civilians have been injured or maimed
and 700 healthcare and aid workers have been killed. There is an ongoing
famine, and the UK Government under the Prime Minister’s watch are now trying to
find ways around the Israeli blockade that is preventing aid from getting in;
is that not in itself an admission that the ongoing Israeli actions are
disproportionate, and should we not be calling them out as such?”
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Liverpool, Riverside, Kim Johnson, said, “The
middle east is in a crisis, and I and thousands of my Riverside constituents
have been calling for a ceasefire to end the destruction in Gaza and prevent a
widening conflict in the middle east. The Prime Minister has talked about
diplomatic action towards a two-state solution. Can he say what action he is
taking against the far-right Ministers in the Israeli Government who are
opposed to a two-state solution?”
(Rutherglen and
Hamilton West) (Lab)
Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Rutherglen and Hamilton West, Michael Shanks,
said, “On the wider humanitarian crisis in Gaza, there is now a famine across
the area. In response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for
Battersea (Marsha De Cordova), I think the Prime Minister said that he has
received the interim report on UNRWA and that in due course he will receive the
final report. Will he publish the interim report, and if not, why not? With
Canada, France, Finland, Australia, Sweden and the EU having now restored funding,
why does the UK stand alone?
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