Debate on Iran-Israel Statement in the British Parliament continued...

 

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 15^th of April, 2024.

 

Continued…

Mr Alistair Carmichael 

(Orkney and Shetland) (LD)

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?”

Seema Malhotra 

(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?

Ms Anum Qaisar 

(Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)

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?”

Andy Slaughter 

(Hammersmith) (Lab)

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?”

Jeremy Corbyn 

(Islington North) (Ind)

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

Andrew Gwynne 

(Denton and Reddish) (Lab)

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?”

Janet Daby 

(Lewisham East) (Lab)

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?”

Barry Gardiner 

(Brent North) (Lab)

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?”

Beth Winter 

(Cynon Valley) (Lab)

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?

Mohammad Yasin 

(Bedford) (Lab)

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?”

Debbie Abrahams 

(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?

Helen Hayes 

(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?”

Christine Jardine 

(Edinburgh West) (LD)

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?”

Mr Toby Perkins 

(Chesterfield) (Lab)

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?”

Emma Hardy 

(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.”

Claudia Webbe 

(Leicester East) (Ind)

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?”

s located here

Matt Western 

(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?

Alan Brown 

(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?”

Kim Johnson 

(Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab)        

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?”

Michael Shanks 

(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?

 

Debate on Iran-Israel Statement at the House of Commons in the British Parliament

 

Debate on Iran-Israel Statement at the House of Commons

in the British Parliament

Dr Mozammel Haque

 

 Dawn Butler 

(Brent Central) (Lab)

 

Labour Member of Parliament for Brent Central, Dawn Butler said, “Prime Minister, I condemn Iran and Hamas—let me start there—but we must not lose focus on the situation in Gaza, where there is a humanitarian crisis and famine. It is just destruction that people are seeing in front of their eyes. If we want to ensure that the hostages come home—like the hostage who has been adopted in Brent, Noa Argamani—we must argue for a ceasefire, not a pause. Will the Prime Minister clearly state that we should be calling for an immediate ceasefire on all sides?”

Zarah Sultana 

(Coventry South) (Lab)

 

Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Coventry South, Zarah Sultana, said, “I have notified the office of the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Alicia Kearns), who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, that I would reference her in my question. It was recently revealed that she told a private fundraising event:

“The Foreign Office has received official legal advice that Israel has broken international humanitarian law, but the Government has not announced it.”

She asked, “I have a simple question for the Prime Minister. If he cannot answer it—if he dodges and deflects—our constituents will know that he is hiding the truth. Was the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee telling the truth—yes or no?”

Ian Blackford 

(Ross, Skye and Lochaber) (SNP)

 

SNP Member of Parliament for the Constituency Ross, Skye and Lochabar said, “We live in deeply unsettling times, and the Prime Minister, along with our allies, is right to call for a de-escalation. When he has his discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu this afternoon, will he convey to him that now is the time to step back? There must be no further escalation in the middle east. Now is the time to recognise that both Israelis and Palestinians must live in peace, and for that we need the two-state solution. In 2014, when we had an outbreak of violence in Gaza, the then Prime Minister David Cameron unequivocally called for a ceasefire. We must today put an end to the conflict and the killing in that region for the benefit of both these countries.”

He added, “Finally if I may say so, I welcome the Prime Minister’s comments on the situation in Ukraine, but we are all aware of the reports of a build-up of Russian activity. I say to the Prime Minister that we must do more today with our allies to protect our friends, and give them the tools they need to defend themselves and to ensure that Russia is defeated.”

Rehman Chishti 

(Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)

 

Conservative Member of Parliament for the constituency Gillingham and Rainham, Rehman Chishti, said, “The United Kingdom stands for an international rules-based system, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations. That is one of our key objectives with regard to Ukraine. I condemn in the fullest Iran’s attack on Israel, and I have previously condemned Iran’s malign behaviour in the region. The question on people’s minds is this: what information or intelligence does the Prime Minister have about what went on in Iran’s consulate in Damascus that led to the attack? The international community and people around the world want to see the United Kingdom applying international law consistently across the board.”

Richard Burgon 

(Leeds East) (Lab)

 

Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency Leeds East, Richard Burgon said, “This is a very dangerous moment. The UN Secretary-General rightly told the Security Council last night:

“Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate”.

“Ordinary people in both Israel and Iran, and across the whole region and the wider world, will pay the price if this escalates. The Secretary-General also rightly reiterated the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as the Security Council voted for, given the huge loss of life there. This is the first opportunity that we have had to question the Prime Minister since the recent killing of British nationals in Gaza. Is he planning to appoint an independent adviser to scrutinise the Israeli inquiry into those deaths of British nationals, similar to what Australia has done?”

Afzal Khan 

(Manchester, Gorton) (Lab)

 

Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency Manchester Gorton, Afzal Khan, said, “Twelve-year-old Zain Arouq miraculously survived Israel’s bombing that killed most of his family in Gaza three months ago, but he was killed this weekend by an aid airdrop when he was searching for scraps of food because the parachute did not open. Zain and thousands of others would still be alive had allies like the UK and the US pushed Israel to adhere to the UN resolution on a ceasefire in Gaza, which would allow aid to reach starving children safely. Will the Prime Minister set out exactly what repercussions Israel will face for failing to abide by the UN Security Council motion?”

Marsha De Cordova 

(Battersea) (Lab)

 

Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Battersea, Marsha De Cordova, said, “While globally the attention is rightly focused on Israel and Iran, and we are all in agreement that the next step has to be de-escalation, the situation in Gaza is worsening every day. More than 33,000 lives have been lost and more than 1 million will now be facing imminent famine. The UK almost stands alone in not restoring funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. Will the Prime Minister tell us when he will set out a clear path for funding to resume?”

Naz Shah 

(Bradford West) (Lab)

 

Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bradford West, Naz Shah, said, “Much has been said by the Prime Minister and other Conservative Members about the normalisation process between Saudi Arabia and Israel. On 9 January, the Saudi ambassador to the United Kingdom told Radio 4 that that normalisation process was subject to a two-state solution and a fully recognised Palestine.”

She continued, “Having put that on the record, I remind the Prime Minister that support for any nation is not like the unconditional support that he has for his football team. When Iran acts like a rogue state in Syria, we rightly call it out and, when Israel taunts Iran by bombing its consulate building, knowing full well that Iran will respond and risking further escalation, we must call it out as well. What is the Prime Minister doing in his efforts to ensure that the two-state solution and the recognition of Palestine are being actively pursued?”

Joanna Cherry 

(Edinburgh South West) (SNP)

 

SNP Member of Parliament for the constituency of Edinburgh South West, Joanna Cherry, “I hold no candle for the Iranian regime. In fact, I recently co-authored a report on its disgraceful oppression of women and girls, which we concluded amounted to gender apartheid. However, just as Iran must be held to the standards of international law, so must Israel. The Prime Minister has paid tribute to the three brave British aid workers who were killed by the Israel Defence Forces. Will he condemn Israel for their wrongful killing, and will he also condemn it for the ongoing slaughter of innocent life in Gaza?”

Mr Khalid Mahmood 

(Birmingham, Perry Barr) (Lab)

 

Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency of Birmingham, Perry Barr, Khalid Mahmood, said, “I deplore the attack by the IDF on the consulate in Syria, and I totally deplore the massive attack by Iran, which launched 301 drones and missiles towards Israel. Iran knew full well that this attack would detract from the great work that we need to do in Gaza to support people who are starving and young children who are suffering from malnutrition. Will the Prime Minister commit to oppose escalation in the region by any of the countries involved? As he said in his statement, we need to concentrate on supporting young people and those who are dying in Gaza.”

Caroline Lucas 

(Brighton, Pavilion) (Green)

 

Green Party Member of Parliament for the Constituency of Brighton, Pavilion, Caroline Lucas, said, “Like the whole House, I condemn the attack on Israel by the tyrannical Iranian regime, just as I deeply condemn the atrocities of Hamas, but I am also incredibly concerned that our Prime Minister has now pitched the UK into a perilous war—and in support of an Israeli Government presided over by Netanyahu, a man who chose to bomb an Iranian embassy because he is dependent on his hard-right provocateurs. That was itself a dangerous escalation by Israel and a further breach of international law, so if the Prime Minister’s priority is indeed international law and de-escalation, why is he not calling now for an urgent bilateral ceasefire to get the hostages home and to get the region on the path to peace?” located here

Sir Stephen Timms 

(East Ham) (Lab)

Labour Member of Parliament for the constituency East Ham, Stephen Timms, said, “I welcome the support of the Prime Minister and the Government for the resolution on Gaza adopted recently by the United Nations Security Council. Israel is currently in breach of that resolution. How does that affect the Prime Minister’s view of the current actions of Israel in the middle east?”

[Continued..]