Meeting of the Parliament 21 April 2015
I apologise to Sandra White because I will have to leave after my speech. I commend her for bringing the debate to the chamber: it is absolutely the right thing to do. This Parliament should state very clearly that we recognise the state of Palestine.
The situation in Palestine is one of the big remaining long-standing international injustices. We have seen peace in Ireland, and we see the first steps towards ending the 50-year embargo against Cuba—the Miami five were recently released after long periods in US jails and allowed to return home.
However, despite progress elsewhere, the great injustice against the Palestinian people remains. Two thirds of the world’s countries now recognise Palestine as a state, and increasing numbers of church groups, trade unions and international organisations support that recognition, as defined by the 1967 borders. Recognition by this Parliament and others is no magic bullet, but it sends a clear message of solidarity to the people—the message that we care and that we want justice and peace for a people whose appalling suffering has gone on for way too long.
Illegal occupation, aggressive actions by the Israeli army and the expansion of settlements—which now host about 650,000 people—are all major barriers to creating any movement for a just peace. If we are going to see progress, it will—as in all disputes—take two sides to make a deal. I fear that that will not happen, given the aggressiveness and complete unwillingness of the current Israeli Government to accept or recognise all that is going on: ethnic cleansing; the holding of child prisoners and of prisoners without trial; torture; the demolition of homes, hospitals and power stations; and land grabs.
If there is no recognition or admission of those war crimes and gross human rights violations, there is unlikely to be any progress. The blockade of Gaza and further attacks on innocent men, women and children have only increased tensions, conflict and tragedy in the region. I have to say that my blood ran cold when Netanyahu was re-elected earlier this year.
The international community will need to be extremely forceful if we are going to see progress over the next while. Our actions today are a small step in the right direction. I thank Sandra White for bringing the debate to the chamber.
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