Open Letter To Labour MPs – What Have You Done To Stop Starvation In Gaza?

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The below is an open letter addressed to MPs in Rhondda Cynon Taff: Alex Davies-Jones (Pontypridd), Chris Bryant (Rhondda & Ogmore), and Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare), by RCT Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Cover image: March for Palestine, Cardiff 22nd July, by Rhydian Witts

Dear Alex Davies-Jones, Chris Bryant and Gerald Jones

The whole of Gaza is now starving

You will no doubt have seen the hugely distressing images coming out of Gaza, of emaciated babies and elderly people dying of starvation. One old man was seen dying as he waited at a food distribution point while the helper was putting food in his food container.

As activists and allies of the Palestinian people, we must tell you our hearts are shattered with grief, we shed endless tears of intense distress, and we feel so helpless as Israel persists with its military onslaught. It is made all the worse when we see an Israeli government spokesman blaming the United Nations for hunger in Gaza.

We put to you the same question that the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, put to the UN Security Council: What did you do during this genocide? Not what you said or what you considered. What did you actually do? We know it is awful. We know it is distressing. We know you will be upset and want it all to end. Please don’t tell us this. Please do tell us: what did you do? We will be awaiting your answer. And as we wait, babies, the elderly and others will be dying. They will also be asking, what did you do as a person of influence as Israel deliberately starved them to death?

Sarah Champion MP, chair of the parliamentary International Development Committee, has said the World Health Organization condemns Israeli attacks on facilities in Gaza. “Condemnation isn’t working, the international community needs to hold those orchestrating these attacks to account,” she said. She has called for an aggressive programme of sanctions and more action from the UK government.

We say: How about strong sanctions on Israel, same as MPs advocated for Russia? How about trade sanctions? How about cutting off all arms exports to Israel?

“How bad does it have to get before we do everything we can to prevent Israeli politicians wiping out an entire nation?,” Champion asked. We ask you the same question. What does it take? What did you do?

Rhondda Cynon Taff Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

* Protests will be taking place on Friday 25 July to demand ‘Stop Starving Gaza.’ In Pontypridd, 6PM, 10 Market St, CF37 2DS and in Cardiff, 6PM, UK Govt Building Central Square CF10 1EP