Gaza crisis: Please urge your MP to act now

Andrew Silvera

Gaza crisis: Please urge your
MP to act now - Caabu

[Here we go again; but isn't this list of EDM's
(& I know my MP just don't do edm's & I'm still waiting
for the reply from the FOC from the last letter he wrote
to them on my behalf) getting to be as long as the whole
list of petitions for Palestinian issues that I could be
posting? I'm becoming more inclined by the minute
to just gather a bit of evidence from some
of these links and go straight to the:

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In early January, Israel ordered more cuts
in the diesel supplies having a devastating
effect on crucial power and water supplies.

Although Israel has now resumed some diesel
supplies, this latest action, added to the long-term
ill-effects of months of blockade and decades of
occupation, means the 1.5m Palestinians
in Gaza are facing the worst humanitarian
crisis ever. Over 80 per cent of Gazans
are living below the poverty line.

The political, economic and social isolation
imposed on the occupied Gaza Strip violates
international law and has dire consequences
for future peace, development and security
in the region.

Please write to your MP and urge them
to do the following:


1) Sign the EDMs* on the sitution in Gaza

EDM 698 on Hospitals Supplies in Gaza

That this House notes with extreme concern
the report from the Ministry of Health in Gaza
that as a result of the Israeli blockade supplies
of food and medical equipment are nearly
exhausted in the hospitals and clinics in Gaza;
and calls upon the Government to take every
action possible to ensure the lifting of the blockade
and the supply of food and medical equipment to
Gaza. http://tinyurl.com/34o2nr
http://edmi.parliament.uk/ EDMi/EDM
Details.aspx?EDMID=34854&SESSION=891

EDM 624 on Civilians in Gaza

http://tinyurl.com/34ro2n
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMD
etails.aspx?EDMID =34777&SESSION=891

EDM 305 on Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

http://tinyurl.com/2v2by4

That this House expresses grave concern about
the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the
decision by the State of Israel to declare it
a hostile entity; notes that this further isolated
the 1.5 million Palestinian residents of this
occupied territory, 1.1 million of whom have
to survive on food handouts; further notes that
shortages of medical supplies are reported by
the United Nations; considers that future Israeli
measures could involve cutting off crucial supplies
including food, fuel, electricity and water; believes
that such measures would not deter the firing
of Kassam rockets but would have a devastating
effect on the humanitarian situation in Gaza with
a detrimental impact on public health; further
believes that the continued political and economic
isolation of Gaza will jeopardise the prospects
for a lasting peace and for any future negotiations
to be credible and successful; and therefore
calls upon the UK Government to make the
strongest possible representations to the
Israeli government that such measures are
wholly unacceptable and tantamount to
collective punishment and a breach of the
Fourth Geneva Convention.
http://edmi.parliament.uk/ EDMi/EDM
Details.aspx?EDMID=34416&SESSION=891


2) Write on your behalf to the Foreign Secretary,
Rt Hon David Miliband MP, to raise your
concerns about the situation in Gaza.


3) Raise a question during the forthcoming
International Development (30th Jan) or Foreign
affairs (19th Feb) debates in the House of Commons.

=======================================

Background Information:

· To read the joint statement from the Foreign
Secretary and International Development Secretary
see: DFID and FCO statement on Gaza - 11th January
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename
=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page
&cid=1007029391638&a=KArticle&aid=1199200304294
or http://tinyurl.com/2or8mw

· Gaza power cuts leave people cold physically,
metaphorically - 17th January, Report from
IRIN/ Relief web http://tinyurl.com/2to3m3 or
http://www.reliefweb.int/r w/RWB.NSF/db900SID/
AMMF-7AXHZ6?OpenDocument&rc=3&cc=pse

· Haaretz probe: Half of Gazans killed by
IDF not involved in terror - 14th
January http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/
spages/944276.html
"Israeli security forces killed 810 Palestinians
in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and 2007, Shin Bet
security service chief Yuval Diskin reported
yesterday at the weekly cabinet briefing in
Jerusalem. He estimated that some 200 of
those killed were not clearly linked to
terrorist organizations.

However, an examination by Haaretz reveals
that the number of Palestinians killed by
Israeli security forces was 816 during those
two years, and that of them, 360 were civilians
who were not affiliated with any armed
organizations. Data from B'Tselem, the
Israeli human rights organization, show
that 152 of the casualties were under
age 18, and 48 were under the age of 14."

· See also Report from Physicians for Human
Rights on recent cuts in diesel supply
- 14th January http://tinyurl.com/2om86l
http://www.phr.org.il/phr/ article.asp?
articleid=531&catid=73&pcat=-1&lang=ENG

· Child Rights Monitor - Report on Gaza:
Political and Security situation and
violation of child rights
http://www.childrightsmonitor.org/newsletter.php

· See also United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Report on Gaza Power shortages
- 8th January
http://www.ochaopt.org/documents
/Gaza_Situation_Repo rt_2008_01_08.pdf
or http://tinyurl.com/35ke8y

· See CAABU website http://www.caabu.org
/index.asp?homepage=key_issues&article
=gaza_declared_hostile_entity
or http://tinyurl.com/2jz3gp


Other relevant EDMS on Palestine:

EDM 366 on Israeli Settlements

That this House calls for a complete freeze
on all Israeli settlement activity in the
Occupied Territories; welcomes the
Israeli announcement to partially
freeze settlement construction prior to
the Annapolis meeting; however, notes
that despite the transfer of Israeli
civilians into the Occupied Territories
being illegal under international law, the
Israeli settler population in the West Bank
has grown steadily by around 5.5 per cent.
each year to a total of 450,000; acknowledges
that this is significantly higher than the
population growth rate inside Israel ( 1.8 per cent.);
further notes that Israel has failed to take
any action to dismantle the 106 outposts
which it accepts are unauthorised; calls
on the Government to urge Israel to
immediately and permanently cease all
settlement expansion in the West Bank,
East Jerusalem and Golan Heights,
including construction for so-called natural
growth and the construction of infrastructure
supporting the settlements, bypass roads
and the barrier, and the provision of Government
subsidies and other incentives for settlers;
regards with serious concern the devastating
impact on the Palestinians' freedom of movement
caused by the settlements which dissect the West
Bank into fragmented enclaves; and considers
that the settlements are a serious threat to a
viable independent Palestinian state as part
of a negotiated two-state solution.
http://tinyurl.com/37t6kz

http://edmi.parliament.uk/ EDMi/EDM
Details.aspx?EDMID=34486&SESSION=891

EDM 364 on Palestinian Prisoners

That this House calls for the release of all
illegally held prisoners in Israel and the Occupied
Palestinian Territories; notes that Israel has
released some Palestinian prisoners and
has this week agreed to release a further
450 prisoners; however expresses
concern that there are around 10,000
Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails
and detention centres; notes that of the
prisoners, over 300 are children, 96 are
women and 840 are administrative
detainees held without charge or trial
for indefinite periods of time; abhors the
continued detention of some 40 Palestinian
Legislative Council Members since the
Hamas election victory in 2006; further
notes that according to the UN, the Palestinians
are among the most highly incarcerated population
in the world; is alarmed at the on-going accounts
of violations of the right to family visits,
the right to worship, the right to receive
correspondence, the right to humane conditions
of detention and transfer, to adequate food and
medical care, and the right to a fair public trial; further
notes that such violations constitute a breach of the
Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions; believes
that the issue of Palestinian prisoners constitutes
a running sore fuelling the conflict; and calls on
the UK Government to apply political pressure
to Israel to end its decades-long practice of
arbitrary arrests and detention, in particular
of democratically elected parliamentarians.
http://tinyurl.com/2qhyra

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDM
Details.aspx?EDMID =34484&SESSION=891


*What is an EDM?
Early day motion (EDM) is a colloquial term
for a notice of motion given by a Member for
which no date has been fixed for debate.
EDMs exist to allow Members to put on
record their opinion on a subject and canvass
support for it from fellow Members. In effect,
the primary function of an EDM is to form a
kind of petition that MPs can sign.

It can act as a useful lobbying tool
if the EDM gains a large number of signatures.


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