-
British MPs debate two petitions, one of them to recognise the state of Palestine
According to Middle East Eye, British MPs on Monday debated whether to implement two petitions that call for economic sanctions against Israel and for the UK government to recognise the state of Palestine. state of Palestine
The petitions garnered well over 100,000 signatures each, triggering a parliamentary debate as mandated by British law.
MEE reported that despite the a number of politicians, from both sides of the aisle, called for the recognition of the state of Palestine, the majority of MPs rejected any idea of boycotting or sanctioning Israel.
Labour's Catherine McKinnell, who chaired the debate, said "I share the deeply held concerns for the plight of the Palestinian people".
She added, "their aspiration for self-determination is one that we should wholeheartedly support. It's right for the Palestinian people and it's right for the Israeli people. However, I don't believe that sweeping sanctions of the kind proposed by the second petition would bring the prospect of a two-state solution any closer." state of Palestine
The petition on sanctioning Israel currently has over 386,000 signatures and calls on the government to block all trade with Israel over its "disproportionate treatment of Palestinians", and specifically calls on blocking the trade of arms to the country.
One minister, Labour's Naz Shah, sent a message for Israel and the new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, saying "the world is waking up to Israel's actions, and all those who want to see lasting peace in the region know that to achieve such peace we must end the occupation, injustice and oppression".
Naz Shah said she would push for Israel to be tried at the International Court for war crimes "if any more Palestinian blood is unjustly spilled".
The petitions come just weeks after Israel's May bombardment of the Gaza Strip killed 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and wounded nearly 2,000 others.
The aerial campaign, coupled with Israel's attempts to forcibly displace Palestinian families from their homes in occupied East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, garnered widespread condemnation from US lawmakers to regional leaders, and sparked massive pro-Palestinian demonstrations in cities across the world.
It also prompted calls to cut ties with or boycott Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. state of Palestine
Source: Middle East Eye
Image source: AFP-Middle East Eye
