“Great Britain is, quite rightly, a good friend of Israel, and it is Israel's right, and duty, to defend its sovereign territory. But Israel also has a duty, not least as a first world power, to treat her neighbours with dignity and respect. The occupation of the West Bank, now the longest occupation in history, leads to daily disruption and humiliation of Palestinians. The continued building of settlements with no regard for international law, restriction of movement of people and goods and the detention of children in Israeli gaols are hardly the actions of a good neighbour.

 

“The siege of Gaza - with its attendant collective punishment of the Gazan people, and the three incursions by Israel into Gaza in the past six years, leaving in their wake death, destruction and traumatised children - has left moderate Palestinians feeling they have no hope.

We hold no brief for Hamas and believe their actions, and the actions of Islamic Jihad, have been a barrier to peace and we abhor the reports of the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier today. It is never an easy thing for a government to have to tell one of its close allies an unpalatable truth, but in the name of humanity, and the long term prospect of peace and security, the time has come for Great Britain to tell Israel that the bombardment of Gaza and the subjugation of the Palestinian people must stop.”

 

The Rt Hon Sir Nicholas Soames MP, President of CMEC

The Baroness Morris of Bolton, OBE DL, Chairman of CMEC