LONDON: The Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) has called upon British politicians not to endorse the “collective punishment” being imposed on Palestinians in Gaza by Israeli forces and to exercise caution in their rhetoric concerning the conflict to avoid further exacerbating the situation.
Chris Doyle, Director of CAABU, emphasized the need for any actions taken by Israel to adhere to international law. This principle, he stressed, applies to all parties involved in the conflict, including Hamas.
The recent escalation in the Israeli military offensive came in response to the Hamas surprised attack on October 7 against Israel in the southern part of the country to liberate its areas from the Israel occupations. As of now, there have been approximately 1,200 confirmed Israeli fatalities, with around 1,300 Palestinians killed in Gaza.
Israel Suspends Electricity, Fuel, Water, Food Supplies to Gaza
Apart from targeting civilians in Gaza, Israeli authorities have also suspended electricity, fuel, water, and food supplies to Gaza. The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that as Gaza loses power, hospitals are at risk of losing vital support systems. This includes newborns in incubators and elderly patients reliant on oxygen. Kidney dialysis and X-rays will be unavailable without electricity, potentially turning hospitals into morgues. Families in Gaza already face difficulties accessing clean water, and cutting off supplies further exacerbates their dire situation.
CAABU highlighted that the Israeli government has imposed a “total siege” on the 2.3 million Palestinians living under Israeli occupation in Gaza.
The organization called upon British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to unequivocally condemn the imposition of this siege. Failing to do so, CAABU argued, would imply condoning war crimes.
CAABU stressed the importance of not openly expressing sympathy for civilian victims on one side while failing to do so when crimes are committed against Palestinians. International leaders, CAABU argued, should demonstrate statesmanship and work toward responsible resolutions to the conflict. Fully endorsing the actions of Israel, regardless of their legality, was deemed unacceptable.
