Tomorrow’s march across London for Gaza (Saturday 9 August) will increase the pressure on the British Government to introduce an immediate arms embargo on the State of Israel. With news that the Israeli Forces have today (11am, Friday 8 August 2014) killed at least one child, and injured 11 others [1], demonstrators will be bringing London to a halt, taking to the streets to call for action to end Israel’s massacre, and an immediate arms embargo on Israel.
The calls for an arms embargo have rapidly grown, with leading politicians, including former Conservative Foreign Office Minister, Baroness Warsi [2], and Deputy Prime Minister [3] supporting the call.
In the last few weeks, two mass demonstrations have taken place, with 100,000 marching through the streets of London each time. All round the country, PSC branches have organised demonstrations, protests and vigils.
Despite this, so far the British Government has neither condemned nor acted to pressure Israel to end the military bombardment of Gaza, which Israel has occupied since 1967. In this latest round, UN OCHA, on 7 August, have confirmed that at least 1,869 Palestinians have been killed and 65,000 have lost their homes [4].
Sarah Colborne, Director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said:
“With the resumption of violence, and his own Deputy Prime Minister calling for an arms embargo, the Prime Minister David Cameron must now respond to calls for an end to the arms trade, and all military-industrial collaboration, with Israel. Masses of the public are outraged that despite the carnage, death and destruction Israel is wreaking upon Gaza, our government has abjectly failed to protect the 1,869 Palestinian men, women and children who have been killed in Gaza over the last few days.
After years under blockade, numerous military bombardments, the most basic of rights such as access to clean water denied, and far too many lives lost, this intolerable situation can not be allowed to continue. For decades, Israel has been able to violate international law, and commit war crimes, with complete impunity. This must be brought to an end now – with the British government taking concrete measures including imposing sanctions until Israel ends its brutal military occupation, and ends its abuses of Palestinian rights. ”
This demonstration will be assembling outside the BBC, which has been widely criticised for its coverage of Israel’s massacre in Gaza, in a direct challenge to the BBC to report the demonstration in an accurate and unbiased way. It will be marching past the US Embassy, to protest against the military aid given by the US to Israel, to a rally in Hyde Park.
