An Open Letter to Gordon Brown

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by MAP

We, the undersigned, call on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to urgently use all available diplomatic means to bring an immediate and unconditional end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip. A year after the assault on Gaza, in which almost 1,400 Palestinians were killed and more than 5,300 injured, civilians continue to pay a devastating price.


Israel’s blockade of Gaza means the denial of a broad range of goods, which include food, industrial, educational and medical items, all deemed “nonessential”, for a population who, after decades of occupation and now in their third year under blockade, are struggling to rebuild their lives in the wake of the widespread destruction. With critical reconstruction materials are not entering Gaza, the urgently needed rebuilding of medical facilities, homes and schools is impossible. A recent Medical Aid for Palestinians survey of the most vulnerable families in Gaza showed that a mere 2% had been able to repair their homes from damage incurred during last winter’s bombardment.

Across the Gaza Strip, over 3,530 homes were completely destroyed and more than 2,850 severely damaged. Tens of thousands more homes suffered structural damage. Families now face the winter rains and cold surviving in tents or in the rubble of their destroyed homes. The blockade is directly compromising one of the people of Gaza’s most basic human rights; the right to health. Israeli authorities continue to routinely, and without explanation, block or delay the entry of medical supplies and equipment, leaving hospitals less able to cope. As hospitals falter, patients seeking care outside the Gaza Strip are routinely denied exit for life-saving medical treatment; in just one month this year four people died while waiting for permission to leave. [source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), September 2009]

Outside the hospitals, a public health disaster looms: with no spare parts for maintenance or repair, water and sewage treatment facilities cannot function. The World Health Organisation reports that over 80% of Gaza’s water is no longer safe to drink, while up to 80 million cubic litres of untreated or partially treated sewage is being dumped into the sea daily.

The British Government has stated that Israel’s blockade must end, recognising its profound impact on civilians. We welcome this statement, but it must be backed up by meaningful diplomatic action. We call upon the UK Government to make urgent representations to the Government of Israel and to redouble its efforts to bring about an immediate and unconditional end to the blockade of Gaza.

This letter has been signed by, amongst others:

Professor Ilan Pape

Professor Avi Shlaim

Ahdaf Soueif

Ben Elton

Alexi Sayle

Noam Chomsky

Jeremy Hardy

Baroness Helena Kennedy

Jeremy Corbyn MP

Esther Freud

David Morrissey

Richard Horton

Juliet Stevenson

Lord David Steel

Nadim Sawalha

John Williams

Jeff Mirza

David Calder

Sir Iain Chalmers

Chris Doyle

John Austin MP

Richard Burden MP

John McHugo

The Revd Stephen Griffith MBE

John Hemming MP

Imran Khan

Peter Kilfoyle MP

Clive Betts MP

Derek Wyatt MP

Michael Mansfield QC

Colin Breed MP

Pauline McNeill MSP

I for one am disgusted (but not surprised) at how little press coverage this issue is getting on mainstream media.
There was a full page print of this letter in the Guardian a couple weeks ago but that was a paid for "advert" not cos the Guardian chose to run this as a story.
Yet a metal sign gets nicked from auschwitz and the press wanna cover that instead.

Anyway i'd like to urge al of you who give an damn and are into signing online petitions to please go an add you name to the petition.

This isnt about Israel or Palestine in my eyes, its about human beings.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/map-gaza/

Originally Posted by Spiderman

I for one am disgusted (but not surprised) at how little press coverage this issue is getting on mainstream media.

Just take a look at what religion the main media moguls in the UK traditionally are. Then look to the USA and check out what religion the main media moguls are over there... and there's your answer.

The "I feel sorry for the jews because they had a rough time during WW2" attitiude has to end. This issue is not about Jew vs Muslim, it's about Israeli vs Arab, and the way the west (USA and UK in particular) has backed up the Israelis with no regard for the rights of innocent Palestinians is beyond the pale. It's not like our hands aren't full of Palestinian blood, as it's the UK who handed Palestine over to Israel back in 1948, walking away and leaving a defenceless people to the might of the US backed and newly armed Israel.

Israel really are blatantly taking the mickey with their appaling record on human rights and their occupation of the West Bank. They have displaced millions of honest and hard working Palestinians and treat them like dirt, blockading the Gaza Strip is the latest in a long line of human rights abuses they are guilty of.

[Stu]

Signed

[Spiderman]

Thank god you know some of the truths here mate. Rupert Murdoch for one, once said "Israel first, right or wrong, Israel first."

Now thats a nice free press attitude aint it. However its refreshing to see just how many Jewish groups are against this disgusting behaviour by their politicians and military.

Edit: Nice one Stu

Signed as well.

signed as well

Just finished watching the ross kemp in gaza documentary, i agree. Isreal are just making the situation worse.

this is a political minefield, the British goverment have asked the Israelis to end the blockage but Israel isnt a country we cant walk into tell them how to run there country like Iraq, theres a chance theres a media blackout on this story we dont know how much is being done. and i agree the blockage should end but the UK and US cant police the world, and solve every problem the UN finds.

Just my views i look forward to reading any flaming you give me for my comments as always

[BanannaMan]

Surely you jest gentlemen....

Israel can do whatever it wants right now and NATO will turn a blind eye.
We're going to need those valuable Israeli airbases more than ever when the US goes to Yemen!
Did I mention you kids from the UK will get to come play as well???
It's the new Afghanistan, don't you know...

You can expect Israel to get worse in the coming days.

I guess you don't hear much about it because 'news' means just that - new information. Old stuff that has been news but hasn't changed isn't 'news' anymore.

The news channels did actually do a big thing on the Gaza situation on the one year anniversary of the blockade the other day, but I guess there isn't enough to sustain interest froma broadcasting perspective the rest of the time.

Doesn't change the fact that the situation there sucks though! Totally disproportionate response...