Tory urges Government to ‘stand for life’ in Gaza, admits Israel support wrong
Israeli officials said cabinet ministers had approved the plan to seize Gaza.
The Government has been urged to be “on the right side of history” and “stand up for life” in Gaza.
Conservative MP for The Wrekin Mark Pritchard said he had supported Israel for decades, but that in light of the state’s actions in Palestine he “got it wrong”.
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer heard repeated calls for the Government to recognise a Palestinian state as he updated MPs on the situation in the Middle East.
An Israeli plan to seize the Gaza Strip and expand the military operation has alarmed many in the region, as Palestinians are exhausted and hopeless – pummelled by 19 months of heavy bombing.
Israeli officials said cabinet ministers had approved the plan to seize Gaza and remain in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time.
On Tuesday, Mr Pritchard told the Commons: “Of course, Israel is an important security, trade and democratic partner, but that doesn’t give it a blank cheque.
“The fact is that 13,000 children have been killed. Some 25,000 have been injured, maimed, wounded, orphaned – some of them.
“And for many years, I’ve been in this House 20 years, I have supported Israel pretty much at all costs quite frankly.
“But today I want to say that I got it wrong and I condemn Israel for what it is doing to the Palestinian people in Gaza, and indeed in the West Bank, and I’d like to withdraw my support right now for the actions of Israel, what they are doing right now in Gaza.
“Of course hostages should be released. Of course Israel has a right to exist. Of course the Israeli people, the Jewish people, should have the right to live in peace, but so do the Palestinian people.
“And I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again that the life of a Palestinian child is as precious as the life of a Jewish child.
“And this particular moment in time, we’ve had lots of statements over the last 18 months. This is not only this Parliament’s not greatest hour, I’m really concerned that this is a moment in history when people look back – well we’ve got it wrong as a country.
“Can the minister stand up to our friends and allies in the United States and make a strong stand for humanity, for us being on the right side of history, for having the moral courage to lead, not just to follow the United States and to make a difference?
“That’s why we’re all elected here. Let’s stand up for life. Let’s stand up for all children, not just Jewish children.”
Mr Falconer said Mr Pritchard had made a “powerful intervention” and he will “endeavour to stand up on the international stage” with a conviction “equal to the strength of some of these contributions”.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reiterated his call for the Government to end arms sales to Israel, highlighting that the state has dropped bombs on Gaza equivalent to “five times of the power of the nuclear weapons used over Hiroshima and Nagasaki”.
The independent MP for Islington North said: “This surely is a time for the British Government to say, no. No more, no weapons, no cooperation, no support, until we save lives in Gaza and of course, in the West Bank. Now is the time to say and do that.”
Mr Falconer said the Government had suspended sale of parts for F-35 fighter jets “where they go directly to Israel. It is only in a position where we do not know their final destination that they are not suspended”.
Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion Preseli Ben Lake asked if the Government would consider a “possible air drop of humanitarian aid” into Gaza.
The Foreign Office minister said: “We have spoken with partners in the region who have been keen to see air drops as a contribution, particularly given the pressures on aid.
“And I’m not ruling them out, but I must be clear with the House that given the scale of humanitarian aid, helicopter air drops can only reach a certain level and while that aid would be very welcome it would be a very, very partial response to the scale of need that we see.”
Labour backbenchers further pressed the Government to take action against Israel for its actions in Palestine.
Ian Byrne (Liverpool West Derby) said “we will be judged in history for the failure of the Palestinian people in this House”, while Uma Kumaran (Stratford and Bow) said “the time has come for significant action in the face of crimes that had they been committed by any other country, we would have already done something about”.
Liberal Democrat MP for Newbury Lee Dillon said MPs from across the House were “pleading” with the Government to “take action” on their behalf.
He said: “From the Father of the House to the 2024 intake, we are hearing across the chamber from Labour, Conservative, from Greens, Plaid (Cymru), Scottish National colleagues, a consensus of what the Government need to do on behalf of the British people.
“We need our Government to recognise the Palestinian state.”
