Dear Correspondent,
Thank you for your email. Like you I am most concerned about the deaths in the Hamas/Israel war and support the diplomatic initiatives being undertaken to limit civilian deaths, to pause the fightingĀ and to allow humanitarian aid.
The UK government seeks to influence Israel alongside the USA to avoid civilian casualties and to ensure humanitarian Ā supplies enter Gaza. The US and UK have been seeking humanitarian pauses to the fighting. The UK government assists Ā the Qataris who are best placed to help both sides reach an agreement. A ceasefire can only happen when the two combatants agree one. To agree aĀ ceasefireĀ requires more work by those neutral and trusted intermediaries locally and a change of view of the two sides. I hope they can achieve a breakthrough.Ā Ā I will put your strong concerns to the UK government.
Yours sincerely
December 5, 2023
Why not pressure Egypt and Jordan to take women and children refugees from the war zone? It is incredible that they have refused to open the border. Imagine what would be said if the U.K. closed its border to the hundreds of thousands of ārefugeesā each year! And they donāt come from a war zone unless you acknowledge that France is suffering low-level warefare.
December 7, 2023
Once the people of Gaza leave, they will have no home to go back to. The answer is NOT to question why the Gazans can’t flee, we should be questioning why they are being bombed and maimed and extinguished (even in their supposed safe zones). Literally no idea as to why you think France is relevant here??? You want to imagine things – imagine how it would feel to leave behind all your male family figures and have your home demolished and rebuilt and given away to Europeans/ Americans who claim to have rights to your family home, because that is what you’re suggesting isn’t it? I am born and bred in the UK, but it is beyond me as to how other Brits can rest so much on their privilege.
December 5, 2023
The British Government was responsible for Palestine and therefore does have a moral responsibility to do more than make Political gestures and pass the buck to other Governments. The Governments Policy form the beginning was that Israel has the right to defend itself which is true. But to destroy Hamas do you destroy Gaza and the other occupied Palestine lands and the people living there and/or force them out?
The un-biased eye can see what is happening and the British Government should not turn a blind eye to it, and take sides in this conflict. Both parties in this war share guilt for it and dates back to creation of Israel without a Palestinian State. The proposed UN land share map of 1948 is not the map of todays land split. It must be appreciated that the Arab Nations did not accept the creation of Israel at the time. Unfortunately that’s History right or wrong.
The Government should make clear that it does not support the war in the way that Israel is defending itself. It is difficult given the 7th October and the rockets from Hamas. But the Western Democracies have to give an example counter to barbarism not take part in it.
December 5, 2023
The Israel /Arab conflict has been on going for centuries and the UK should keep its grubby little fingers out of the equation. We have caused enough problems in that area of the world. We have many more problems within our own shores that are not being addressed or more to the point, deliberately ignored.
December 6, 2023
‘To agree a ceasefire… a change of view of the two sides.’
Including ‘We’ve won, Hamas are no more’ and ‘We’ve lost’.āHigh though minimised civilian cost now may be the price of a much better life for the remaining and returning civilians over the next decades.āThinking too short term could cause ongoing misery instead.