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Wednesday, February 07, 2024

Escalating the Israel - Hamas conflict

 Today's MP Letter  

07/02/2024

 

John Penrose MP

House of Commons

London SW1A 0AA

 

 

 

Dear John

 

I write to express my deep concern regarding your Government’s escalation of the conflict in Gaza.

 

I will make clear at the outset that I support the right of the State of Israel to exist and I condemn the foolish and inhumane attack carried out by Hamas on October 7th. I also condemn the ongoing massacre and destruction that Netanyahu is carrying out in Gaza. I feel deeply ashamed that my country is supporting Netanyahu’s inhumane assault on the civilian population of Gaza. Like the majority of British citizens, I am on the side neither of Netanyahu nor Hamas, but on the side of humanity.

 

You will claim that Israel has a right to defend itself. Netanyahu’s offensive is the opposite of a defence of Israel. It is creating hatred and resentment across the world, not just against Israel as a state, but against Jewish people everywhere. Even if Netanyahu could kill every last member of Hamas, he is acting as a recruiting sergeant for the Hamas terrorist operation of the future, whatever it may be called.

 

As you know, the Houthi attacks on shipping will have a devastating effect on world trade and economy, including the UK economy, with another round of fuel price inflation to be expected. The declared aim of the Houthi attacks on shipping is to bring an end to Netanyahu’s attack on Gaza. Your Government’s attacks on Houthi missile capability will not mend the situation in good time, as it is the mere possibility of attack that makes shipping avoid the Red Sea. Instead, your action is just going to make the outlook for global security worse.

 

During the recent ceasefire, Houthi attacks were reduced. It is likely that a ceasefire in Gaza, coupled with intense diplomatic efforts, could succeed in restoring shipping through the Suez canal far more quickly than military action. Needless to say, ceasefire and a new round of serious diplomacy and peace talks is what the world needs to end the agony of Gazan civilians massacred on a daily basis.

 

The other problem with your Government’s chosen course of action is that it represents an escalation of conflict in a time of generalised international tension, with Putin already engaged in Ukraine and both Putin and the West engaged in Syria. Escalation is the last thing that the world needs right now. If escalation does not stop, global nuclear war is a distinct possibility.

 

De-escalation is clearly the best path to take.  Polls on October 19th 2023 showed overwhelming support for a ceasefire (58% believe we definitely should have a ceasefire, 3% believe we definitely should not have a ceasefire  http://tinyurl.com/bdzjr9rx ).  All wars come to an end eventually. A just and sustainable  peace is the only realistic future for the Middle East and indeed for the entire world. It can only be obtained when political attention shifts away from the theoreticians of war to those who have realistic plans for how human societies everywhere can work to produce the water, food, energy, shelter and waste management in a sustainable way.

 

I would be grateful if you could outline how, in your view, the British Government can defend its support for Netanyahu and its policy of escalation of the Netanyahu-Hamas conflict.

 

 

Sincerely

 

 

 

Richard

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous7:51 am

    Crystal clear, bravo.

    I would love to read the reply, but I doubt John would have the courage to try, or right on his side to feel it’s worth putting pen to paper. Maybe his silence will speak for itself.

    ReplyDelete