Global Sumud Flotilla - Update

Many of you will be aware of the Global Sumud Flotilla which attempts to bring aid into Gaza. On 18 May the latest delegation on the Flotilla were intercepted by Israeli forces and the individuals on board detained. One of these individuals is a North East Fife resident.

I am writing this update to ensure constituents are aware of the actions I am taking to ensure the safety of that resident and to push for their release.

Having been made aware of these events, I have urgently contacted the FCDO to seek their support in securing the release of those detained. These communications take place through confidential channels open to Members of Parliament supporting their constituents, and whilst I can’t share the details please be assured that I and my team are doing everything we can in this regard.

I have also written a public letter to the Foreign Secretary asking her to place diplomatic pressure on the Israeli Government to ensure not only the swift release of those detained, but also ensure that during their detention they are kept safe and treated fairly. It is the Government’s first duty to ensure the safety of British nationals. You can see the letter here:

Finally, I have tabled both written questions to the FCDO about support for those detained and ensuring the flow of aid into Gaza, and am working with colleagues to table a parliamentary motion stating my support for those detained.

The underlying point is this: Palestinians remain in the grip of a man-made humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip. The Global Sumud Flotilla has highlighted once again how urgent it is that the Israeli Government fully reopens all aid routes into Gaza and floods the Strip with life-saving humanitarian supplies, provided under the auspices of the UN. The UK Government must apply genuine pressure to Netanyahu's Government to ensure food, aid, medical supplies and other essentials can reach Gazans without impediment.

Related, I wanted to briefly update constituents on the parliamentary motions I have recently support. After each King’s speech a new session of Parliament begins, in which motions can be tabled. I have sponsored the following restating clearly my – and the Liberal Democrats’ position:

That this House notes with alarm the deteriorating situation in Gaza, where millions of Palestinians are still in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe following the Israeli Government’s military campaign, and Hamas’ reassertion of control; condemns increasing illegal settler expansion and violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, together with legal measures introduced by the Israeli Government to enable settlement growth; acknowledges the need for clear progress towards democratic reform within the Palestinian Authority (PA), including holding national elections; believes only a two-state solution can deliver the peace, dignity and security which Israelis and Palestinians deserve; recognises that progress towards a two-state solution requires empowering moderates and drawing power away from extremists in both societies; further recognises that there is no place for the Hamas terror group in the future governance of Palestine; urges the Government to work with international partners to develop a multilateral plan for Hamas’ disarmament; further urges the Government to press the Israeli government to allow full aid access to Gaza, and to allow journalists and human rights investigators access to support the independent collection and preservation of evidence of war crimes; calls on the Government to sanction all violent settlers and their connected entities, as well as members of the Israeli Security Cabinet responsible for approving settlement expansion, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, and to ban all UK trade with illegal settlements; and proposes the Government goes further to push the PA to accelerate democratic reforms, including tackling corruption and guaranteeing freedom of expression.

And

That this House notes with deep concern breaches of international humanitarian law by the Israeli Government in Palestine; expresses its grave concern that UK arms supplied to Israel may have been used to commit war crimes, particularly in Gaza; resolves to improve parliamentary scrutiny of the UK’s control of arms exports; urges the UK Government to introduce a presumption of denial for arms exports to governments listed as human rights priorities in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) annual human rights report; therefore calls on the UK Government to suspend all arms exports to Israel; recognises that the Palestinian Authority and Hamas are listed within the Occupied Palestinian Territories section of the 2022 FCDO human rights report; further calls on the UK Government to use all political and diplomatic powers to halt arms supplied to Hamas from Iran and other actors that are hostile to Israel; and believes that only a two-state solution and a lasting peace can deliver the security and dignity that Israelis and Palestinians need and deserve.