Palestine campaigners protest to Sheffield MP to demand Labour condemns Israel’s action in Gaza

The protest is taking place from 12pm-2pm at the MP’s offices on Chesterfield Road, Heeley. Sheffield Palestine Action say they are supporting a national day of action called by London Palestine Action.

They say: “The open-air prison that is Gaza has been bombed daily since October 7 – dropping more hardware than the USA dropped in a year in Afghanistan. Thousands have died, including over 1,000 children.

“Tens of thousands more have been injured and entire neighbourhoods and towns destroyed. Electricity and water supplies have been cut off. Aid has yet to begin trickling in.

“A humanitarian crisis is underway.”

Palestinian activist Kevin Stapleton said: “Keir Starmer and the Labour Party have said Israel must follow international law.

“But international law does not allow for the collective punishment of a people. It does not allow for forced transfers of people.

“Therefore, Keir Starmer, along with his front bench colleagues, should be condemning the actions of the Israeli government, who are refusing to follow that law. Instead, they remain silent.

“We want Louise Haigh to stand up for her constituents’ concerns and for international human rights. She can do so by supporting our call for an immediate ceasefire; to let sufficient aid in now and to stop supplying the apartheid Israeli state with the weapons used to commit these war crimes.”

Louise Haigh is on Labour’s front bench as shadow secretary of state for transport.

The group point out that the UK has sent Royal Navy ships and RAF aircraft to support Israel’s efforts and has called for increased military presence in the region.

They say Campaign Against the Arms Trade (https://caat.org.uk/data/countries/israel/) found that between 2016 and 2020 the UK issued licenses for arms sales with a value of £387 million, and more than 30 licences allowing unlimited delivery of equipment to Israel.