Palestine protesters continue to target Sheffield MP

Constituents of Sheffield Heeley Labour MP Louise Haigh made up many of the protesters outside her constituency office on Chesterfield Road, Heeley. It is one of several that have been held outside the office.

Protester Julie Pearn, chair of Sheffield Labour Friends of Palestine, said: “We are here today to tell Louise Haigh on behalf of Labour Party members who are friends of Palestine that you do not represent us.

“Shame on you that you’ve failed to demand an immediate ceasefire while the people of Gaza are suffering genocide – 25k civilians and counting have been bombed to death.

“Most of the people of Gaza have now been displaced and are subject to ethnic cleansing. These are war crimes of the greatest magnitude and the fact that you do not raise your voice in opposition and get behind an immediate ceasefire is a matter of shame to our party.”

Israel’s offensive has killed at least 25,105 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded more than 60,000, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.

Outrage

Louise Haigh responded: “The unfolding horror in Gaza has rightly caused outrage around the world. More than 24,000 fatalities are unspeakable and the increasing violence and displacement in the West Bank is making a peaceful settlement ever distant.

“Labour is calling for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire so that all the remaining hostages can be released, to tackle the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to open dialogue towards a political long-term solution.

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“The levels of death and destruction we have seen over the past few weeks and months have been unspeakable and there must be full accountability for this.

“Israel’s defence can only ever be exercised within international law and there can never be any justification for failing to do so.

“In recent years, the international community has treated the two-state solution as a slogan rather than a serious strategy. That must now change.

“That’s why Labour has also called for an end to illegal settlements and settler violence in the West Bank, because only with an end to the occupation in Palestine can there be a peaceful solution.”