UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Monday 31 May 2010

Palestine Solidarity: EMERGENCY ACTION

20 unarmed civilians on board the international humanitarian aid flotilla to Gaza have been killed by Israeli naval forces, reports the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, as it urges people to demonstrate and protest to William Hague and Nick Clegg.

Israeli commandos descending from helicopters stormed the six-boat flotilla in the early hours of Monday morning, while it was in international waters, about 90 miles (150km) from Gaza, where Israel has no jurisdiction.

Protests have been held outside the Foreign Office today and at 2pm were moving off to Number 10.
WRITE TO WILLIAM HAGUE AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE - THE UK GOVERNMENT MUST END ITS SILENCE
RECALL BRITAIN'S AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL

Click here http://www.psc.iparl.com/lobby/49 and use PCS's online tool to send an email to Mr Hague. It takes less than two minutes.

You can also cut and paste the email below, and send it to deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg at cleggn@parliament.uk

Dear Mr Clegg

Israeli naval forces this morning stormed a peaceful flotilla of boats delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, and killed 20 of the unarmed civilians on board. Dozens more have been injured. Forty British nationals were on the flotilla. None of them have yet been accounted for.

Will the British government continue to maintain its complicit silence over the attack, or will it finally speak out and condemn Israel's piracy and murder on international waters?

You had the opportunity to defend British citizens sailing with the flotilla, and demand safe passage for them and the vital aid they were carrying, but you chose not to do so.

You now have the opportunity to stand up for international law, and to lead the international community in condemning Israel's actions and holding them to account.

I call on you to take this opportunity. Your political and moral obligations lie with those who seek to peacefully deliver aid, not with a country which repeatedly violates international law.

Yours sincerely