PSC Open Letter to Prime Minister David Cameron‏

2nd August 2010
Dear Prime Minister,
On 27 July during your visit to Turkey, you stated that:
‘The situation in Gaza has to change. Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp'

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign welcomes your recognition of the horrific conditions to which Israel has subjected 1.5 million besieged Palestinians in the Gaza strip over the last four years and, in the hope that your government's policy will reflect this, we would like to have answers to the following questions.

What steps will the coalition government be taking to:

• Pressure Israel to lift the blockade in its entirety, including allowing in construction materials?
• Hold Israeli ministers responsible for committing war crimes during Operation Cast Lead?
• Help the free flow of people and trade in and out of Gaza?
• Ensure government aid pledges made after Israel's war on Gaza are delivered?

You also called the attack on the Gaza flotilla ‘completely unacceptable'.

Will the coalition government:

• Offer political and diplomatic support for British citizens on future humanitarian aid convoys and flotillas?
• Support legal cases by British citizens to recover losses/damages caused by the IDF during the attack on the flotilla?

As you rightly say, the situation in Gaza has to change. But in order to influence that change, the British government must send a clear message to Israel that war crimes will not be tolerated. If those responsible are not brought to justice, governments whose representatives commit war crimes believe that they can continue to do so with impunity. We were shocked at announcements by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke that the government will be introducing legislation on Universal Jurisdiction to frustrate the efforts of victims of war crimes wishing to bring those responsible to justice.

We urge you not only to pressure Israel to end its illegal, crippling siege on the Gaza strip but to use all avenues to hold the Israeli government accountable for its violations of international law as outlined in UN resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention, including its illegal occupation.

We also call on you not to introduce legislation attacking the current law on universal jurisdiction and to affirm the government's commitment to bringing those responsible for war crimes to justice.

Yours sincerely,


Betty Hunter
General Secretary
Palestine Solidarity Campaign

cc. Nick Clegg, Deputy PM
cc. William Hague MP, Foreign Secretary

http://www.palestinecampaign.org/index.asp