Douglas Alexander: Access to Gaza could be granted without compromising Israel's security
10 November 2009
The Britain-Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group held its annual reception today (9November 2009), an event addressed by senior politicians from all three main parties in the House of Commons, including the Secretary of State for International Development, Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP. The event was attended by the majority of Arab Ambassadors in London, members of the British-Palestinian community and over 70 Members of Parliament and Peers.
Douglas Alexander expressed his hope that there would be a Palestinian state that was "prosperous, peaceful and democratic" and welcomed the "unprecedented commitment" of the Obama administration in the United States. He emphasised Britain's commitment to support Palestinians through £30 million assistance this year in direct budget support across the occupied Palestinian territories, as well $100 million over 5 years to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). This makes Britain easily the second largest bilateral donor.
He expressed particular concerns about how the situation might deteriorate with the winter rains. When Mr Alexander visited the Gaza Strip in March (2009), he "was truly horrified by the scale of destruction to factories and farms raised to the ground literally in the final hours of the conflict." He stated that Britain believed access to Gaza could be granted without compromising Israel's security and that the government would continue to "press hard for improved access at the highest levels."
David Lidington MP, Shadow Middle East spokesman for the Conservative Party, expressed the hope that it would not be long before the Palestinian General Delegate would take his place as a full Ambassador at the court of St James. He stated that the Conservative party remained "utterly committed to seeing the dream of Palestinian statehood fulfilled." He also emphasised that this must include the Gaza Strip as part of such a state.
The Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Ed Davey MP, also recalled his visit to Gaza in February, commenting that it was "one of the most harrowing visits I have ever made is an understatement". He highlighted "the attack on private enterprise where 95% of it has been destroyed...was absolutely outrageous." He visited an ice cream factory which had been destroyed in an attack "on a completely harmless factory." He also called on the UN to act on the Goldstone report as well as Israel and Hamas, referring to the report as "balanced", and calling some of the attacks on the man as "quite wrong".
Richard Burden MP, the Chair of the Britain-Palestine All Party Parliamentary Group, recalled the visit to the Gaza Strip in February by the Group, the first British Parliamentary visit to the territory in the wake of Operation Cast Lead. He recalled his horror at seeing "Izbet Abed Rabbo, a vibrant town now completely reduced to rubble." On the issue of the Goldstone report, he called for accountability on both sides, but said that Israel was wrong "first of all, to refuse to cooperate and then to rubbish the report as one-sided."
The Palestinian General Delegate to the UK, H.E. Professor Manuel Hassassian also spoke at the event. He emphasised that time was running out for a two state solution and that "this vision is today is inexorably becoming a mirage, and the major growth of settlements is a major impediment toward the realization of this vision. He stated: the situation in Gaza is untenable and wholly deplorable, for 1.5 million Palestinians have been deprived from all their basic human rights, and continue to live in miserable conditions under Israeli blockade, besieged and defenceless. The Palestinians are determined to follow up the "Goldstone Report", and its recommendations in all relevant forums including the Security Council and the International Criminal Court.
Commenting on the event, Chris Doyle, CAABU Director, said that "the presence of so many senior politicians from all parties was a strong show of support and solidarity with the plight of the Palestinian people, and that there remained at the heart of British politics a strong commitment to find a solution to this conflict based on a two state solution, that would need an end to settlement building and a viable, sovereign Palestinian state. All the speakers expressed concerns over the settlement expansion and also the awful conditions inside the Gaza Strip. We hope that government policy will reflect the level of commitment and strength of feeling clearly apparent in both Houses of Parliament."
For further information and interviews please contact the CAABU office 0207 832 1321 - doylec@caabu.org. Chris Doyle can be reached on 07968 040 281.
Background to the Event BPAPPG's
Annual Reception 2009 was attended by over 70 Members of Parliament and Peers, as well as the Arab Ambassadors to London, prominent members of the UK Palestinian community and related officals from various NGOs. The event was hosted by Richard Burden MP on behalf of Palestinian General Delegate H. E. Prof Manuel Hassassian, and was addressed by Secretary of State for International Development Rt. Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Conservative Shadow Minister of State David Lidington MP, and Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary Ed Davey MP. Aslo attending were Ivan Lewis MP, the Minister of State at the Foreign Office with responsibility for the Middle East, and Mike Gapes, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
