Category: genocide

UK government signals change re: Israel

Abstract architectural landscape sketch with grids, terrain, and structural lines

New Foreign Secretary indicates tougher approach to new settlements

September 2026

Ed Miliband, the Foreign Secretary has stated in the Commons that the government is prepared to adopt a tougher approach to the proposed new E1 settlement on the West Bank. This highly contentious development is particularly important because it splits the area into two parts thus making any prospect of a viable Palestinian state near impossible.

Israel has just issued tenders for the development of part of the project consisting of around 1,200 homes covering some 4.5 sq miles. Miliband joins a number of other states criticising Israel including Germany which has up to now, been a firm supporter. The UK has joined around 20 other countries and the European Union claiming the development to be unacceptable.

Government ministers have been under increasing pressure to take a firmer stance in relation to Israel. Andy Burnham has apologised for the previous stance of the Labour government. The ever increasing settler violence as well as the destruction of great swathes of Gaza is becoming harder to ignore politically. The encroachment is increasing all the time with over 60% of the land under Israeli control. There are now 2 million Palestinians living in an area of 150 sq km. This is approximately the same area as Havant in Hampshire which has a population of 127,000.

The Israeli embassy has referred to previous comments by the Ambassador saying ‘If Britain acts against the state of Israel, the state of Israel will act against Britain. We have the tools.” The Jewish Chronicle repeated this warning.

Erasure

Amira Hass, writing in the Ha’aretz newspaper (September 1st) quoting the opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot says:

“Erasure is the nightmare solution being written into reality every day. Knesset laws, politicians’ declarations, military orders, school textbooks and the holy real estate battalions operating in Gaza, the West Bank and the Negev all work, together and separately, to advance this “solution” diligently and without fear of international condemnation.”

Some argue that genocide, and the elimination of all Palestinians from Israel, has always been the policy of the government. As the Jewish writer Omar Bartov writes:

” […] for the past two years Israel has engaged in a genocidal operation in Gaza and all the indications are this was part of an intentional policy consistent with political and military rhetoric meant to “encourage” Palestinians to leave the Strip altogether (p 190)” [1]

The theme of the elimination of all Palestinians is amply described in the Jewish academic Ilan Pappe’s book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine [2]. He notes that right from the start, Ben-Gurion led the Zionist movement to achieve ‘absolute Jewish domination’ of Palestine (p23 ff).

The grim toll of death continues in Gaza with the death toll now put at over 73,000, including 12,500 women, over 20,000 children and 174,500 injured.

The change in stance by the UK government is welcome. As the Ha’aretz article notes, the overwhelming military power possessed by Israel courtesy of the USA, has led it to pursue violent and military solutions. We are rapidly approaching the horrific October 7th massacre with no end of hostilities in sight.

Vigil

Vigils will continue in Salisbury and the next is this Saturday 5th September at 5pm for half an hour. The local MP Mr John Glen has never attended or acknowledged the vigils and is a proud member of the Conservative Friends of Israel group.

[1] Israel: What Went Wrong, Omar Bartov, 2026, Fern Press

[2] The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Ilan Pappe, 2006 (first published), One World

Sources: Guardian, Middle East Eye, Ha’aretz, Jewish Chronicle. Image created by AI.

1

Good response to our 143rd vigil


We still turn out each week as the need is still there
Proposal to make a film
August 2026

One hundred and forty three vigils for peace in the Middle East supported by around 30 people yesterday (29 August). The photo shows one of our number standing on the traffic island and there were around 35 ‘honks’.

There has been some coverage of the situation in Gaza last week with reports on the yellow line which is slowly creeping across the territory forcing the Palestinians into a smaller and smaller area. According to the LA Times it is now 64% of Gaza. Nearly all the cultivable land has now been seized. According to recent estimates, the death toll is now over 73,000 and continuing despite the ceasefire. 174,000 have been injured. Around 1,300 have been killed since the ‘ceasefire’ and 4,361 injured. Settler violence has intensified in the West Bank.

We still await government action concerning our relations with Israel following the election of Andy Burnham as prime minister who apologised for the government’s stance in July. Although this apology was welcomed, few in the media noted that Burnham is a member of Labour Friends of Israel. On the web site Track Israel Lobbying Mr Burnham heads the page Hall of Shame as having received over £200,000.

The total received by MPs from Israeli organisations is a massive £1,574,262 (updated this month). It is reasonable to ask how independent are our members of parliament and to what extent are they representing the interests of those people whom they purport to represent when they are in receipt of such largesse?

Film

We are considering making a short film to be called ‘Because …’ which will have brief interviews with some of those who attend these vigils. We will be carrying out the interviews over the next few Saturdays. Anyone reading this who attends is willing to volunteer. The aim is for people to say they come to the vigils because … and to give their reasons.

We note once again that there has been no sign of the local MP Mr John Glen who is a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel group (see above) and has never mentioned them in his weekly column in the Salisbury Journal.

Photo: courtesy of Peter Gloyns.

Recent posts:

0

Vigil No. 142


Nearly 30 attend the latest vigil in Salisbury

August 2026

The vigils continue and the 142nd was held yesterday in the Market Place, Salisbury. Recognition was good with around 100 or so seeming to take some kind of note of our presence. It’s quite a while now since we have had any serious criticism of our action.

There may be signs that things are changing on the political front. The new prime minister seems aware of the damage done by Sir Keir Starmer’s almost blinkered approach to Israel. Starmer was determined he said to ‘root out anti-Semitism from the party’ and claimed he had done so in his final PMQ. ‘Rooting it out’ was a fine objective but giving Israel almost unqualified support despite their atrocious actions in Gaza, and now the West Bank, quite another. The violence has increased markedly in the last few months with the IDF or Israeli police doing very little to stop it. Leaders of the party are fully behind the actions. Thirteen new settlements have been approved and they are designed to make any hope of a coherent Palestinian state impossible.

Andy Burnham is facing demands at next month’s party conference to declare Israel’s actions in Gaza to be genocide which he is reported to be reluctant to do. At his inauguration it appeared he understood the immense harm done by the government’s one-sided support. We shall have to see if words are turned in action.

0

Why we need to worry about Palantir


Palantir making inroads into government institutions including the NHS

August 2026

Increasing concern is being expressed by the ever widening presence of Palantir into the fabric of British society. Who are they and what are the concerns? Palantir is an American company which has the technology to enable its clients to see all the data they have, all at once. Organisations often have multiple sets of data but scattered among different systems. Harvesting information in a holistic way is often beyond their capability. Palantir uses AI to integrate, analyse and make sense of fragmented data sets. Where information sits in different ‘silos’ the firm’s technology enables it to combine that data into something meaningful and useful.

Clearly it can be realised that in something like health and a massive organisation such as the health service in the UK, putting this information together has the potential to produce clinical benefits and efficiencies in the NHS’s operations. What’s not to like? It is called the Federated Data Platform (FDP).

Problems

There are many problems however:

  • Firstly it is an American company and like other US high tech firms, there is precious little control over them as they are based in the US. There is limited transparency and they have access to a wide range of sensitive personal and medical information.
  • As we have seen with recent actions with the Trump administration, the US has diminishing concerns for international norms of behaviour. Where once we viewed America as a defender of western values of human rights and the post war ‘new world order’ (however imperfectly) these have increasingly been ignored with the ‘America first’ policy. Entrusting patient data with American firms is inherently risky therefore.
  • The firm has deep ties with US agencies including ICE which is rounding up thousands of immigrants ready for deportation. More alarmingly, two years ago, Palantir signed a contract with the Israeli military to use its technology in support of ‘war related missions’. This was signed while Israel was engaged in genocidal actions in Gaza and enabled the IDF to harmonise its data more efficiently. This suggests the firm has few if any moral qualms about how its technology is used.
  • The firm – in common with other tech companies – is a profit making enterprise and indeed there are probably hundreds of companies involved in supply materials and services to the NHS. But this firm is at the heart of the system and there are real doubts about how the data will be used by them and how secure it is in their hands.

How effective are they anyway? The BMJ has questioned that data from a supposed success story at the Chelsea and Westminster Foundation Trust is flawed and that two key claims overstate the benefits of the software. The current issue of Private Eye (No: 1681) also cast doubt over its claims to have improved the level of delayed discharges. The Health Foundation think tank found ‘no noticeable improvement’ in discharge rates although Palantir disputes their findings.

The major worry is that the government is desperate to reduce the NHS bill. Their record of IT projects has been dismal with millions lost in failed or abandoned schemes. Are they more concerned with using firms like Palantir who offer to save them money than they are with the safety of patient information? How ready are they to consider human rights and patient security issues even knowing that the firm is a willing participant in genocide and the deeply unpleasant activities of ICE? How trustworthy are the firm’s claims to protect that information? Does a desire to save money override genuine concerns over rights and safety?

ADDITION: We have received the following comments from someone working in the NHS:

“Palantir’s software is clunky. Many of its tools are basic and regressive. Some of the built in apps don’t have the functionalities that NHS organisations actually need. And Palantir provides very limited support when issues need resolving.

“But it’s not just about the software. When we work with Palantir, we don’t just use their tech, we import their ideology – and Palantir’s ideology is at best deeply uncomfortable and at worst ethically bankrupt.

“Palantir was founded for surveillance and military operations. So I am being forced to use software that’s enabled the deaths of thousands of my global healthcare colleagues. This has had a devastating impact on my wellbeing. I used to love my job so much, and now it makes me sad and sick.

“That’s why I am doing all I can to get Palantir’s NHS contract cancelled, and I am proud to work with groups like Just Treatment who are fighting for this too”.

Amnesty is pointing out that it is not mandatory for local trusts to use the firm. It is up to people to contact their MP or the trust directly to oppose the use of the technology in their local hospital, in our case Salisbury District Hospital. At the very least to express their concerns. The BMA is opposed to increasing roll out of FDP.

‘Human rights abuses thrive in silence, hidden in contracts, buried beneath complex systems’ (AI).

It’s not just the NHS and Palantir is involved with the police and the Ministry of Defence. Further information.

We are grateful to Amnesty’s recent Fact File from which we have drawn material for this post.

0

BBC ‘bias’ in Gaza conflict


Report reveals in detail how the BBC has misreported the conflict

July 2026

The BBC is widely trusted. It promotes itself as an independent media organisation dedicated to giving fair balanced news and comments about what is happening in the world. A report by the Centre for Media Monitoring analysed the BBC’s output on the Gaza conflict and found it to be anything but balanced. Indeed it concluded that the ‘BBC is systematically biased against Palestinians in Gaza war coverage‘. They echo conclusions by Peter Oborne in his book Complicit [OR Books, 2025] who was extremely critical of their reporting of the conflict.

Not that these conclusions are new. Tom Mills in his book The BBC: Myth of a Public Service [Verso, 2016] concluded that it has ‘always sided with the elite‘. Despite the constant accusations by right-wing media interests for its left-wing bias, in fact he argues ‘its journalism has overwhelmingly reflected the ideas and interests of elite groups‘.

Gaza coverage

CfMM analysed thousands of BBC pieces as part of its research and came up with 4 main conclusions:

  • Palestinian deaths are treated as less newsworthy. Despite there being 34 times more deaths among Palestinians, the BBC gave Israel deaths 33 times more coverage.
  • BBC used emotive terms 4 times more for Israeli victims, applied ‘massacre’ 18 times more to Israeli casualties, and used ‘murder’ 220 times for Israelis in contrast to once for Palestinians. We have noted that the word ‘hostage’ was applied (correctly) for those seized by Hamas after the October 7th massacre, but the word ‘prisoner’ is used for those seized by Israel and held without trial and tortured. Prisoner implies some kind of due process has taken place which it hasn’t.
  • BBC presenters shut down genocide claims in over 100 documented instances whilst making zero mention of Israeli leaders’ genocidal statements, including Netanyahu’s biblical Amalek reference. The moment an interviewee mentions the G word, a BBC person will immediately interrupt and say that there has been no conclusion to the claims despite the massive evidence to the contrary and blatant statements by Israeli politicians to that effect.
  • The BBC interviewed significantly fewer Palestinians than Israelis (1,085 v 2,350) on TV and radio, while BBC presenters shared the Israeli perspective 11 times more frequently than the Palestinian perspective (2,340 v 217). The interviews themselves are often weak and unchallenging.

The full report is available here.

Reasons

We can only speculate on the reasons for the bias. One is the myth of BBC independence. This much touted merit is not always true. The Board is appointed by Government ministers and the organisation is under constant funding threats. The Charter is up for renewal soon in 2028.

A second aspect is the charge of anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism is of course to be condemned but it has become a cover for any and all criticism of Israel. When Amnesty and Human Rights Watch published their reports on Israel’s Apartheid policy for example, the immediate and knee-jerk response was the charge of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel. It has led the BBC we would argue to an approach of extreme caution and nervousness.

The policy of balance is also a factor. Balance does not always mean equal. This arose with debates about climate change. A scientist would be interviewed with facts and data followed by a denialist such as Lord Lawson. They received equal coverage even though Lawson was not a scientist and seldom had any evidence to support his views. Viewers were left confused. Scientists gradually refused to be interviewed. The BBC has now stopped doing this (after many protests) although it should be stressed scientists are not always right and should be challenged: but challenged by someone competent.

The tragedy is that there are many Jewish people in the UK who are concerned about the extreme violence and genocide taking place in Gaza and the increasing tide of violence against Palestinians living on the West Bank. On a recent Any Answers programme, two Jewish men phoned in with their views. They did not fit the narrative as expected and the presenter was audibly disconcerted and tried vainly to counter their views. The grim future of Israel is discussed in the Jewish academic Omar Bartov’s book Israel: What Went Wrong? [Fern Press, 2026].

Does it matter?

It matters because the BBC is a trusted source much needed in these days of mis- and disinformation and torrid material being produced by X and other online outlets. Generally, they perform well despite attempts at coercion and control. One has only to spend 10 minutes watching GBNews to witness what low standards mean.

It matters because they have a role in shaping public opinion. People were rightly angry at the seizing of hostages by Hamas and the frequent bulletins about the negotiations to secure their release increased that anger. The almost complete absence of reporting by the BBC of the seizure by Israel of medical staff and their incarceration, torture and sometimes death in an underground prison weakens their claims to be impartial.

It matters because this public opinion shapes political opinion and policies. The almost total failure by the BBC to report the hundreds of RAF overflights for example means a large chunk of British society is unaware of this help and other more covert help by our government for the regime. It means the government can continue selling arms with impunity thus playing a part in increasing the destruction of Gaza. It means the incarceration of those who support the Palestinian cause is made that bit easier because they have been labelled the ‘bad guys’. It means politicians like David Lammy can make provably misleading statements about reducing arms sales without being challenged. [David Lammy left government as this post was being written].

It matters because the distortion of language: for example selective use of words like ‘massacre’ and ‘hostage’ as we have noted above, means trust in the BBC is eroded.

The BBC fails to mention when interviewing various members of parliament, whether they are members of one or other of the Friends of Israel groups nor asks how much they have received for visits to the country. It does not ask them leaving the viewer or listener left in the dark. [To be fair, neither does the BBC nor other broadcasters ask interviewees if they are a member of one or other of the think tanks with their undeclared funding].

The organisation needs to shake off its fear of being called anti-Semitic and provide proper and balanced reports.

0

Will the UK’s attitude to Israel change?


Will the new prime minister really make significant changes?

Vigil #136

July 2026

Questions, questions, which are posed following the near certainty of Andy Burnham becoming the new prime minister of Britain and his stated apologies for the UK’s uncritical support of Israel and its genocidal actions in Gaza. It is one thing to offer Israel support and sympathy after the horrific attack on October 7th but quite another to continue to offer such support while the destruction of Gaza took place including the near total demolition of medical facilities, schools and other public facilities. The deliberate killing of children, over 20,000 so far – not as an accidental consequence of military action but as a matter of stated policy – is unsupportable yet our nation has continued to support it.

We noted in a previous post that Mr Burnham waited until he had the succession in the bag so to speak, before making this announcement and wondered if this was because he was mindful of the huge number of MPs who are members of a Friends of Israel group – 69 of whom are in his own party and over 200 in the House of Commons as a whole – as well as the powerful influence Israeli lobbying has over our media including the BBC. If this is correct, the question becomes will he be able to follow through? If he did not feel comfortable with promising a reset because of fears of a lobbying backlash, how likely is it he can withstand this influence and lobbying once he gets into No 10?

It is to be questioned how an MP and more particularly senior ministers – which includes shockingly, Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and David Lammy – be members and act impartially as a minister. Whom do they serve? A question asked of the Salisbury MP, Mr John Glen a ‘proud’ member of the much larger Conservative Friends of Israel, which he said was unworthy of an answer. Sir Keir’s support which emerged when he made the quite disgraceful comment that Israel was justified in cutting off water and power to Gaza, led in part to his defenestration as prime minister.

Vigil 136

Picture courtesy of Peter Gloyns

About 30 attended the latest vigil on a hot evening. Quite a lot of support and thumbs up signs and passers by taking pictures, One offensive gesture noticed. Recognition was again quite high. No sign of Mr Glen and no mention of the vigil in his weekly column in the Salisbury Journal.

2

A damp vigil


A reduced number at the latest vigil, No 128, held in the wet

May 2026

Well it still goes on. There was a report on the Channel 4 news ostensibly about a ceasefire in Lebanon followed by footage of bomb damage from the latest raids. Surreal. One wonders if there ever will be a ceasefire so belligerent are the various parties and so deep the hatreds. Things could be better if the US curbed its seemingly unconditional supply of weapons and support for Israel.

In his latest book Israel, What Went Wrong (Fern Press, 2026) the Jewish academic Omer Bartov writes:

“By what bitter cunning of history have we come to the point that not even eight decades after the Jewish state was established in 1948 – the same year in the genocide convention was adopted by the United Nations in direct response the Nazi extermination of European Jewry – Israel engages for two years in a genocidal undertaking with almost total impunity from the very international legal regime set up after World War II to prevent and punish this crime?”

Eurovision

The Eurovision song contest was held on Saturday and Israel came second to Bulgaria the winners. Five countries boycotted the contest because of Israel’s presence and there have been protests in Vienna. Coming second to Bulgaria it represents a triumph for the country despite the protests. Ireland did not to participate and RTÉ said in December that it felt Ireland’s participation would be “unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk”. It also said it was deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza during the conflict and by Israel’s barring of international journalists from the territory. At least 235 journalists have been killed there making it the most dangerous place in the world for them to work.

It is nonetheless troubling that the Israeli entrant could perform so well with reports that the voting was ‘nail-biting’ with a chance that Israel could have won. This despite the terrible events going on in the region. The European Broadcasting Union insists the contest is not political. Last year, there were reports of aggressive marketing by Israel to help secure its second place.

Most media have simply reported the results with discussions about the merits of the performances. So we are indebted to the New York Times who have investigated the Israeli contestant and reveal that the country has invested heavily to the tune of $1 million to promote him. The full story is worth a read and reveals the extent they went to achieve their success. Further details in this Al Jazeera story. Looking at the BBC coverage for example, there is no hint of this activity leaving readers or viewers none the wiser about what happened. The British entrant got the dreaded ‘nul point’ for a second year.

Around 20 attended the vigil on Saturday, down from recent ones but People in the Park kept many away as did the weather. As ever, no sign of the local MP, Mr John Glen who is a proud supporter of Conservative Friends of Israel.

Sources: Politico, Irish Times, International Federation of Journalists, NY Times.

Photo from the vigil courtesy of Peter Gloyns

Recent posts

1

Amnesty conference in Exeter


Well attended conference with a wide range of human rights issues discussed

March 2026

The Exeter group of Amnesty puts together a conference every year and those attending this year were able to listen to a range of speakers on some of the current problems with human rights around the world. Each topic will need its own space so we shall be putting up a range of posts over the coming week or so to give them justice. For now, this is just a brief summary as a kind of ‘taster’. All credit to the Exeter group for organising this event. Six members from the Salisbury group attended and all found it worthwhile.

Tapestry

The tapestry was on display after many years absence. It was displayed in Salisbury Cathedral several years ago.

Malawi

We do not hear enough from Africa although the war in Sudan occasionally makes the news. Malawi is one of a number of countries in Africa which have anti-gay legislation. Eric Sambisa spoke of his campaign and actions to get the law on LGBTQ+ legislation changed in his country. Those laws derive from colonial times and change is proving slow.

Authoritarianism

We had two speakers on authoritarianism, first in America and second in the UK. Trump and his supporters are carrying out a range of such measures and worryingly, UK governments are quietly following suit with more laws and increased police powers designed to reduce protests. The firm Palentir was raised more than once and they represent a serious risk to our personal security.

Purchasing

A forthcoming Amnesty campaign will focus on what we buy and the human rights stories behind our purchases. Much of what we buy comes from overseas and is produced in sweat shops in the far east where – mostly women – work in terrible conditions with few if any rights. There are no trade unions. The surprising, nay shocking thing, is that big name British retailers are involved, the likes of M&S, Tesco, Next and others. Firms who’s policies have the familiar words about human rights being our ‘first priority’. The supply chains are long and as you go down them the opportunities for abuse increases.

There was discussion of Early Day Motion 1266 concerning banning goods coming from the illegal Israeli settlements. Unfortunately, there was insufficient time to discuss the large number of MPs, from all parties, who are members of the powerful Friends of Israel lobby groups. Their power means the motion is unlikely to succeed.

Palestine

The situation in Palestine was a topic as you might expect and we had a presentation from an academic at Exeter University. Part of the discussion focused on the prospects for a two state solution. There are none was the stark conclusion. Israel has systematically removed people and built settlements which make the creation of a viable Palestinian state impossible. Recent announcements of the creation of 19 new settlements cements this fact, referred to as ‘settler colonialism’. The speaker did focus on the Apartheid regime in place in Israel and the West Bank. Attacking that, much as happened in South Africa which saw that regime come to an end, was the way forward he said.

Amnesty International

There were some speakers who discussed issues surrounding Amnesty itself. In common with all charities at present and the drop in funding to the sector of £1.4bn in a year, Amnesty is having to reduce its expenditure. It has a new Chief Executive. It is facing ‘significant financial challenges’.

Photo

The photo is the traditional picture where delegates assemble in front of the cathedral.

Once again, thanks to the Exeter group for organising this excellent event. Thought of becoming a subscriber?

Recent posts:

0

UK Government’s Inaction on Palestinian Rights Criticized


Bishop’s letter “incredulous” at lack of government action over Gaza and West Bank

February 2026

Three Anglican bishops have today (2nd February) written a letter published in the Guardian in which they express dismay at government inaction over Gaza and events on the West Bank.

“Having returned from another visit to Palestine, we are incredulous that the UK government has still not published its legal response to the international court of justice’s advisory opinion in July 2024. This inaction has contributed to a culture of impunity that the Israeli government has used to accelerate its de facto annexation of the West Bank.

“Its instruments are administrative changes, continuous settlement expansion and growth, intensifying violence by Israeli troops and settler militia, the localised system of road closures, house demolitions, tightening access to water and electricity, deepening legal segregation and an unequal system of governance.

“While world leaders met in Davos to debate futuristic plans for the reconstruction of Gaza, which are largely disconnected from reality, we visited and listened to Palestinian Christian communities across the West Bank on their lived experience. Once more, we have heard from families living in fear and torment – an unending nightmare where they are denied even minimal dignity. The violence has robbed them of the ability to earn a living and provide for their families.

“Terrorised to the point of fearing for their lives, there is no one to protect them. Faced with such abandonment, and denied any agency as to their future, many now feel they have no choice but to leave or to die standing. This seems to be the Israeli government’s intentional strategy.

“The international community must uphold its obligations under international law to protect Palestinians. The only way is to uphold the ICJ advisory opinion. Having formally recognised the state of Palestine, the British government must publish its response and take all necessary measures “not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”, as the court stipulated.

“The situation in the West Bank is a tragedy foretold. We must stand up and do the right thing before it’s too late”.


The Rt Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani Bishop of Chelmsford; The Rt Rev Rachel Treweek Bishop of Gloucester; The Rt Rev Graham Usher Bishop of Norwich

Readers of our earlier posts about British government’s complicity in the violence and its continued political, military and diplomatic support will be aware of the shameful role our government has and is playing in the genocide taking place there.

Image: Al Jazeera.

0

Ninety fifth vigil


95th vigil well attended. Nearly 66,000 dead in Gaza

Video added 28th.

Over 45 came to the 95th vigil and a number of passers-by stopped to ask what it was about or take photos. It has been a momentous week with speeches in the UN General Assembly. Mahmoud Abbas was not allowed to attend in person because the US would not give him a visa. President Trump berated the UN in all manner of ways. Perhaps the most surprising event was the almost complete walk out by delegates when Benjamin Netanyahu arrived to speak. The UK and the US did not leave.

A video of the vigil can be seen here thanks to Peter Gloyns for producing it.

Netanyahu condemned the recent decision by Britain and others to recognise a Palestinian state as ‘sheer madness, it’s insane and we won’t do it’ adding that recognition by several other countries is “disgraceful. The speech was transmitted to residents of Gaza through massive loudspeakers.

An Istanbul news outlet reports that at least 65,926 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. A ministry statement said that 77 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 265 people were injured, taking the number of injuries to 167,783 in the Israeli onslaught. “Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.

The BBC has reported that the Allenby Bridge between the West Bank and Jordan has been closed with no reason given. It is the only crossing which leaves Palestinians stranded.

Journalists banned from Gaza.

Israel does not want the world to report on the events in Gaza and has banned international journalists from going there. Only Palestinian journalists can report and more of them have been killed or murdered there than in any other conflict. Three news organisations [BBC, Reuters, Associated Press and Agence France Presse] have produced a short video, narrated by David Dimbleby, arguing for access by the world’s press. Israel is wont to claim that footage and reporting of their activities and claims of genocide and starvation are ‘Hamas lies’ and similar remarks. Allowing journalists to report would allow the world to see for themselves. This 2 minute video is recommended.

No sign of the local MP, Mr John Glen nor any mention in his weekly column in the Salisbury Journal of the previous 94 vigils held in his constituency. He is reported to be a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel group, thought to be the largest lobby group in Parliament.

Recent posts:

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑