Category: Salisbury

Latest vigil – number 114


Modest turnout on a wet and cold evening

February 2026

Around 25 turned out for the 114th vigil on a wet and cold evening in Salisbury. We continue because there is no sign of a real prospect of peace in the Middle East and people continue to die in Gaza. The death toll has risen to 72,027 according to the Peninsular with Israeli strikes continuing in the territory. The so called Board of Peace is to hold its next meeting in Washington on 19th of this month with no Palestinians present Al Jazeera reports. Over 500 have now been killed since the peace process began.

Attempts to allow foreign journalists into Gaza to document evidence there have failed yet again. The Foreign Press Association has been engaged in a fruitless campaign for around 4 years now and the Israeli Supreme Court has decided to defer a decision yet again. It has postponed making a decision 10 times and finally ran out of patience. However, it allowed the Israeli lawyer to present their evidence in closed session. There are criticisms of the FPA for endlessly pursuing these applications when it is clear an enfeebled court is never going to allow foreign journalists in.

Three journalists from the Egyptian Committee for Gaza Relief were possibly murdered by an IDF airstrike according to +972 despite being some distance from the yellow line and in a clearly marked car. The IDF claim that the ‘suspects were operating a drone affiliated to Hamas’ which seems extremely unlikely but without independent evidence it is hard to be sure.

“We will continue to kill the idea of a Palestinian state” Bezalel Smotrich Finance minister

This follows the recent decision by the Israeli cabinet to ease restrictions on Jewish people acquiring land on the West Bank in contravention of the Oslo Accords. The process of acquiring land by Jewish people will be governed by an element of the IDF and the need to go through the civil administration will no longer be necessary. The decision has drawn a rare condemnation from JD Vance.

A positive message to come out of the endless horror of death and destruction comes from the West England Bylines which is a citizen’s journalist outlet and contains a poem by Lama Kuhail:

In Gaza’s Streets, where pain does flow,
A wounded land, the world must know.
Through darkened skies and broken ground,
A son of courage still resounds.
With every tear and every fight,
They chase the dawn,
Defy the night.

A video of the vigil with thanks to Peter Gloyns for permission to post it. Picture shows wet attendees!

Article by Salisbury group member published in West England Bylines.

Sources: +972, The Peninsular, Haaretz, West England Bylines, Al Jazeera

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Fragile ceasefire in Gaza holds


Vigil number 113 held in Salisbury

February 2026

The vigils continue in Salisbury and around 25 braved the cold and rain on Saturday 31st January to hold the 113th such event. A fragile ceasefire continues to hold and plans are continuing for the Board of Peace. 492 have died since the October ceasefire and the total dead is now put at 71,660 by the Hamas Health Ministry. On this, news this week that the IDF has now accepted this as a correct figure having decried the statistics since 2023. A further 10,000 are thought to be under the rubble unaccounted for. Throughout the conflict, Israel has claimed it is engaged in targeted strikes and reports of indiscriminate attacks are according to Netanyahu, a ‘blood libel’.

The UN has reported that the ceasefire is making a difference as more aid is getting in to the territory. They say the famine is being reversed although aid is insufficient to meet all needs. Foreign media have not been allowed into Gaza preventing verification of claims and the reporting of facts on the ground. The Foreign Press Association has launched a claim in the Israel Supreme Court to allow journalists in now that a ceasefire is in place. They argue it is absurd to prevent journalists from entering.

We have noted in previous posts that despite 113 vigils having taken place, there has been no sign of the local MP Mr John Glen at any of them and he has never mentioned their existence in his weekly column in the local paper the Salisbury Journal. About 2 weeks ago, an attendee of the vigils wrote to him for an answer but has not received a reply. Mr Glen is thought to be a member of the influential and well-funded Conservative Friends of Israel organisation as are a number of Labour and LibDem MPs. About 80% of conservative members are thought to be members. The question is whether being a member of this group overrides his role as the local MP employed to represent his constituent’s interests, not those of a foreign power?

Images courtesy of Peter Gloyns. A video of the vigil is available here.

Sources: BBC, Guardian, Al Jazeera, factually, UN.

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Is the Board of Peace a sham?


The board consists of a large number of doubtful characters
Our vigils continue

January 2026

The ‘Board of Peace’ was announced last week and a row of potential members lined up at Davos to be photographed. It appears to consist of a collection of some doubtful characters and leaders of countries some with dire human rights records. Perhaps the name ‘Tyrants R Us’ might be more appropriate.

It’s chances of success seem minimal. The chair – in perpetuity it seems – is president Trump of America

who decides on membership, the agenda and his successor. This must be unique in the history of international organisations. Those invited include a range of leaders and royalty many of whom have blood on their hands, who suppress opposition, arrest human rights defenders, execute large numbers of their citizens, do not allow a free media to operate and whose police and security services regularly use torture. That the word ‘peace’ is attached to them is an oxymoron.

Since the board was supposed to be concerned with Gaza and the future of Palestine, the absence of a Palestinian representative at a senior level is beyond absurd. A fundamental question is whether Israel wants peace and it certainly does not want a Palestinian state. Their reaction to the proposal from Netanyahu’s office who have said this was “not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy“. Not to have involved Israel seems also to be absurd.

Of much greater significance however is the future of what was the rules based world order instituted after the war and led to the foundation of the UN. It appears that the Board of Peace is not just confined to the future of Gaza but is to become a kind of ersatz UN. The Charter, published by the Times of Israel, makes no mention of Gaza in the preamble. Most European countries have declined membership and see it as an alternative UN and controlled by Trump. The logo is modelled on the UN but with the USA at its core. Many will agree with Mark Carney who said in his Davos speech that we were ‘in the midst of a rupture not a transition’.

This does not bode well for Gaza or indeed other conflicts around the world. What if the president of this Board of Peace decides to invade Greenland? Will the other board members pass a motion to force him to resign? It looks as though they would not be able to since he appoints himself and them.

Salisbury vigil

Our vigils continue and Saturday was our 112th. Despite the cold and wet, around 25 turned out. We see no end to the misery which is Gaza. More have been killed despite the ceasefire.

Photo courtesy of Peter Gloyns. Salisbury CND

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The vigils continue


Another strong turn out for the 110th vigil

January 2026

On a cold evening around 35 turned out for the latest vigil. Peace talks seemed to have stalled according to several media outlets. Killings continue albeit at a slower pace. 425 have now been killed since the October ceasefire. Eight were killed in Khan Younis a few days ago including 4 children when an Israeli drone hit a tent. Thirty Canadians, including 6 members of parliament, were denied entry to the West Bank for security reasons it has been reported.

The Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, in a Daily Mail article has hit out at critics of Israel for calling their actions in Gaza genocide. He said it reduces humanity’s greatest crime to a ‘political insult’. He repeated the assertion that the current war started with the October 7th massacre. He lashed out, the Mail reports, at ‘so-called ‘human rights‘ organisations who appear to revel in misappropriating the term genocide because it has proven such an effective rallying call for them. The Mail did not seek comments from any of the human rights organisations.

Genocide occurs where there is specific ‘intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group’. The UN has concluded that is the case.

The local MP, Mr John Glen has never appeared at any of the 110 vigils. He has never referred to them in his weekly column in the Salisbury Journal. He is reported to be a member of the largest parliamentary lobby group, Conservative Friends of Israel [a Declassified report]. A video of the vigil is sent to him after each week.

Picture courtesy of Peter Gloyns

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Group minutes and newsletter


January minutes and newsletter with details of forthcoming events

January 2026

We are pleased to attach our latest minutes and newsletter thanks to group member Lesley for compiling them and for other members Andrew and Fiona for their contributions. We do not produce a newsletter as such so they contain more material than you would ordinarily find in minutes. They contain notice of forthcoming events which you will find at the end. The next meeting is on 12th February at 2pm in Victoria Road.

January minutes and newsletter (Word)Download

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Israel revokes licences for aid organisations


37 aid organisations had their licences revoked on 1st January

January 2026

As if the suffering in Gaza was not enough, the Israeli government has announced the ending of licences for 37 aid organisations operating in Gaza and the West Bank. Unwra has already been banned. The latest batch include major aid organisations without which, much of the life of the Palestinians will become intolerable. They include Médicins sans Frontières who operate in most of what’s left of the hospitals, Norwegian Refugee Council, Action Aid and many others. These provide vital services and importantly provide logistical and distribution services in what is a wrecked environment.

Haaretz has summed up the situation well. Israel has pushed its responsibility onto aid organisations and then carried out a sustained smear campaign accusing them of collaborating with Hamas and placed endless obstacles in the way of bringing in aid including doctors and medical staff. This is the latest step in a policy which has been both ‘cruel and amateurish’ in its treatment of Gaza’s civilian population.

This latest move comes after what are familiar allegations made by Israeli spokespeople such as Amichai Chikli who is Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister. His and his government’s allegations have not been supported by evidence. Since journalists are not allowed into Gaza independent verification of the various claims cannot be made.

High death toll of aid and medical staff

Israel has demanded the names of all staff operating for the aid organisations which they have refused to do. Working in the territory is extremely dangerous. 579 aid workers and 1,700 health workers have been killed since October 7th 2023. 256 journalists have also died sometimes by sniper fire. To provide these names would put staff under extreme risk.

The situation in Gaza is unimaginable. Vast numbers are living in tented communities. Sewage systems have been destroyed. Clean water supplies are limited. Food is scarce. Thousands suffer medical conditions for which they cannot get treatment. Some aid is getting in but nowhere near enough. It may seem absurd but one item which Israel will not allow in is tent poles. These are classed as ‘dual-use’ and clearly means even erecting a tent extremely difficult. However there are reports of some dual-use materials being allowed in by commercial actors in a kind of organised black market system.

Vigils continue

The 109th vigil was held in Salisbury and around 30 attended in what seemed a very quiet City. A video of the vigil is available thanks as ever to Peter Gloyns.

109 vigils but still no sign of the local MP John Glen who is reported to be a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel. He has never referred to the vigils attended by many of his constituents, in his weekly Salisbury Journal piece. He has just become a board member of the Christian organisation Alabare.

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Group carol singing


Annual carols around the streets of Salisbury a success

December 2025

Each year, for at least a decade now, the group has run a carol service around half a dozen streets in Salisbury. The carols are actually sung by members of the Farrant Singers to whom we are grateful for contributing each year for this event. Members of the group do the collecting. What adds to the occasion is when families turn out to listen to the carols. A high point was one family who said the ‘really looked forward to the evening and for them, Christmas didn’t start until it had happened’.

A (not very good) photo of two families stood in their doorways listening to the carols.

Seasons Greetings to our readers and supporters.

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‘They think it’s all over …’


Vigil 105 makes it clear it ‘ain’t over yet’

December 2025

The title comes from the 1966 World Cup and in that case the final goal sealed the match. Today, in Gaza the privation and death continue but at a lower level. Vigil 105 was well attended with around 30 including some visitors from Portsmouth. A video, produced by Peter Gloyns can be seen here. We continue because injustice continues, and Israel continues to oppress the Palestinians seemingly without let.

As we noted last week, attention has shifted back to Ukraine which is suffering a steady bombardment from Russia with no realistic or reasonable likelihood of peace on the horizon. From President Putin’s point of view, he seems to have the American ambassador Steve Witkoff where he wants him, the Europeans are too weak and divided to do anything so he can continue the war of attrition for some time to come.

Risk of illusion

The ‘ceasefire’ ‘in Gaza has now been in place for 2 months and since that time, 360 Palestinians have died, 70 of whom were children. Amnesty alleges that Israel is still committing genocide in Gaza but the international attention has diminished much to the relief of the Israeli government. It contends that the very term ‘ceasefire’ ‘risks creating a dangerous illusion that life in Gaza is returning to normal’.

Israel has created a ‘green zone’ which contains most of the arable land and any Palestinian entering it is likely to be shot. The Palestinians have been left with around 40% of their previous territory. The good news is that the number of trucks entering has increased although Unwra is still banned.

The plain fact is that misery still persists with little sign of a realistic end. Negotiations take place but without Palestinians being present. They are still being killed albeit at a lower rate. They share with Ukraine the fact of being a nuisance as far as President Trump and the Americans are concerned. The master deal maker – allegedly – wants the problem solved and ideally for the Palestinians to somehow disappear so the real estate development can start as though no one was there before. Negotiations take place between tyrants with those affected not present.

To note that the local Member of Parliament, Mr John Glen, has never attended a vigil nor referred to them in his weekly column in the local paper. He is reported to be a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel group. We discussed in a previous post the unedifying remarks by the other local MP, Mr Danny Kruger.

Church Times article

Readers might like read a piece in the Church Times by the Dean of Salisbury, The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, DL who attends the vigil from time to time. A report of a talk given by the Dean can be seen here.

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Prisoner of conscience signing


Salisbury group held its Write for Rights in the Cathedral

November 2025

The Salisbury group held a successful Write for Rights in the Cathedral Cloisters today and there was an unbroken file of people agreeing to sign. We highlighted two individuals and one group of individuals. The latter were Guerreras por la Amazonia who call themselves the ‘daughter of the earth’ who despite threats and intimidation, continue to demand climate justice for their communities. Climate issues are being seen more and more in human rights terms in recent years. The activities of resource firms who are deforesting large chunks of the Amazon, are having a dramatic effect on the wildlife and on he indigenous peoples. The group took action against Chevron-Texaco to limit the methane flares they emit.

We highlighted Sai Zaw Thaike from Myanmar where the military junta still holds sway although a little less confidently these days. He is a photo journalist who was arrested 3 years ago and sentenced to 20 years of hard labour, tortured and held in solitary confinement for exposing what happened after cyclone Mocha.

Sonia Dahmani (pictured) from Tunisia was our third person. Sonia is a lawyer who has spoken out about racism, migration and prison conditions. She has been harassed and accused of spreading false news. She is under arrest and one of several who have been treated this way by the authoritarian president Kais Saied.

[Since preparing the Write for Rights, it appears that she has been released in the past few days. This is good news]

View of the signing.

Our thanks go to group members Andrew for arranging the event with the Cathedral, Fiona for organising the signing itself, and Tony, Val, Peter and Lesley for assisting on the day.

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Write for Rights


Cathedral signing this Sunday

November 2025

The group will be hosting a signing in the Cathedral cloister on Sunday 30 between 12 noon and 3 pm. We aim to do this every year and it is an opportunity for people visiting the Cathedral – for a service or other reason – to stop for a few moments to sign. There are many, many people who are imprisoned or under house arrest for their beliefs or because they are human rights defenders.

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