Tag: Salisbury

Gaza gets ever worse


Horrifying proposals by the Defense Minister widely condemned

July 2025

The proposals by Israel Katz to create a ‘Humanitarian City’ on the ruins of Rafah have shocked many people around the world and many within Israel itself. The idea is to build this city in the tiny area based on the ruins of Rafah in the south of Gaza into which 600,000 Palestinians would enter but not allowed to leave. Eventually the whole of the population would go in. It has been termed a concentration camp and Human Rights Watch has said ‘it inches closer to extermination’. The ultimate idea is to move them all out of the city to a place so far unidentified.

An Israeli human rights campaigner has termed the idea ‘a crime against humanity’. It has also been condemned by a former prime minister Ehud Olmert in an interview on BBC’s World at One radio show today (14 July). It is in keeping with Donald Trump’s statement on Airforce One earlier this year when he talked about ‘cleaning out the whole thing [Gaza]’.

Around 56,000 have now died in the area and every day there are more deaths. Nearly 800 have died since the end of May at the food distribution points. The siege has now lasted 75 days with severe restrictions on aid, food, fuel and medical supplies being allowed in. Those desperate for such limited supplies as are allowed in are being shot at by IDF forces.

What is increasingly clear, and spelled out with the so-called Humanitarian City, is the idea the Israel is responding to the horrific attacks on October 7th 2023 can no longer be produced as a reason for their actions in Gaza. The overwhelming force, the killing of large number of women and children, and the deliberate use of siege as a weapon of war go far beyond a legitimate and proportional response to the attack Israel experienced. The killings are justified on three grounds: that the demolished building contained a Hamas fighter; that underneath the building – be it a hospital, school or a block of flats – is a Hamas control centre, and that Hamas are using those killed as human shields. These reasons are endlessly repeated but almost never challenged. The policy now seems quite clearly to – using President’s Trump’s words – ‘clear out the area’ as though draining a village pond. We have to remind ourselves that we are talking about human beings.

Since foreign journalists are not allowed into the area, independent verification cannot be done. But the IDF which now controls large areas of Gaza have failed to produce any evidence of say, the control centres. Since vast numbers of buildings have been destroyed there must surely be thousands of such centres?

Vigil

We held our 84th vigil on Saturday with over 35 in attendance. Many have contacted the local MP Mr John Glen to tell him about the vigils. He has never attended nor mentioned them in his weekly column in the local paper.

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Group minutes and newsletter


The minutes of our July meeting which is also serves as a newsletter

July 2025

We are pleased to attach our July minutes and newsletter thanks to group member Lesley for producing them. We no longer publish a newsletter due to a lack now of outlets but there is a lot of content in these minutes which would be the basis of such a newsletter. We must also thank group members Andrew and Fiona for their contributions and reports and also Lesley for her work on the death penalty report.

There will not be a meeting in August and the next meeting is on 11 September at 2pm.

July minutes (Word)Download
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‘Don’t say you didn’t know’


83rd vigil in Salisbury for peace in Gaza

July 2025

And so they continue, 83 now and counting. We had no notion when we started these vigils that we would still be holding them well over a year later. It is evidence of the strength of feeling that over 30 people (40 yesterday, 5th July) turn out each Saturday for half an hour of silent protest. A YouTube video prepared by Peter Gloyns can be accessed here.

The arguments are now well worn and well rehearsed. Every day, men women and children die in Gaza or have serious and life changing wounds as a result of a relentless bombardment by Israeli jets or drones. A few days ago it was a 500 lb bomb dropped on the al-Baqa café killing many and leaving a pile of mutilated body parts strewn around. Over 56,500 have now died but the actual death toll is far higher as many thousands lie under the rubble undiscovered.

The culpability of the West – including the UK – in this carnage will leave a stain on the nation for years to come. We continue to supply weapons to the Israelis; we allow Elbit Systems to continue to manufacture the drones which hover over the territory and are used to kill; we covertly use RAF planes to overfly Gaza allegedly to help locate hostages but whose real purpose is something of a mystery and we clamp down on protests: only yesterday, the government banned Palestine Action.

The nation’s broadcaster, the BBC, has come in for serious criticism – some of which is justified – for failing properly to inform its viewers and listeners of the true state of affairs. It has failed to mention the role of the RAF for example. It’s decision to pull the film Gaza: Doctors under Attack has come in for particular criticism. Fortunately, it was aired by Channel 4 and exposed in considerable detail the pattern of deliberate destruction of medical facilities in Gaza: first the bombing; then the physical destruction and finally the arrest, detention and torture of the medics. Israel and the IDF was given every opportunity to rebut claims made in the film. There seemed to be no rational reason why the BBC could not have shown it.

A feature of the BBC row is the role of one of its directors, Robbie Gibb, who is closely involved with the Jewish Chronicle and is said to be directly involved in editorial decisions including pulling the earlier Gaza film. Insiders claim the feebleness of the BBC news is largely due to his influence. Under the guise of impartiality, the result in fact is highly partial reporting.

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Ban on Palestine Action confirmed


Group loses its case in the High Court and is now proscribed

July 2025

As of today (July 5th) Palestine Action is now a proscribed terrorist organisation. This decision has been widely condemned and is seen as an abuse of legislation introduced to stop far more deadly organisations. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, lumped into the order, two other organisations: Maniacs Murder Cult and Russian Imperial Movement, to give MPs little choice but to approve it which they did 385 votes to 26. PA now joins al-Qaeda and ISIS on the list. Local MP, Danny Kruger (E Wilts) voted for the ban.

There is no doubt that PA caused damage to the various establishments they raided. Although Cooper and others spoke of violence, no evidence of violence has been produced. This action is of a piece with legislation introduced by the previous government to limit and make protests and demonstrations a lot more difficult. Well, not quite, because it may be noticed that the farmers have been taking their tractors into London and elsewhere and blocked streets and stopped traffic. There is no record of any police action against them nor any arrests having been made.

Many have made the point that the activities of PA are covered by existing legislation and indeed, some have been arrested and sentenced after earlier actions using laws already on the statute book. When the terrorism law was introduced about a quarter of a century ago the claim was made then that it would only be used for ‘extreme’ crimes. That seems to have been forgotten. Unfortunately, the legislation is overly broad enabling it to be used in cases like this. The problem has been that juries have not been convinced by government lawyers and have not found against the defendants, hence the need to ban them. Taking them to court for spraying RAF jets stood little chance of a successful conviction now that more people know what dubious activities the RAF are up to and the covert help they are offering the Israelis. The suggestions are that they have carried out over 600 flights over Gaza and that they are refuelling Israeli jets in some of their sorties.

What has embarrassed the government is that the group is drawing attention to the government support being offered, not just by the RAF but in allowing Elbit Systems to continue to make the drones in factories here in the UK, as they claim on their website.

People have a right to protest and the list of protest movements who have brought change is a long one. We noted in our last post that the very fact Yvette Cooper is an MP and a minister is as a result of a prolonged period of protest – latterly violent – by the suffragists and the suffragettes. Her action, and the willingness of 385 MPs to vote for the motion is a shameful one.

One MP, Nadia Whittome (Lab) said “Hundreds of lawyers have written to the Home Secretary, warning that proscribing Palestine Action would conflate protest and terrorism. Amnesty International and Liberty have both expressed deep concerns. A senior civil servant has briefed that there is disquiet among Home Office staff about the decision, and has called it “absurd” [HC Deb 2 July c367]. Earlier in the debate she reminded the House of the suffragettes.

While the government was busy proscribing Palestine Action, people were still being killed in the food queues and what is believed to be a massive 500 lb bomb was dropped on the al Baqa café in the north. The bomb killed a large numbers of people many of whom were blown to pieces. Around 56,500 have been killed in Gaza.

Sources: BBC; Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera, Amnesty International, They Work for You.

Vigil

Forty people turned out today (5 July) for the weekly vigil in Salisbury.

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Amnesty Critiques High Court’s Decision on Arms Exports


High Court rules against action by human rights groups

June 2025

The High Court has ruled that sales of components for the F35 aircraft can continue to be sold to Israel. The judgement has come as a big disappointment for campaigning organisations including Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, Al-Haq and Amnesty. The judges said that the decision was properly for the government to decide. They said:

‘[The] issue is whether it is open to the court to rule that the UK must withdraw from a specific multilateral defence collaboration which is reasonably regarded by the responsible ministers as vital to the defence of the UK and to international peace and security, because of the prospect that some UK-manufactured components will or may ultimately be supplied to Israel, and may be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law in the conflict in Gaza.’

Global Legal Action Network who brought the case with the support of the three British human rights

organisations which are parties to the case, argued that under the Arms Trade Treaty and the Genocide Convention, the UK, as a state party to both, is obligated to stop sending the parts and that, by failing to follow its obligations, is threatening the rule of law globally.

Amnesty statement

In response to the verdict, Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Amnesty International UK, said:

“We are disappointed by today’s ruling, but the court has been clear that while it does not have the authority to make a judgment on UK exports of F-35 arms parts, this does not absolve the executive and Parliament from their responsibilities to act.

The UK has a legal obligation to help prevent and punish genocide and yet it continues to authorise the export of weapons to Israel despite the clear risks that these weapons will be used to commit genocide.

This judgment does not change the facts on the ground, nor does it absolve the UK government of its responsibilities under international law. The risk that UK arms may be used to facilitate serious international crimes remains alarmingly high. If the courts will not intervene, then the moral and legal burden on the Government and Parliament to act – before more lives are lost and further irreparable harm is done – is even greater.

“The horrifying reality in Gaza is unfolding in full view of the world: entire families obliterated, civilians killed in so-called safe zones, hospitals reduced to rubble, and a population driven into starvation by a cruel blockade and forced displacement. These are not isolated tragedies; they are part of a systematic assault on a besieged population.

The UK must end all arms transfers to Israel if we are serious as a country about our commitments to international law and human rights.

Many of those who attend the weekly vigil in Salisbury will find this decision deeply disappointing.

Gaza documentary

The documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack is to be shown on Channel 4 on 2nd July at 10pm. The BBC declined to show it saying it did not meet its high editorial standards. Members of staff met Tim Davie the Director General of the BBC at a virtual meeting and many expressed their disquiet at the decision to pull the documentary. The BBC denies claims it is frightened to air such programmes.

Sources: Middle East Eye; Yahoo News; Reuters; Guardian.

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Coffee morning


Group holding a coffee morning

June 2025

PAST EVENT

We held our coffee morning in St Thomas’s Church in Salisbury this Saturday 5th July

This is a fund raising do but it is an opportunity to meet the group if you are thinking of joining us. The issue of human rights is ever present with mass violations around the world some of which we have featured in previous posts. But it is also a rising issue in the UK with the legislation passed by the previous Conservative government curtailing various freedoms and increasing police powers to limit demonstrations, which are still on the statute book. The Labour government shows not sign of repealing them. The threat by the Home Secretary to prohibit Palestine Action is also of concern.

We look forward to seeing you.

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Coffee morning

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Eighty second vigil well attended


Around 35 attend the 82nd vigil. Alarming allegations in Haaretz

June 2025

On a really hot day, around 35 attended the 82nd vigil in Salisbury for peace in Gaza. Gaza dropped out of the news briefly with the bombing of Iran but the stories of people being killed trying to get food continue. Food is being distributed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and the aid points are positioned in IDF military zones. This seems to be a reason (or justification) for soldiers to fire on the people desperate to get hold of supplies. The most alarming news to emerge yesterday was a report in Haaretz which has alleged IDF soldiers are ordered to fire on unarmed Palestinians. In an article ‘It’s a Killing Field’ one soldier said it was a total breakdown of IDF’s ethical codes.

The Israeli government has denied the report calling it a ‘blood libel’. The problem for the Israeli government by not allowing foreign journalists into Gaza and always denying reports in their interviews, means they are becoming hard to believe. Over 56 000 have now been killed in the conflict and about 550 killed at the aid points.

BBC bias alleged in report

A report in the current addition of Byline Times concerns alleged BBC bias in its reporting of the conflict. Produced by the Centre for Media Monitoring it has analysed one year of the BBC’s reporting and find that it is wanting. There are many critics of the BBC – the bulk of it unmerited – but this is a serious look at issues of language, lack of balance and how partial it has become. The worry is that many within the Corporation are similarly concerned. The BBC may take comfort in the criticism of Israeli government supporters and from the Daily Telegraph which accused them of being captured by the ‘death cult’ of Hamas. The decision to scrap the film Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone does not help their case. Like other broadcasters, they are not allowed into Gaza which does weaken criticisms from Israel: what are they trying to hide?

Another report in Byline Times, courtesy of Middle East Eye, is that the then prime minister David Cameron, threatened the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan, that the UK would defund them and withdraw from the Rome Statute if it did not drop plans to issue arrest warrants for Prime minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Khan ignored the threat and went ahead with warrants for using starvation as a weapon of warfare. The story has not been denied.

Do not forger there is an exhibition at the Methodist Church of the vigil photographs.

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Video of Salisbury vigils


Video highlighting the 80+ vigils held in Salisbury and the exhibition

June 2025

We are delighted to attach a video* with clips from the 81 vigils so far held in Salisbury in aid of peace in Gaza. The bombing of Iran and the retaliation by them has distracted attention from the continuing misery which is taking place in Gaza. The death toll now stands at 56,000 including thousands of children. Many more have suffered terrible injuries with life long consequences.

The is an exhibition at Salisbury Methodist Church, St Edmunds St which is open from 9:30 clips of which

appear in the video.

The strangulation of Gaza continues with tightly restricted supplies of food and other goods allowed in. The war of words continues with an Israeli spokesman interviewed on Channel 4 saying there is no blockade. Foreign journalists are not allowed in so independent reporting of what is happening is difficult. The evidence seems to point to utter confusion at the aid distribution points with many being shot every day in a desperate attempt to get food.

Britain continues to supply weapons to Israel and to give them diplomatic cover. More attention is being paid to the role of the RAF, especially after the action by Palestine Action last week at Brize Norton. The RAF has overflown Gaza around 600 times now and the claims by the minister that they are to help find the remaining hostages is to be doubted in view of the government’s continued support for Israel and the supply of arms.

The local MP, Mr John Glen, has not visited any of the vigils and has not mentioned them in his weekly column in the local paper.

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*The Exhibition and video are the work of Peter Glyns.

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Proscribing Palestine Action


Government’s intention to proscribe Palestine Action regrettable

June 2025

UPDATE: July 3rd. Parliament voted to ban Palestine Action yesterday. They were included in a motion with Maniacs Murder Cult and Russian Imperialist Movement, two extreme organisations. Parliament voted 385 to 26 in favour.

Yvette Cooper is a woman. She has the vote. She is also a Member of Parliament and presently the Home Secretary. That she is able to vote and become an MP is in large part because beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century, a number of campaigners fought for female suffrage. They began peacefully, writing pamphlets and holding marches and some became suffragists. It availed them

nothing. Then, at the turn of the century in 1903, frustrated by years of inaction, their campaigning became more violent involving throwing bricks, disrupting public meetings, ruining golf courses, planting bombs and going on hunger strikes. They were termed ‘suffragettes’ a word coined by the Daily Mail as a term of disparagement. After the Great War, they achieved their goal, at least partly and today women have the vote. And a woman like Yvette Cooper can become an MP.

Palestine Action entered the news this week because of their action in Brize Norton. They did not disrupt the actions of the RAF as admitted by the Department of Defence. They did not throw a bomb and no one was injured. They did seriously embarrass the RAF however by showing how feeble their security was. Yet Evette Couper has decided that it is to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation. Great has been the chorus of condemnation. A local MP, Dr. Andrew Murrison said ‘they were a national security threat‘ in a

quote in the Jewish Chronicle. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader said ‘this is not lawful protest but politically motivated criminality‘. Lord Walney (pictured), a former adviser on political violence and extremism, went into overdrive saying it was a ‘grotesque breach of national security … we should not let these criminal activists act like the Ayatollah apparatchiks by attacking the country from within … employees at the workplace they target have been systematically terrorised by Palestine Action for too long.’

At root is the issue of Palestine and Gaza. With 56,000 now dead in Gaza with more deaths daily adding to the total, there are many who object to the continued support being provided by the UK government to Israel. This includes arms supplies, diplomatic cover and – the issue behind the raid on Brize Norton – the activities of the RAF in overflying Gaza. Details of which are scant and which a government minister has claimed it is ‘solely in pursuit of hostage rescue.’ Another issue which has emerged is that the Israeli Embassy has been pressing the government to take action against Palestine Action. Heavily redacted internal government documents released under freedom of information laws have revealed meetings between the government and Israeli embassy officials, apparently to discuss Palestine Action. Ministers have also met representatives from the Israeli arms firm Elbit Systems.

The RAF flights are controversial and there are suggestions that they and the UK government are complicit in Israel’s actions in Gaza. In particular it is alleged the information is used to assist them in torturing Palestinians.

A familiar cry from politicians and some media commentators is that they are happy with peaceful protests but taking action by spraying RAF planes is not acceptable.

The Home Secretary’s response and proposal to proscribe the organisation is seen by many to be extreme. Peaceful protests are almost always ignored. Perhaps Ms Cooper should remember that she owes her exalted status to the violent actions of women a century or so ago. Left to the peaceful protests of the suffragists, she could now be an unknown and certainly not an MP.

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Evensong this evening


Choral Evensong in Salisbury Cathedral at 5:30

June 2025

PAST EVENT

An evensong took place this evening (June 23rd) at 5:30 in the Cathedral. The notice on their website does not mention this is the annual evensong in partnership with the Amnesty group.

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