I have received a lot of correspondence from constituents who are rightly horrified by the news coming out of Israel and Palestine.
What is clear in the increasingly complex situation is that neither Israeli nor Palestinian civilians have asked for this war and the bloodshed we have all witnessed is shocking.
What is also clear to me is that peace cannot come from more bloodshed. We must urge for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid into Palestine before a desperate situation for civilians there becomes any worse.
The cost of this war cannot be paid in the lives of innocent civilians, and it is the responsibility of the international community to advocate for humanity, for the equal value of the lives of Israeli and Palestinian citizens and for an end to the extreme bloodshed we have seen.
Anas Sarwar MSP, Scottish Labour’s leader, has made a statement calling for a ceasefire and a proper peace process as the only means of ensuring a safe, secure Palestine and a safe, secure Israel. I agree with Anas’ statement and echo his call for a path to peace and protection of civilian life. His statement can be seen here: https://twitter.com/AnasSarwar/status/1717876719166672938
As foreign policy is a reserved issue, I have written to the UK Government’s Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister urging them to use the UK’s influence in international politics to advocate for humanity, for peace, and for the preservation of human life by calling for a ceasefire so that humanitarian aid can reach those in desperate need before time runs out. You can read my letters to them below.
You can also read a briefing from Oxfam below.
Letter-from-Alex-Rowley-MSP-to-the-Prime-Minister-Urgent-Call-for-Ceasefire-3-November-2023Letter-from-Alex-Rowley-MSP-to-the-Foreign-Secretary-Urgent-Call-for-Ceasefire-3-November-2023
OXFAM-BRIEFING-GAZA-23-October-2023
UPDATE: I have received a response from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office regarding my letter to the Foreign Secretary. You can read this response below.
A-Rowley-MSP-CMC2023_21005
