MK Ayman Odeh, leader of the Hadash-Ta’al parliamentary faction in the Knesset has told a conference held by the “Haaretz” newspaper at JW3 in north London that the UK government must “end all military, financial, and diplomatic support” to Benjamin Netanyahu far-right government.
Speaking at Sunday’s event, October 27, MK Odeh said: “It is beyond time that the United Kingdom joins the 146 nations officially recognizing Palestine. The U.K. must make good on the government’s promise to support an immediate ceasefire by ending all military, financial, and diplomatic support of the Netanyahu government’s war crimes and working to broker a prisoner-hostage exchange deal. Not a single penny must be allowed to go to the government of Netanyahu, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir to recolonize Gaza and annex all of Palestine.”
“But this recognition must not be symbolic, nor seen as a reward to be withheld for another day. It must be implemented now, as a step toward creating the conditions for sincere negotiations that will finally bring about a two-state solution based on democracy, equality, and justice.”
He called for both an end to the “horrifying war” in Gaza and the removal of the “criminal” and “fascist” government of Netanyahu. “The war must end now. There must be a prisoner-hostage exchange deal immediately. And all nations of the world must do their part to end the atrocities and demand an immediate renewal of negotiations toward a final agreement. Let today be the last day of this criminal war, and let it be the first day of a new era in the history of our peoples.”
“Stop the genocide,” hundreds protested in front of Israeli army headquarters in central Tel Aviv against the deadly war in Gaza and Lebanon, Sunday, October 27, 2024 (Photo: Alon Marcus)
The conference included speeches from former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert; Haaretz Editor in Chief Aluf Benn, MK’s Naama Lazimi (Labor) and Odeh, Lord Michael Levy and a video address from former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. All speakers at the all-day event, including Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken, were openly critical of the Israeli far-right government. Schoken said that the establishment of a Palestinian state was a “simple and necessary solution” to the conflict raging in Israel today. It has yet to happen, he said, because “the Netanyahu government wants to continue the proliferation of settlements and “doesn’t care about the cruel apartheid” regime in the occupied West Bank. “Netanyahu wants to perpetuate the occupation and expand it,” he added.
On Sunday evening hundreds protested in front Rabin Gate of Israeli army headquarters at Kaplan Street in central Tel Aviv against the deadly war in Gaza and Lebanon and demanding a cease-fire. The demonstration was held under the leadership of the “Anti-Occupation Bloc,” and among protesters: several Hadash and Communist Party of Israel activists. The protesters stated: “This is not just a political issue – it is a matter of life and death. We must raise our voices for those who cannot, for the men, women, and children whose lives are being destroyed before our eyes.”
During the protest police officers confiscated and tore up signs claiming the messages written on them “disturb public peace,” among them “Stop Gaza genocide,” “End the war,” “No more killing and starvation, get out of the Gaza Strip now,” “The choice is in our hands. Stop the bombings” and “End the occupation.” Haaretz reported that after an appeal of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) the police have instructed various field personnel several times not to confiscate signs; however, it continues to happen during demonstrations all over Israel.
On April 11, 2024, ACRI petitioned the High Court of Justice, together with two anti-war demonstrators, demanding that the civilians be allowed to carry signs against the war in Gaza with slogans against the killing of civilians in Gaza, or those accusing the State of Israel, or elements within it or on its behalf, of committing war crimes or crimes against humanity in Gaza including genocide.
The petition was filed after a long series of demonstrations and protest held across the country in recent months, in which the police systematically prevented demonstrators from waving signs and holding a protest. Harassment of demonstrators included violent snatching of signs by police, tearing them apart, confronting demonstrators holding signs or chanting slogans, dispersing the protest solely because of the messages the demonstrators carry or express, and even making arrests.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=32191
