I voted for a ceasefire on both sides at the earliest opportunity in Parliament. When the second opportunity came, I was pleased more MPs were of the same mindset. I remain steadfast in my commitment to vote for a ceasefire at every opportunity that comes to Parliament.
Recently in Parliament, I also directly called on the Prime Minister in the House of Commons to push for a ceasefire on both sides, not just a pause.
Hundreds of thousands of people march every week to protest about the war in Israel and Gaza. They don't march because they've got nothing else to do. They march because they have to do something. I voted for a ceasefire because that's the least I can do. Parliament should be one on this.
For many months now I have called for an immediate negotiated ceasefire on both sides and the release of all hostages. I believe this is the humanitarian position and the only way to protect civilians. I also want to see rapid and unimpeded humanitarian aid provided to all of Gaza and the protection of aid workers.
I have said repeatedly that Hamas are terrorists and what happened on October 7th was an appalling and barbaric terrorist act, which killed 1,200 people and must be condemned.
The subsequent actions of Israel in Gaza have been brutal and inhumane. At the time of writing, over 33,000 Palestinians have now been killed in Gaza since this conflict began. The vast majority of them women and children.
I believe allegations of breaches of international humanitarian law should be treated with the utmost seriousness and must always be independently investigated. Assessing specific allegations is the proper task of lawyers and competent international courts. The ICJ’s interim ruling was profoundly serious. It does not give a verdict on the case but sets out urgent provisional measures that must be followed. Israel must comply with those orders in full.
We must urgently stop the killing of innocent civilians on both sides. The looming Israeli ground assault on Rafah, where 1.5million people are sheltering, would be catastrophic and cannot be allowed.
Brondesbury Park Synagogue has adopted a hostage, Noa Argamani, to get her out and return her home safely. We need to get her and all of Hamas’ hostages home to safety, and we need to stop the mass killing of children and all civilians in Gaza and get those unlawfully imprisoned out of Israeli jails – these things are not mutually exclusive. All should be able to be achieved.
As my colleague Sarah Champion MP (Chair, International Development Committee) has said, in the harrowing report from Sinai on conditions in Gaza: “Nothing that has been reported braces you for the true scale of the horror in Gaza. We’re simply not getting accurate information about the levels of destruction and brutality”.
Access to food and clean water remains extremely difficult in Gaza. I fear that if innocent civilians are not killed by IDF bombs, they will starve to death. We are witnessing a man-made famine. A collective punishment of innocent civilians. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to civilians in Gaza - the situation has never been more urgent.
Regarding arms sales to Israel, I would like to inform you that I signed this EDM in Parliament calling for sales to be halted: https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/61654/arms-to-israel - and signed Zarah Sultana MP’s letter calling for an end to the supply of arms:
https://www.dawnbutler.org.uk/end_to_uk_supplied_arms_in_israel
When the history books are written and people look back at these tragic events, they will say, why didn’t those in power do more? I will continue to push for peace and a two-state solution as a solution to peace.
To read my views in further detail, you can do so here: https://www.dawnbutler.org.uk/israel_gaza
Updated April 2024