Brian Stanley: Calls Gaza a 'horror zone' and urges action
Brian Stanley denounced the level of death and destruction in Gaza, calling it genocide and war crimes and labelling the State of Israel a terrorist state. He said the situation demands action, urging passage of the Occupied Territories Bill and stepped-up international measures beyond current acknowledgements.
Brian Stanley described Gaza as "a horror zone", accusing the State of Israel of war crimes and saying the government has stooped to a level of depravity never seen before. He said those actions "will never be forgiven lightly" and framed the crisis as genocide.
He cited casualty figures and humanitarian crisis numbers from the floor, saying 53,000 dead, thousands buried beneath rubble, families and neighbourhoods missing, hundreds of thousands injured and maimed, and up to 2 million starving. He said truckloads of food stand at the border and are "stopped from entering by terrorists from the Israeli IDF".
Brian Stanley acknowledged steps already taken by the government, noting that it has joined the South African case at the International Criminal Accord, recognised the State of Palestine, is sending aid to Palestine, and is taking injured children. He said those steps and calls for a cessation of hostilities are important but insufficient.
He urged additional measures including passing the Occupied Territories Bill, stepping up efforts at EU level, and using the state's position as a neutral actor on the international stage. He said ending the Israeli-EU trade agreement was an example of what a neutral state can do and called for more decisive policy moves.
Main allegations
Brian Stanley described Gaza as "a horror zone", accusing the State of Israel of war crimes and saying the government has stooped to a level of depravity never seen before. He said those actions "will never be forgiven lightly" and framed the crisis as genocide.
Human toll and blockade
He cited casualty figures and humanitarian crisis numbers from the floor, saying 53,000 dead, thousands buried beneath rubble, families and neighbourhoods missing, hundreds of thousands injured and maimed, and up to 2 million starving. He said truckloads of food stand at the border and are "stopped from entering by terrorists from the Israeli IDF".
Acknowledged measures
Brian Stanley acknowledged steps already taken by the government, noting that it has joined the South African case at the International Criminal Accord, recognised the State of Palestine, is sending aid to Palestine, and is taking injured children. He said those steps and calls for a cessation of hostilities are important but insufficient.
Calls for further action
He urged additional measures including passing the Occupied Territories Bill, stepping up efforts at EU level, and using the state's position as a neutral actor on the international stage. He said ending the Israeli-EU trade agreement was an example of what a neutral state can do and called for more decisive policy moves.
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Transcript
The level of death and destruction in Gaza demands us not just to talk but to act and do everything possible. What is happening is genocide, war crimes. Gaza is not just a war zone, it is a horror zone. And the State of Israel is a terrorist state. Their government has stooped to a level of depravity never seen before. It is shameful and that government will never be forgiven lightly for what they are doing. 53,000 dead, thousands buried beneath the rubble, families missing, neighbourhoods missing, and hundreds of thousands of people injured and maimed, up to 2 million starving, while truckloads of food stand at the border and stopped from entering by terrorists from the Israeli IDF. The Palestinians have been hunted and hounded since 1947 by Israel, a refugee population within their own country. What does it take for the so-called Civilised World Act? I acknowledge that the government have joined the South African case at the International Criminal Accord. I recognise that we have accepted the State of Palestine, that we are sending aid to Palestine taking injured children and that we want a cessation of all hostilities. But we must do a lot more. We have led the call, as well, being part of the call for the Israeli-EU trade agreement to end. It shows what a neutral state can do. We need to pass the Occupied Territories Bill, step up efforts at EU level, and use our position as a neutral state on the international stage.