An open letter to David Lammy

We are in the eighth month of an onslaught that has destroyed everything in Gaza and overwhelmed its people. Still our team work when and where they can. There are painting or model-making sessions. Playgrounds are created out of rubble. Mothers gather in Focusing groups. Below, Alaa leads children in psychological first aid in Khan Younis.

Firas and his brother continue Days of Joy with children.

In the UK, we carry out advocacy work and support our team on Zoom. Here is a letter our trustee Jill, who is also a local Labour councillor, sent to the shadow Foreign Secretary. It powerfully conveys our message

3rd June 2024

Dear Mr Lammy,

I was privileged to participate on Sunday afternoon, with about 20 other UK-based members and supporters of Palestine Trauma Centre (UK), in a one and a half hour Zoom call with several guests from Gaza. These guests, all staff members at the Palestine Trauma Centre inside Gaza, bravely told us how it feels for them at this time. We received a vivid picture of the endless day-to-day struggle they face to survive. They all looked shockingly thin. We were face to face with people trying to cope with famine.

We realised they are enduring more pain and suffering than anyone should have to go through.  The deep sorrow on their faces and in their testimonies brought tears to our eyes and an agonising feeling of shame and powerlessness as we listened. 

Unbelievably, they are now in the eighth month of the relentless, hellish, bombardment. They are exhausted; not just by the endless bombing and death all around them; not just by the ruthless destruction of their homes, hospitals, schools, mosques, shelters, tents; the killing of their families and friends' families, but by the endless daily search for food and water, still scarce and expensive.

Even more traumatising is the knowledge they have no way of keeping their children safe, of assuring them undisturbed sleep, of giving them hope that this nightmare will soon be over. They are constantly tantalised by talks of a ceasefire which never materialises. Rightly, they hold us in the West responsible. They feel abandoned and alone, as if worthless. 

A question was asked: "Do you ever see any fighting on the ground, any confrontation of the two sides? No, was the reply, only Israeli tanks and Israeli soldiers. So, the added insult of constant brazen lies about targeting Hamas is added to all the other humiliations.

Here, as we knock on doors for Labour, we are meeting many people, not just Muslims, who resent the apparent lack of commitment and courage exhibited by our senior politicians. All people can do is refuse to vote for us - and these are often lifetime Labour supporters.

I appreciate you telling me you are working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring about a ceasefire, more aid and a stop to arms sales to Israel, but what is required is a public statement acknowledging not only the terrible war crimes committed by Hamas but also the deep suffering caused by Israel on the people of Gaza. Please support statements coming out of the ICJ and the UN saying that what the Israeli government is doing can no longer be tolerated. Say that you will withdraw all arms sales to Israel if you come to power on July 4th. 

 If you take a moral and humanitarian stance following it up with action to show you mean it, you will earn the respect of the people of Britain, who know that condemnation of Israeli military strategy is not anti-Semitism but the morally right stance to take. 

 Yours sincerely,

Jill Weston, Labour Councillor.