Britain should evacuate critically injured children from Gaza to the UK, according to a cross-party group of MPs. The Foreign Affairs committee warns the UK has done “too little, too late” to help resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict and pushes for this country to act “boldly and bravely”.
It urges Sir Keir Starmer’s Government to use its influence on the United States to help bring an end to the conflict. The call comes as the Prime Minister is expected to meet President Trump in Scotland in the coming days.
The MPs say the Israeli Government is “not listening to the UK” and advise a new approach as concern mounts about the civilian death toll in Gaza. Demanding action to help children, they state: “The Government should support a medical evacuation of critically injured children to the UK, including the provision of safe transport and the efficient handling of travel permits and entry visas.”
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A majority of the committee’s MPs also supported the recognition of a Palestinian state “while there is still a state to recognise”.
Their report states: “An inalienable right should not be made conditional. The Government cannot continue to wait for the perfect time because experience shows that there will never be a perfect time, and in hindsight it is possible to see times when it should have occurred.”
Dame Emily Thornberry, who chairs the committee, said: “The UK Government must do all in its power to help secure a ceasefire, to return the hostages, and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza…There is undoubtedly huge frustration among many of the British public that the Government has consistently acted too little, too late.
“And there is huge frustration that the far Right government currently in charge in Israel is refusing to listen to its historic friends and allies. But we must not shrug our shoulders in despair and say that there is nothing we can do.”
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She said the recognition of a Palestinian state would signal Britain’s “desire to work urgently towards a two-state solution alongside our allies”.
Sir John Whittingdale, a Conservative member of the committee, said a two-state solution was the “only route towards peaceful co-existence for the Israeli and Palestinian people” – and “the only issue on which we did not agree was on whether recognition of a Palestinian state now would help to bring that about”.
Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, welcomed the report, saying: “The committee is right to call the Government out for its inaction, especially now when after months of warnings of Gaza being on the brink of famine, people are being starved to death in front of the world.”
He called for a “full arms embargo” and sanctions on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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1st Most liked comment • 21 hours ago73
“Absolutely not. Next it’s all their family”
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“There must be other countries closer to home. Why is it always us, we can’t get the …”
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“We have neither the money or NHS resource to do it and of course all the families and …”