Hastings Jews for Justice to get long-sought meeting with MP

Hastings Jews for Justice: open letter to Helena Dollimore MP

Dear Helena

I write on behalf of Hastings Jews for Justice (HJJ) in respect of the issues set out in two letters sent to you by us on 18 July and 20 August (and also handed to you in person at Westminster on 24 July) seeking an urgent meeting to discuss UK policy on Gaza and the West Bank. Given the continuing extremely high death toll particularly among Palestinian children and women and your failure to provide a substantive response over a seven week period, we are now sending you this open letter, which will also go to the local press.

HJJ is a newly-formed group of over thirty Jews and those of Jewish heritage who live in the Hastings and Rye constituency. We came together because we are appalled by the mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza which we consider to be an utterly disproportionate response to the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7. We are also deeply concerned about settler violence and now Israeli state violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Further, we aim to challenge accusations of antisemitism to silence Jews who do not support Israel’s war on Gaza.

We wish to discuss with you:

The upholding of international law

Your government has made much of its commitment to international law, yet appears reluctant to challenge what are widely recognised as flagrant breaches of international law currently being committed by a close ally. This sets a dangerous precedent in an increasingly war-torn world and brings the UK into international disrepute. In this context it is vital that the new government call out Israel’s actions.

A full, 100% embargo on UK arms sales to Israel

On Monday 2 September Foreign Secretary David Lammy imposed a ban on approximately 8.5% of UK licences for arms sales to Israel, pointing out that Israel only purchases 1% of its weapons from the UK. In our view, the small percentage is beside the point. It is imperative that the UK send a strong signal to Israel that it disapproves of the disproportionate military attacks it has now been waging for eleven months against Palestinian civilians, under the pretext of seeking to destroy Hamas. (Most thoughtful observers including many Israelis believe that it is impossible to destroy Hamas by military means, that the continuing genocide is likely to produce a new generation of traumatised and implacable Palestinians  and that a political solution is the only way forward.) A full arms embargo, such as Margaret Thatcher imposed in 1982 when Israel invaded Lebanon, might not have a major impact on Israel’s military capability, but it would send a crucial message from a close ally.

The UK’s duties under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide (1948)

As a signatory, the UK is under a legal duty to prevent and punish genocide, but to date this duty has been openly breached by both the last government and the new one, despite the ruling by the ICJ in January 2024 that there is a plausible risk that genocide is being committed by Israel in Gaza. South Africa is the applicant in that ongoing case, supported by at least 13 other countries including Spain and Ireland. We believe that the UK must now also intervene in the case on the side of the applicant, to send an appropriate message to Israel and to avoid being complicit in genocide.

A ceasefire in Gaza

We  appreciate it is now Labour party policy to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. We believe this will not be achieved while the Israeli leadership continues to receive the message from the UK (and the US) that there will be no effective sanctions for their continued blocking of a deal with Hamas.

Sanctions against the Israeli leadership

It is clear to all rational observers that the current Israeli leadership is unwilling to pay heed to calls for restraint, even when those calls come from Israel’s closest allies. Many Israelis now consider that Netanyahu is blocking a deal with Hamas due to fears for his own political future once the war ends. The next step must be the imposition of stringent sanctions, both economic and political, on Netanyahu and his extremist right wing allies (Itamar Ben-Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Yoav Gallant). Given Britain’s major historic role in the creation of the state of Israel, it is incumbent on our government to send a clear message to the Israeli leadership by taking this step.

Recognition of the State of Palestine

We believe that the UK should follow Norway, Ireland, Spain and Slovenia in recognising the State of Palestine forthwith, and not wait until this can be done ‘as a contribution to a renewed peace process’ as promised in Labour’s election manifesto. A renewed peace process many not start for many years to come.

UNRWA and the ICC

We are pleased that the government has withdrawn the previous government’s application to the ICC challenging the application to issue arrest warrants against senior Israeli personnel. We are also pleased that the government has now reinstated UK funding to UNRWA.

The increase in Islamophobia on Britain’s streets

The conflict is causing an alarming rise in Islamophobia in the UK. We are concerned about this and would like to know what steps you plan to take to promote good community relations in Hastings and Rye.

We repeat our request for an urgent meeting with you to discuss these matters further. We fail to see how your lack of an office should stand in the way of this, and would be happy to arrange a suitable venue.

Yours sincerely

Teresa Thornhill
Retired child protection barrister on behalf of Hastings Jews for Justice