PSC condemns Israel’s plan to escalate its genocidal assault on the Gaza Strip, including through the military occupation of Gaza City, displacing all the Palestinians who remain there.  

Israel’s Security Cabinet yesterday agreed a proposal for the “takeover of Gaza City”. Netanyahu has separately said that Israel will “take control of all Gaza”. We must be clear about what this means. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, most of whom have already been displaced, will be ethnically cleansed from their land. Thousands will be killed by Israel’s invading army. Those already facing starvation due to Israel’s blocking of aid, will now be pushed further to the brink by the full siege of the city.  

It is unconscionable that in the face of such an egregious announcement of a planned crime against humanity, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer can only muster the words that this plan is “wrong”, while taking no action to stop it. The British Government is deeply complicit in Israel’s 22-month genocide, of which this announcement is just the latest example. Starmer’s government has gone all the way to the High Court to defend its decision to continue providing F35 parts to Israel and this week it was revealed that the RAF continues to fly near daily surveillance flights over Gaza, providing intelligence to the Israeli military. Starmer argues that Israel’s plan will “only bring more bloodshed”, while continuing to enable this bloodshed.   

While failing to act to bring an end to Britain’s participation in war crimes in Gaza, Starmer is ramping up his repression of those protesting against this complicity at home. The police, at the behest of the Home Secretary, continue to use spurious grounds to attempt to disrupt our demonstrations. The unprecedented step to label non-violent direct action as terrorism has had a chilling effect on all of our rights to protest and freedom of speech. It has already resulted in hundreds of arrests of those holding paper placards as part of protests against the proscription. We condemn these arrests and fully support the campaign to have this proscription overturned through judicial review.  

We must stand together to reject Israel’s plans, end British complicity in Israel’s genocide, and defend our right to protest. Hundreds of thousands of us will be marching from Rusell Square to Starmer’s doorstep this Saturday. It is more important than ever for you to join us.