Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to Gaza - a year on, urgent action is needed
To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors J D Lawson, Arshad, Khan, Safdar, Anwar, Kahut and Bramwell.
“This Council notes that nearly a year on from the start of the latest conflict in Gaza:
a) 10,000’s of innocent men, women and children have been killed or seriously injured. Many more are missing in the debris of Gaza.
b) Gaza is being raised to the ground. There has been indiscriminate bombing of refugee camps, medical facilities, schools, places of worship of all denominations and the general infra structure.
c) Aid is still not getting into Gaza in the quantity needed due to interference by the Israeli Govt this has resulted in widespread malnutrition and the remaining medical facilities running without even the basic of medical supplies.
d) That the Israeli government is guilty of war crimes and breaching International Humanitarian Law. Creating an Apartheid State within the Palestinian Territories of Gaza and the West Bank.
e) The International Court of Justice has declared the situation in Gaza to be genocide
f) That many residents of Kirklees remain gravely concerned about the ongoing situation in Gaza and wish to see an end to the genocide in Gaza.
This Council calls on the Leader of the Council to write to Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister to urge him to revoke licenses which allow the selling of arms and military equipment to Israel until a time the Israeli Government stops the on-going genocide in Gaza, ceases to occupy the Palestinian Territories of the West Bank and Gaza, abides by the IJC rulings and the numerous United Nations resolutions. That the Prime Minister lobbies his Israeli counterpart to immediately allowed in aid to Gaza unfettered by obstructions, in a bid to holt the humanitarian crisis that is occurring within Gaza. And that the Prime Minister uses all diplomatic channels at his disposal to call for a ceasefire and the return of the Israeli hostages
We ask that the Palestinian Flag be flown at Huddersfield, Batley and Dewsbury Town Halls in an act of remembrance for those who have died. This would be at no expense to local council tax payers as the flags would be purchased by a local group.
We ask that Kirklees Council where at all lawful and practical to avoid purchases of goods from Israeli companies illegally occupying the afore mentioned Palestinian Territories.
That the council commits to conducting a thorough review of its procurement practices to ensure that goods and consumables sourced from companies directly or indirectly involved in the conflict are not used.”
Decision:
RESOLVED –
1) That this Council notes that nearly a year on from the start of the latest conflict in Gaza:
a) 10,000’s of innocent men, women and children have been killed or seriously injured. Many more are missing in the debris of Gaza.
b) Gaza is being raised to the ground. There has been indiscriminate bombing of refugee camps, medical facilities, schools, places of worship of all denominations and the general infra structure.
c) Aid is still not getting into Gaza in the quantity needed due to interference by the Israeli Govt this has resulted in widespread malnutrition and the remaining medical facilities running without even the basic of medical supplies.
d) That the Israeli government is guilty of war crimes and breaching International Humanitarian Law. Creating an Apartheid State within the Palestinian Territories of Gaza and the West Bank.
e) The International Court of Justice has declared the situation in Gaza to be genocide
f) That many residents of Kirklees remain gravely concerned about the ongoing situation in Gaza and wish to see an end to the genocide in Gaza.
2) That this is Council calls on the Leader of the Council to write to Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister to urge him to;
- revoke licenses which allow the selling of arms and military equipment to Israel until a time the Israeli Government stops the on-going genocide in Gaza, ceases to occupy the Palestinian Territories of the West Bank and Gaza, abides by the IJC rulings and the numerous United Nations resolutions.
- lobby his Israeli counterpart to immediately allowed in aid to Gaza unfettered by obstructions, in a bid to holt the humanitarian crisis that is occurring within Gaza.
- all diplomatic channels at his disposal to call for a ceasefire and the return of the Israeli hostages
3) That we ask that Kirklees Council where at all lawful and practical to avoid purchases of goods from Israeli companies illegally occupying the afore mentioned Palestinian Territories.
4) That this Council commits to conducting a thorough review of its procurement practices to ensure that goods and consumables sourced from companies directly or indirectly involved in the conflict are not used.”