Early Day Motions (EDMs) are unique to the House of Commons. They are not normally debated, but they are a means of publicising an issue and getting cross-party support.
EDMs are tabled usually by one MP, with another five MPs joining as ‘sponsors’. The motions cannot be longer than 250 words. They are open to be signed by any MP: party allegiances do not play any part. The Parliament website has a full archive of EDMs which you can access (and search) here: https://edm.parliament.uk/
If you are trying to get your MP to do something for the Palestinians, you can encourage them to sign one or more of the EDMs shown below. The EDMs on Palestine tend to be quite well-supported – the present crop of Merseyside MPs sign more than their predecessors ever did – so your MP will be in good company!
2023 – 2024 session
EDM No. 532 – Government legal advice on Israeli Government actions and international law
Tabled 19 March 2024 by Richard Burgon MP (42 signatures, including West Derby’s Ian Byrne, Walton’s Dan Carden and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley)
“This House notes the remarks by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on 19 March 2024 that the Israeli Government’s restrictions on humanitarian aid for Gaza may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime; is alarmed at the mounting evidence that the Israeli Government’s actions in Gaza are in breach of international law; is deeply concerned by the UK Government’s continued and ongoing refusal to make available to all MPs the legal advice it has received relating to Israel’s conduct in Gaza and its implications for the UK’s fulfilment of its legal obligations under international law; and, given the importance of the UK Government, Ministers and MPs not being complicit in any violations of international law by the Israeli Government, calls on the UK Government to immediately make this legal advice available to MPs.”
EDM no. 505 – Palestinian and the Researchers at Risk scheme
Tabled 13 March 2024 by Caroline Lucas MP (15 signatures including Walton’s Dan Carden)
“This House commends the Researchers at Risk scheme instituted by the British Academy in partnership with the Council for At-Risk Academics and with support from the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society; notes that the scheme was funded primarily by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and is currently restricted to Ukrainian academics and their families; observes that every higher education institution in Gaza has been destroyed or severely damaged during the war waged by the Israeli government in the wake of the horrific terror attacks of 7 October 2023; deplores that an estimated 30,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza in this time, including historians, economists, scholars of English literature and language, poets, physicists, gynaecologists, political scientists, psychologists, surgeons and lawyers; believes the academic community in Gaza is currently one of the most at risk in the world; and therefore calls on the UK Government to provide specific protection by renewing the funding for the Researchers at Risk scheme and opening it to Palestinian academics immediately and without delay.”
EDM no. 504 – Detention of Palestinian human rights lawyer Diala Nader Ibrahim Eideh
Tabled 13 March 2024 by Martyn Day MP (15 signatures)
“That this House notes that, on 24 January 2024, the Israeli military issued an administrative detention order against Palestinian lawyer Diala Nader Ibrahim Eideh for a period of four months; condemns the degrading and humiliating treatment of Ms Eideh by Israeli soldiers throughout her initial ordeal; expresses grave concern at Israel’s ongoing practice of administrative detention; believes that this practice is in breach of a number of international agreements and conventions, including the fourth Geneva Convention; further notes that Israel’s use of administrative detention effectively circumvents due process and the principles of natural justice, using it as a tool of systematic persecution against Palestinians; also notes Israel’s practice of deporting Palestinian prisoners from the Occupied Palestinian Territories to Israel and the subsequent isolation of detainees with denial of family visits and access to lawyers; expresses its view that extensive detention without charge or trial amounts to inhumane, degrading and punitive punishment of prisoners; acknowledges that the detention of Ms Eideh is solely because she is a human rights lawyer and an advocate for human rights; highlights that the frequency of administrative detentions has escalated recently, with the current number of administrative detainees reaching 3,558, the highest since the beginning of the occupation; regrets the Government’s lack of any meaningful or substantive action against administrative detention; and calls on the Government to make urgent representations to the Israeli government to cancel this policy, restore rights to all Palestinian prisoners and to release all Palestinians being held without charge or trial.”
EDM no. 381 – UK funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Near East
Tabled 9 February 2024 by Hywel Williams MP (15 signatures, including Riverside’s Kim Johnson)
“This House notes the UK’s decision to pause funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); further notes that UNRWA’s services are primarily funded through contributions from UN member states, constituting around 93% of the agency’s funds; is concerned that UNRWA has warned that the decision by the UK and other countries to suspend funding will leave it unable to fund its aid operations in a matter of weeks; notes that UNRWA supports 5.9 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza and other countries including Syria, Lebanon and Jordan and employs 30,000 staff, 13,000 of whom work in Gaza; further notes the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza where over 2 million people are at imminent risk of famine and 152 UNRWA staff have been killed; notes UNRWA’s swift action to terminate the contracts of 12 employees following allegations of their involvement in the 7 October attack and launch an investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight, in addition to the appointment of an independent review group by the UN Secretary-General to assess how UNRWA ensures neutrality and responds to allegations of serious wrongdoing; further notes that other countries including Ireland, Norway, Belgium, Denmark and Spain continue to fund UNRWA in light of the agency’s swift disciplinary and investigative response; and calls on the UK Government to immediately re-instate funding for UNRWA given the disastrous humanitarian consequences that the pause in funding will have for people in Gaza and the wider region.”
EDM no. 377 – International Court of Justice Ruling on Gaza and the UK’s duties under the Genocide Convention
Tabled 7 February 2024 by Zarah Sultana MP (66 signatures including Riverside’s Kim Johnson, West Derby’s Ian Byrne, Walton’s Dan Carden, Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley and Wirral West’s Margaret Greenwood)
“That this House notes the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 26 January 2024, which found that it is plausible that Israel’s ongoing attacks on the Palestinian people in Gaza are in breach of the Genocide Convention; further notes that the ICJ issued provisional measures, including ordering Israel and its military to prevent acts against Palestinians in Gaza prohibited by Article II of the Genocide Convention, such as killings of Palestinians in Gaza, as well as ordering Israel to prevent and punish incitement to genocide and to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza; supports the ICJ call for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages; notes that as a signatory to the Genocide Convention the UK has a duty to prevent genocide and to ensure that the Convention is not breached; believes the UK has a responsibility to act to ensure this ruling is upheld, and not to undermine it; therefore calls on the UK Government to support the ICJ’s provisional measures; further believes that it is not possible for Israel to fulfil the ICJ’s order without an immediate end to its military assault on Gaza; and therefore, in light of plausible breaches of the Genocide Convention, further calls on the UK Government to demand an immediate ceasefire and suspend all arms exports to Israel.”
EDM no. 345 – Letter from American rabbis to President Biden
Tabled 31 January 2024 by Neale Hanvey MP (5 signatures)
“That this House welcomes the powerful and moving open letter entitled Sorrow and fury: a letter from American rabbis to President Biden, which was sent by the Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council; recognises the importance of the voice of moderate Jewish people across the world in opposing the actions of the Israeli Government; expresses concern that such voices are largely being ignored by the mainstream media to balance the narrative set by the Israeli Government, the UK Government and the US administration; reaffirms its sorrow over the more than 26,000 lives lost in Gaza; notes the mounting case that war crimes are being perpetrated in Gaza, as set out in the recent ICJ ruling; expresses its concern over risks to the UK Government of culpability with regard to acts of war crime, facilitating or enabling acts of war crime, and omissions to intervene to prevent the execution of war crimes; and further notes the Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council’s call to end U.S. complicity in Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people and their assertion that, for the words never again to have any meaning, they must mean never again for anyone.”
EDM no. 327 – Health workers in Gaza and the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize
Tabled 26 January 2024 by Richard Burgon MP (23 signatures including Walton’s Ian Byrne, Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley and Wirral West’s Margaret Greenwood)
“That this House congratulates the more than 250,000 people who have signed a petition to support the nomination of health care workers in Gaza for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize; believes that health workers in Gaza have sought to save lives in the most difficult of circumstances and mourns the loss of the more than 300 health workers so far killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza; notes that the prize can be awarded to an organisation as well as up to three individuals; and encourages as many of those as possible who qualify to nominate for the Nobel Peace Prize, including parliamentarians, government ministers, professors and members of the Institute of International Law to do so ahead of the 31 January deadline.”
EDM no. 323 – Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem
Tabled 25 January 2024 by Chris Law MP (5 signatures)
“That this House is deeply alarmed by the attempted take-over of the Cows’ Garden in the Armenian Quarter of occupied Jerusalem by illegal Israeli settler organisations; notes that, despite the cancellation of a lease agreement, Israeli settlers have used violence, threats and bulldozers against the Armenians at this site; recognises that settlements in the Old City of Jerusalem are a method of permanent land acquisition and theft of territory, and needs the same robust international response as elsewhere in occupied Palestinian territory; acknowledges the severe and critical threat to the Armenian community of Jerusalem, which has had a presence in the Old City for almost two millennia; further recognises that the destruction within the Cows’ Garden in the Armenian Quarter wounds the local fabric and relations between communities; highlights the particular vulnerability of the small yet vibrant Armenian community of Jerusalem; and calls on the Government to take effective measures in response including supporting all legal and accountability mechanisms to resolve this crisis.”
EDM no. 288 – Deaths of journalists in Gaza
Tabled 16 January 2024 by John McDonnell MP (28 signatures including Riverside’s Kim Johnson and Walton’s Dan Carden)
“That this House expressers its extreme concern at the mounting and unprecedented death toll of journalists in Gaza; notes that the independent Committee to Protect Journalists has recorded the death of 82 journalists in this conflict since October 2023; welcomes the support provided by the National Union of Journalists for the efforts of the International Federation of Journalists to promote the safety of journalists; and urges the International Criminal Court to expedite its investigation into the evidence submitted of the systematic targeted attacks on journalists by Israeli forces.”
EDM no. 284 – Journalists in Gaza
Tabled 16 January 2024 by Grahame Morris MP (42 signatures including Riverside’s Kim Johnson and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley)
“That this House is profoundly shocked and saddened by the deaths of over 85 journalists and other media workers in Gaza since the Hamas attacks of October 7, with many more critically injured, missing or in detention without trial; believes that journalists in Gaza are the only ones standing between the truth and a total media blackout and that, without their work, the world would not bear witness to these atrocities; is alarmed by reports from the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the International Federation of Journalists that a further 80 press and media institutions were targeted by Israeli bombing, being totally or partially destroyed in Gaza; calls on the Government to urge the Israeli authorities to desist from targeting journalists or media organisations in these deadly attacks and accept the need to help de-escalate the cycle of violence which has resulted in the mass slaughter of civilians and a humanitarian catastrophe.”
EDM no. 271 – Proceedings instituted by South Africa against the State of Israel at the International Court of Justice
Tabled 11 January 2024 by Hywel Williams MP (21 signatures)
“That this House recognises the continuing violence in Gaza which has resulted in over 23,000 deaths; welcomes South Africa’s request for provisional measures by the International Court of Justice to prevent acts of genocide; urges the Government to carefully consider the application as it upholds its duty to prevent genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention and actively avoid complicity; continues to support those in the UK calling for an immediate ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and an end to the siege; and calls upon Israel to observe any resulting binding provisional measures aimed at protecting the human rights of Palestinians, including the cessation of fire.”
EDM no. 255 – Government legal advice on Gaza
Tabled 8 January 2024 by Jon Trickett MP (29 signatures including Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley and Riverside’s Kim Johnson as two of the sponsors, also West Derby’s Ian Byrne)
“That this House understands that questions have been raised internationally about the legality of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza; recognises that in November 2023 UN experts raised the alarm about the risk of genocide in Gaza; highlights the UN General Secretary’s reasons for invoking Article 99 that there is a high risk of total collapse of the humanitarian support system in Gaza, which would have devastating consequences; further highlights his comments to the Security Council that international humanitarian law includes the duty to protect civilians and to comply with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution and that the laws of war also demand that civilians’ essential needs must be met, including by facilitating the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian relief; notes the Spanish Prime Minister’s comments that he has serious doubts that Israel is complying with international humanitarian law; further notes the letter signed by prominent Israeli public figures to the Attorney General in December 2023 which said there have been explicit calls to commit atrocious crimes against millions of civilians, providing evidence of the discourse of annihilation, expulsion and revenge; acknowledges the case South Africa has brought to the International Court of Justice claiming Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is tantamount to genocidal actions; and calls on the Government to publish in full the legal advice it has received from its law officers regarding the situation in Gaza, particularly in the run up to UN votes, and the legality of the UK export licensing of arms to the Israel.”
EDM no. 254 – shot-term medical evacuation of children from Gaza
Tabled 8 January 2024 by John McDonnell (41 signatures including Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley – who is one of the sponsors – Riverside’s Kim Johnson and West Derby’s Ian Byrne)
“That this House welcomes the work of Saving Gaza’s Children, an NGO dedicated to supporting the children of Gaza to receive life-saving and time-critical, emergency medical care required as a result of the Israel-Gaza conflict by identifying children in dire need of medical evacuation and securing their evacuation to host states which are currently better equipped to manage their complex and often life-threatening medical needs, liaising directly with Gazan medical teams and the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and working closely with the child’s legal guardian to monitor his or her diagnosis, progress, and prognosis whilst remaining sensitive to the fact that Palestinians feel strongly that their children should return to Palestine and paying special attention to ensuring that children are evacuated through documented safe passages and that all necessary protocols are followed to ensure a child’s safe return with a focus on supporting injured children back into Palestinian society ensuring that they receive all the support they need to live as normal a life as possible; and urges the Government urgently to liaise with the Egyptian and Palestinian Health Ministries to assist NGOs such as Saving Gaza’s Children to create a short-term medical evacuation programme from Gaza to the UK much like the scheme that worked effectively to support Ukrainian children.”
EDM no. 233 – Palestinian family visa scheme
Tabled 19 December 2023 by Geraint Davies MP (34 signatures including Riverside’s Kim Johnson)
“That this House notes that at least 18,000 civilians have already been killed by the bombardment and siege of Gaza alongside an escalating death toll in the West Bank; further notes that 60 per cent of buildings in Gaza have been flattened and hospitals and schools bombed, food, water and medical supplies denied; notes that civilians are being forced into a smaller and smaller area without shelter or aid and that civilian death is escalating through starvation, disease and lack of medical treatment as well as from bombing and shooting; and calls upon the Government to immediately implement a Palestinian Visa Scheme, based upon the Ukraine Visa scheme, that allows those with family in the UK to be given safe passage to the UK and to be allowed to join their families here.”
EDM no. 177 – Arms to Israel
Tabled 7 December 2023 by Chris Law MP (75 signatures including Riverside’s Kim Johnson who is one of the ‘sponsors’, Walton’s Dan Carden, West Derby’s Ian Byrne, Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley and Wirral West’s Margaret Greenwood)
“That this House notes with deep concern that UK-made military equipment and technology is being used by Israel, including in its most recent bombardment of the occupied Gaza Strip which has resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries; expresses alarm at reports by the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and others of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law by Israel, including apparently unlawful attacks that may amount to war crimes; further notes that Israel uses military technology and weaponry, including surveillance technology, in the broader repression of Palestinians across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory; is therefore alarmed by the granting of and continuation of extant UK licences for export to the Israeli military of arms and arms components including for aircrafts, helicopters, drones, missiles, military technology, armoured vehicles, tanks, ammunition, and small arms; reminds the Government that under international and domestic law, the UK is required to prevent the transfer of military equipment where there is a clear or overriding risk that such exports might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law or international human rights law, as affirmed by Articles 6 and 7 of the Arms Trade Treaty, and criteria one and two of the UK’s Strategic Export Licensing Criteria; and therefore calls for the Government to immediately halt all transfers of military equipment and technology, including components, to Israel, and to suspend the issuing of new licences.”
EDM no.1 – Protecting civilians in Gaza and Israel
Tabled 7 November 2023 by Richard Burgon MP (96 signatures including Riverside’s Kim Johnson, West Derby’s Ian Byrne, Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley and Wirral West’s Margaret Greenwood)
“This House utterly condemns the massacre of Israeli civilians and taking of hostages by Hamas; agrees with the United Nations Secretary-General that these horrific acts do not justify responding with the collective punishment of the Palestinian people; expresses its deep alarm at the Israeli military bombardment and total siege of Gaza and the resulting deaths and suffering; believes that the urgent priority must be to stop the deaths and suffering of any more civilians in Gaza and Israel; welcomes the joint statement from 12 leading aid agencies, including Oxfam, Christian Aid, CAFOD, Medical Aid for Palestinians and Islamic Relief, calling on the UK Government to use its influence to help protect civilians, to ensure adherence to international humanitarian law and to guarantee civilians have access to critical life-saving humanitarian support; and to this end supports their call for the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to urgently press all parties to agree to an immediate de-escalation and cessation of hostilities, to ensure the immediate, unconditional release of the Israeli hostages, to end the total siege of Gaza and allow for unfettered access of medical supplies, food, fuel electricity and water, to guarantee that international humanitarian law is upheld and that civilians are protected in accordance with those laws.”
2022 – 2023 session
EDM no. 1685 – Protecting civilians in Gaza and Israel
Tabled 17 October 2023 by Richard Burgon MP (95 signatures including Riverside’s Kim Johnson, West Derby’s Ian Byrne and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley)
“That this House utterly condemns the massacre of Israeli civilians and taking of hostages by Hamas; agrees with the United Nations Secretary-General that these horrific acts do not justify responding with the collective punishment of the Palestinian people; expresses its deep alarm at the Israeli military bombardment and total siege of Gaza and the resulting deaths and suffering; believes that the urgent priority must be to stop the deaths and suffering of any more civilians in Gaza and Israel; welcomes the joint statement from 12 leading aid agencies, including Oxfam, Christian Aid, CAFOD, Medical Aid for Palestinians and Islamic Relief, calling for the Government to use its influence to help protect civilians, to ensure adherence to international humanitarian law and to guarantee civilians have access to critical life-saving humanitarian support; and to this end supports their call for the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to urgently press all parties to agree to an immediate de-escalation and cessation of hostilities, to ensure the immediate, unconditional release of the Israeli hostages, to end to the total siege of Gaza and allow for unfettered access of medical supplies, food, fuel electricity and water, to guarantee that international humanitarian law is upheld and that civilians are protected in accordance with those laws.”
A similar but significantly weaker motion (no.1719, tabled 25 October) is signed by Liberal Democrat MPs, none of whom have signed no.1685.
EDM no. 1415 – Palestinians facing persecution
Tabled 4 July 2023 by Andy McDonald MP (57 signatures including Riverside’s Kim Johnson, West Derby’s Ian Byrne and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley)
“That this House recognises that the Palestinian people are under unprecedented attack; notes that the Israeli Government, one of the most right-wing in its history, has launched its biggest military incursion in the West Bank in two decades, is announcing thousands of new illegal settlements on a regular basis, continuing with its expulsions of Palestinians from East Jerusalem and Masafer Yatta and its school and home demolitions, and failing to prevent armed settlers from rampaging through Palestinian villages killing, maiming, and attacking Palestinians and destroying homes, mosques, and agricultural lands; is horrified to note that this year in the West Bank alone the Israeli military has killed more than 170 Palestinians, nearly one per day; further notes that the US Administration has publicly criticised the plans for illegal settlement expansion; is dismayed that instead of taking concrete steps to uphold human rights and international law, the British Government seems determined to shield Israel from accountability, as well as companies complicit in its occupation, by legislating to silence those trying to achieve change through peaceful and democratic means; believes that any suggestion that, alone among peoples facing oppression around the world, Palestinians should be singled out and denied the right to appeal to people of conscience for support is not only wrong but runs counter to the UK’s legal obligations and must be rejected; and insists that the ability of public authorities to divest from companies proven to be complicit or responsible for violations of human rights should be defended.”
EDM no. 1155 – 75th anniversary of the Nakba
Tabled 11 May 2023 by Layla Moran MP (21 signatures, none from Merseyside)
“That this House notes that Monday 15 May 2023 marks 75 years since 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled from Palestine in what is now known as the Nakba; notes that there are now over five and a half million Palestinian refugees worldwide and supports these refugees’ rights in line with international law; affirms the need for the Government to continue to fund UNRWA’ which carries out important work with and for Palestinian refugees; further recalls the 800,000 Jews who fled or were expelled from Arab states from 1948 onwards; further notes the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza by the Israeli authorities; calls on the Government to immediately recognise an independent Palestinian state which will help breathe new life into the peace process; and urges the Government to continue to pursue a two-state solution and a lasting peace in the region.”
EDM no. 1064 – 20th anniversary of the shooting of Tom Hurndall
Tabled 17 April 2023 by Andy McDonald (20 signatures including West Derby’s Ian Byrne and Birkenhead;s Mick Whitley)
“That this House notes that April 2023 marks twenty years since 22 year old British photojournalist, Tom Hurndall, was shot in the head by an Israeli army sniper as he tried to rescue Palestinian children from the line of gunfire in Gaza; further notes that he died in January 2004 after being in a coma for nine months and that his killer was released after serving just six years in prison; notes that the lenient sentence and the cursory nature of the military investigation which preceded were examples of a culture of impunity in the State of Israel’s use of illegal extra-judicial killings; notes that this culture of impunity remains evident in the actions of illegal settlers and the Israeli army in the Occupied Territories today; and urges the Government to uphold the principle of accountability for war crimes committed in Israel and Palestine no less diligently than it does in relation to those committed elsewhere by reversing its opposition to the International Criminal Court’s investigation into those crimes.”
EDM no. 760 – Killing of Palestinian journalists
Tabled 16 January 2023 by Grahame Morris MP (25 signatures including Liverpool Riverside’s Kim Johnson and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley)
“That this House welcomes submissions to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) following the killing of Palestinian journalists by Israeli forces; recognises the need for such intervention following the commission of deplorable attacks against journalists in Palestine over several years, resulting in the killing of 48 journalists, including Shireen Abu Akleh, since 2000; joins the National Union of Journalists in condemnation of ongoing impunity for crimes committed against journalists enjoyed by members of the Israeli forces; urges immediate action by the ICC prosecutor to investigate and prosecute those responsible for attacks against and killing of journalists in Palestine; regrets that delays to action amount to a denial of justice to victims; and demands respect for the rights of journalists to undertake their work without fearing for their safety due to the actions of Israel Defense Forces”
EDM no. 710 – Palestinians living in Masafer Yatta
Tabled 15 December 2022 by Tony Lloyd MP (33 signatures including Walton’s Dan Carden and West Derby’s Ian Byrne)
“That this House is deeply concerned by the Israeli High Court of Justice’s decision to approve the eviction of Palestinians living in the Masafer Yatta region of the occupied West Bank to make room for Israeli military training; highlights that the demolitions and confiscations occurring in the occupied West Bank contravene international humanitarian law and undermine social stability and security; strongly condemns the proposed forced removal of over 1,000 Palestinians, including 580 children who are at imminent risk of displacement; emphasises that those involved stand to lose their homes, belongings, access to water, livelihoods, primary health facilities and schools; is appalled that Israeli forces raided and demolished a recently-built Palestinian primary school in Masafer Yatta that served 22 students from four different villages; and calls on the Government to press the Israeli authorities to halt all forcible evictions and demolitions in the occupied West Bank.”.
EDM no.468 – Location of the British Embassy in Israel
Tabled 17 October 2022 by Layla Moran MP (11 signatures)
“That this House urges the Foreign Office to cease its review regarding the location of the British Embassy in Israel and commit to keeping the embassy in Tel Aviv; maintains that moving the British Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem without a negotiated peace settlement will inflame already heightened tensions in the region and will make peace harder to achieve; expresses its concern that the very act of a review is itself hugely inflammatory; notes that such a move would be a breach of international law; recalls how the decision by the United States to move their Embassy, under former President Trump, resulted in violent clashes which resulted in the deaths of around sixty people; and affirms its support for a two-state solution, in which Israel and Palestine both exist with secure boundaries based on the 1967 lines with two capitals in Jerusalem recognised in international law.”
EDM no. 404 – UK Embassy in Israel
Tabled 22 September 2022 by Alyn Smith MP (32 signatures)
“That this House expresses its deep concern regarding the Government’s review into moving the UK Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; notes that, on 21st September 2022, the Prime Minister told her Israeli counterpart about her review of the current location of the British embassy in Israel during a meeting in New York City; maintains that Jerusalem holds a unique position under international law; reminds the Government that, when the Israeli Government passed its 1980 basic law unilaterally naming Jerusalem the united capital of Israel, the UN Security Council declared this policy a violation of international law; reminds the UK Government of UN Security Council Resolution 478 (1980), calling upon UN Member States that have established diplomatic missions at Jerusalem to withdraw such missions from the Holy City; reiterates that any country which recognises exclusive Israeli jurisdiction and political legitimacy over Jerusalem without a mutually agreed peace settlement between Israelis and Palestinians is in violation of Resolution 478 (1980); asserts that a comprehensive peace settlement between Israelis and Palestinians is a pre-requisite for any change in the international community’s position towards Jerusalem; reminds the Government that then-President Donald Trump’s decision in 2017 to move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem sparked international condemnation; reasserts that if the UK is truly an arbiter for peace-building and reconciliation, it cannot consider moving the UK Embassy in Israel; and demands an urgent statement on the floor of the House on this issue.”
EDM no. 153 – Israeli Flag Day in occupied East Jerusalem
Tabled 13 June 2022 by Tommy Sheppard MP (3 signatures)
“That this House condemns the annual Israeli flag march through Palestinian neighbourhoods of occupied East Jerusalem marked by widespread racist chants, including death to Arabs and we will burn your village; further condemns the frequent attacks on Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem by marchers, and attacks on journalists, including this year a BBC crew filming the event; notes with deep concern the endorsement and participation in the march of members of successive Israeli Governments; further notes the failure of the Israeli Government to issue its own condemnation of these events and to take action to prevent them, and believes this failure is indicative of broader discrimination against Palestinians in government policy which Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory have all concluded to be the crime of apartheid against the Palestinian people.”
EDM no. 34 – Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh
Tabled 11 May 2022 by Grahame Morris MP (56 signatures, including Riverside’s Kim Johnson – one of the six sponsors – West Derby’s Ian Byrne and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley
“That this House is shocked by the killing of Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by Israeli forces whilst reporting on raids in Jenin; extends its sincere condolences to her family and colleagues who are devastated? by her death; is appalled that this widely-respected, brave and committed journalist was hit by a bullet whilst wearing a press vest, with gunfire having started without prior instruction to stop filming; notes that fellow journalist Shatha Hanaysha who was present at the time believes that the group was targeted for attack by the Israeli army; considers that this shocking incident must be in the wider context of Israeli forces systematically targeting journalists working in Palestine and the failure to properly investigate killings of media workers; notes that the International Federation of Journalists, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians previously submitted a formal complaint to the International Criminal Court last month regarding such treatment; calls for a full independent investigation of this case, with swift action to bring those responsible for Shireen’s death to account; and joins the National Union of Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists in demanding an end to, and justice for, the wider targeting and killings of Palestinian journalists by Israeli forces.”
2021 – 2022 session
EDM no. 583 – Proscribing of Palestinian human rights organisations
Tabled 25 October 2021 by Tommy Sheppard MP (55 signatures, including Wavertree’s Paula Barker and Walton’s Dan Carden)
“That this House condemns the declaration of 22 October 2021 made by Israeli Minister of Defence, Benny Gantz, which designated six Palestinian civil society groups as terrorist organisations; notes that the Israeli authorities have not provided any evidence to substantiate their claims about the organisations; further notes that the targeted groups Al-Haq, Addameer, Bisan Center, Defence for Children International Palestine, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, and the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees are organisations deeply committed to protecting the human rights of Palestinian communities, highlighting Israel’s illegal policies and also those of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas; further notes the statement of 22 Israeli civil society groups based in Israel in support of the six NGOs; views this as a further direct assault on Palestinian civil society in an effort to isolate and suffocate Palestinian human rights defenders; recognises the significant impact this assault has on some of the most prominent Palestinian civil society organisations including on the local and international public’s right to information about the reality of human rights violations in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories; calls on the Government to demand that the Israeli Government reveal any evidence against those organisations; and further calls on the Government to reaffirm its support for Palestinian and Israeli civil society and human rights organisations as a key foundation in building a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”
EDM no. 300 – Israel Arms Trade (Prohibition) Bill
Tabled 8 July 2021 by Richard Burgon MP (53 signatures, including Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley and West Derby’s Ian Byrne)
“This House notes that the UK Government has authorised hundreds of millions of pounds worth of arms sales to Israel between 2016 and 2020; believes that the UK Government should end these arms sales as part of efforts to end Israel’s militarized repression of Palestinians, violations of international law and the illegal occupation of Palestine; and therefore welcomes the presentation of the Israel Arms Trade (Prohibition) Bill laid on 7 July 2021 that seeks to stop the UK Government from authorising arms sales to Israel.”
EDM no. 145 – Irish Dail policy on the annexation of Palestinian territories
Tabled 7 June 2021 by Kenny MacAskill MP (8 signatures)
“That this House praises the historic decision by the Irish Dail to condemn the illegal annexation of Palestinian lands by Israel; notes that the Dail Motion condemned the recent and ongoing forced displacement of Palestinian communities in the occupied Palestinian territory and described the annexation of Palestinian territory as a violation of international law; recognises that this historic moment is a victory for justice and recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination; and calls on the UK Government and devolved legislatures to replicate said decision.”
EDM no.55 – Attacks on journalists in Gaza
Tabled 17 May 2021 by Grahame Morris MP (51 signatures, including Wavertree’s Paul Barker, West Derby’s Ian Byrne, Riverside’s Kim Johnson, Walton’s Dan Carden and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley)
“That this House deplores the attack by the Israeli military on the building in Gaza housing media including Associated Press and Al Jazeera, which follows attacks or detentions of at least thirty journalists and two previous strikes on journalist’s offices in Gaza; supports the demands of the International Federation of Journalists for an end to the deliberate and systematic targeting of media and journalists in a clear attempt to silence those reporting from on the ground in Gaza; further condemns recent attacks on Israeli journalists by settler groups in Gaza; notes that Israel is in breach of its international obligations, specifically UN Security Council Resolution 1738 which requires States to protect journalists and their support staff working in conflict environments; and calls on the UK Government to do everything in its power, including via the United Nations, to press the Israeli authorities to end the impunity for attacks on journalists in Gaza.”
EDM no.25 – East Jerusalem and Gaza
Tabled 12 May 2021 by Kenny MacAskill (5 signatures)
“That this House condemns unreservedly the Israeli brutality in East Jerusalem and Gaza; refutes entirely that there is any equivalence with actions by Palestinian demonstrators or militants; notes that there is no comparison between state orchestrated violence perpetrated by a military and civil power with legitimate protest by civilians or even retaliatory attacks by militant organisations; reaffirms its calls for peace in the area; and calls on the Government to unequivocally condemn Israeli actions and push for the upholding of international law.”
EDM no.3 – Violence perpetrated by Israeli authorities against Palestinian civilians in Sheikh Jarrah
Tabled 11 May 2021 by Tahir Ali MP (39 signatures, including West Derby’s Ian byrne, Riverside’s Kim Johnson and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley)
“That this House unequivocally condemns the ongoing violence perpetrated by Israeli authorities against Palestinian civilians in the Sheikh Jarrah area of Jerusalem; condemns the attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli police which left hundreds of civilians injured; joins the UN in calling upon the Israeli authorities to demonstrate maximum restraint and to allow the freedom of peaceful assembly for Palestinians; opposes and will work to prevent the ongoing evictions of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem, which is part of a wider attempt to push Palestinians out of Jerusalem altogether; calls on the international community to pursue suitable sanction against the Israeli Government until all violations of international law and human rights are ceased; and recognises that the violence perpetrated by the Israeli authorities in May 2021, along with the continued evictions of Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah, increases regional tensions and frustrates efforts to broker a lasting and just peace between Israel and Palestine.”
2019 – 2021 session
EDM no.1724 – Military trial, detention and treatment of Palestinian children by Israeli authorities
Tabled 12 April 2021 bty Tommy Sheppard MP (51 signatures, including Wavertree’s Paula Barker and Wirral West’s Margaret Greenwood)
“That this House notes with concern that Israeli forces continue to arrest, detain and try several hundred Palestinian children in the Israeli military court and detention system each year despite evidence that that process is rife with international law violations; further notes that Israel is the only country in the world that automatically and systematically prosecutes Palestinian children in military courts which lack fundamental fair trial rights and protections; notes that ill-treatment of Palestinian child detainees by Israeli authorities includes widespread physical and psychological violence, blindfolding, strip searches, denial of food and water, position abuse and isolation solely for the purpose of interrogation, and the denial of access to a lawyer before and during interrogations; remarks on the disparity between treatment of Israeli and Palestinian children in Israeli custody; asserts that Israel, as the occupying power under international humanitarian law in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is responsible for protecting the rights of Palestinian children living under military occupation; notes too that the recommendations of the 2012 Foreign and Commonwealth Office funded report, Children in Military Custody, and UNICEF’s 2013 report, Children in Israeli Military Detention, have not been met; believes that in no circumstances should civilians, particularly children, be detained or prosecuted under the jurisdiction of military courts or held in military detention; and urges the Government to engage with the Government of Israel to end the military trial and detention of Palestinian children and, as a minimum safeguard, to respect and ensure basic due process rights and the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment.”
EDM no. 1680 – Israeli permit system: children and parents in Gaza
Tabled 22 March 2021 by Riverside’s Kim Johnson MP (43 signatures, including Wavertree’s Paula Barker, West Derby’s Ian Byrne, Walton’s Dan Carden and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley)
That this House condemns the inhumane practice of separation of children in Gaza who need medical treatment from outside the Strip from their parents, who are routinely denied accompanier passes by Israel; notes that since January 2018, Physicians for Human Rights Israel has assisted over 130 children including breastfed babies who needed to exit Gaza for medical treatment whose parents were not granted permits so could not be by their side during operations, chemotherapy and other treatments; further notes that as of October 2020, COGAT representatives noted in the Knesset that 40 per cent of children exited for medical treatment without their parents; it expresses profound concern at the serious psychological and physical implications for the children and the violation of their right to health; adds its voice to calls from the Physicians for Human Rights Israel, UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the European Academy of Pediatrics, the International Society of Social Pediatrics and Child Health and others to ensure that every child exiting Gaza will be accompanied by at least one of their parents and be able to access treatment in a speedy manner; and calls on the Government to use its multilateral and bilateral relations with Israel and do everything in its power to ensure it upholds its commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to end its horrific ongoing separation of sick children from their parents.
EDM no. 1386 – Covid-19 vaccination of Palestinians in the occupied territories
Tabled 20 January 2021 by Nadia Whittome MP (28 signatures,including Wavertree’s Paula Barker and Riverside’s Kim Johnson)
“That this House notes that after more than 53 years of occupation, Israeli authorities have an obligation to fully respect the human rights of Palestinians in the occupied territories, including their right to health; notes the Israeli government’s duties under the Forth Geneva Convention to ensure medical supplies, including to combat the spread of pandemics, within occupied territories; notes that the United Nations has confirmed that the Israeli government is legally obliged to protect the right to health and other rights of the populations in the occupied territories; notes concerns raised by a number of human rights organisations and the World Health Organisation regarding the Israeli government’s lack of action in vaccinating Palestinians in the occupied territories; expresses alarm at the unjust and stark contrast between Israeli citizens, including settlers in the West Bank, who are receiving Covid-19 vaccinations at one of the most rapid rates in the world and the unprotected and vulnerable state of Palestinians in the occupied territories who will not begin to receive the vaccine for several months; and urges the British government to use all diplomatic and foreign aid routes to address this disparity and uphold the human rights of the 4.5 million people living in the occupied territories.”
EDM no.1140 – Demolition of Palestinian homes
Tabled 16 November 2020 by Tommy Sheppard MP (27 signatures)
“That this House strongly condemns Israel’s destruction of the entire Palestinian village of Khirbet Hamsa al-Foqa; is appalled that 73 people, including 41 children, have been made homeless in the largest incident of forced displacement in the West Bank for years; notes that 2020 has seen the highest level of Palestinian home demolitions in four years, despite the covid-19 pandemic, which has left over 800 people homeless many of who are children; is alarmed that JCB equipment is being supplied to Israeli forces for the destruction of Palestinian structures, and that the UN Human Rights Office has listed the British company as sustaining illegal settlements; and calls on the Government to immediately ban all UK trade with illegal Israeli settlements, and take action to prevent equipment supplied by British companies, including JCB, from operating in them.”
EDM no.1139 – Israeli annexation of Palestinian land
Tabled 16 November 2020 by Tommy Sheppard MP (18 signatures)
“That this House is deeply alarmed by the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements; notes that, despite the temporary suspension of formal annexation plans, Israel has accelerated the construction of illegal settlements across the West Bank to its fastest pace since 2012; recognises that settlement expansion amounts to the de facto annexation of territory, and needs the same robust international response as formal annexation; acknowledges that Israel’s displacement of Palestinian communities to establish Jewish only settlements, with different rights allocated depending on ethnicity, is being referred to by many political analysts and legal scholars as an example of apartheid; and calls on the Government to take effective measures in response.”
EDM no.794 – Remembering Dr Runa Mackay
Tabled 22 July 2020 by Marion Fellows MP (11 signatures including Wavertree’s Paula Barker)
“That this House notes and celebrates the life and legacy of Dr Runa Mackay who was born on 30 July 1921 and who died on 31 May 2020 at the age of 98; acknowledges her lifetime of service to the Palestinian people by first working as a paediatrician at the EMMS hospital in Nazareth for six months in 1954, returning in 1957 for 20 years where she treated patients who would otherwise have gone without medical care; recognises that she then helped establish and worked with the Galilee Society of Health, Research and Service to serve local communities and also worked for the Israeli Ministry of Health as she felt she would have more power to improve conditions for Palestinians in the villages surrounding Nazareth; further notes that following her retirement in 1987 she began working for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) to treat those in refugee camps in Lebanon, then at a children’s hospital in Hebron and later became a MAP trustee regularly visiting Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and started MAP in Scotland; believes Dr Mackay, who worked into her mid-90s, was an extraordinary woman; and further recognises the 60 years of dedication and service that she gave to treating people, particularly the Palestinian people.”
EDM no. 529 – Eviction of Palestinian family from East Jerusalem
Tabled 2 June 2020 by Tommy Sheppard MP (72 signatures including Wavertree’s Paula Barker and West Derby’s Ian Byrne)
“That this House strongly condemns the ongoing attempts of the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) to evict the Sumarin family from their home in East Jerusalem; recognises this within a broader context of the Israeli government’s efforts to demographically alter the population of Jerusalem, and the controversial use of Israel’s Absentee Property Law to dispossess Palestinians of their land; notes the Sumarin family have lived at their property, with deeds of ownership, for over fifty years; reiterates that ethnic cleansing is one of the most serious crimes, and that the UK is committed to upholding international law; urgently requests the Government to intervene on behalf of the Sumarin family, and calls on the Charity Commission to review the charitable status of JNF UK.”
EDM no. 464 – Proposed Israeli annexation of part of the West Bank
Tabled 11 May 2020 by Andy Slaughter MP (79 signatures including West Derby’s Ian Byrne, Wavertree’s Paula Barker and Birkenhead’s Mick Whitley)
“That this House notes with concern the plans of the new Israeli coalition government to annex part of the occupied West Bank; further notes that Israeli legislation can progress from 1 July 2020 to carry out such an annexation; highlights that any such annexation of territory occupied in 1967 is a breach of international law which rejects any acquisition of territory through force and that it would be a major threat to peace; notes that when Russia illegally annexed the Crimea in 2014, the UK joined EU partners in imposing sanctions on that country; calls on the Government to make clear to the Israeli Government that such a step will have severe consequences for the UK-Israel relationship; and further calls on the Government to introduce sanctions similar to those impose on Russia in the event that an annexation of occupied territory takes place.”
EDM no. 225 – International Law and trade with illegal Israeli settlements
Tabled 26 February 2020 by Andy Slaughter MP (64 signaures including West Derby’s Ian Byrne)
“That this House recognises the publication of the UN’s database of companies operating in Israeli settlements; acknowledges that all Israeli settlements are illegal and that the transfer of a civilian population to an occupied territory is a war crime under international law; notes that complicity in war crimes is a serious criminal offence; reaffirms the Government’s obligation to uphold international law, and the corporate responsibility of companies to respect human rights, as outlined in the UN Guiding Principles; is alarmed that UK businesses are listed in the UN database, while also recognising that the database itself is not exhaustive of all companies supporting illegal settlement infrastructure; welcomes the report of Amnesty International highlighting that companies cannot do business in or with settlements without contributing to violations of international humanitarian and human rights law; and calls on the Government to fulfil its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention, relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and under customary international humanitarian law, by banning UK trade with illegal settlements and making binding regulations for companies to uphold human rights standards.”
EDM no. 30 – ICC PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE SITUATION IN PALESTINE
Tabled 7 January 2020 by Martyn Day MP (18 signatures)
“That this House notes the statement from the International Criminal Court prosecutor, Fatuo Bensouda, on the conclusion of the preliminary examination of the situation in Palestine; reaffirms full support for the application of international humanitarian law and prosecution where violations are found to have occurred; welcomes the scope of the investigation into war crimes committed in the Israel-Palestine conflict; further notes that in addition to investigating Israel for war crimes the investigation will also look at Palestinian organisations for targeting civilians, use of torture and denial of fair trials; welcomes the impartiality of the investigation; and calls upon the UK Government to apply all necessary pressure upon those party to the Israel-Palestine conflict and urge unfettered access for the ICC to carry out its investigation without hindrance.”
2017 – 2019 session
EDM no. 2640 – DEMOLITIONS IN EAST JERUSALEM
Tabled 23 July 2019 by Wes Streeting MP (60 signatures)
“That this House condemns the demolition of Palestinian buildings in the Sur Baher neighbourhood in East Jerusalem; notes that this is an area under the control of the Palestinian Authority under the Oslo Accords; further notes that these demolitions have been condemned by the EU, UN and both Israeli and Palestinian human rights organisations; believes that such demolitions set back the prospects for peace and a two-state solution; and calls on Her Majesty’s Government to condemn these demolitions and make representations to the Government of Israel to cease these demolitions immediately.”
EDM no.2629 – US MIDDLE EAST PEACE ENVOY
Tabled 22 July 2019 by Alex Sobel MP (14 signatures)
“That this House condemns US peace envoy Jason Greenblatt’s comments made in an interview with PBS on 17 July 2019, in which Greenblatt rejected the term occupied to describe the West Bank and described as pejorative the use of the word settlements; notes that the Oslo Accords recognised that land as occupied and the settlements as part of the West Bank and not Israel; and urges the Government to press the US to return to the Oslo Accords and restart the negotiating process according to Article V of the Accords”
EDM no. 2344 – ILLEGAL ANNEXATION OF OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN AND SYRIAN TERRITORIES
Tabled 30 April 2019 by Andy Slaughter MP (43 signatures including St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer)
“That this House condemns any annexation by the State of Israel of any part of the territories occupied in 1967; notes it has already illegally annexed East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights; further notes that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu threatened during Israeli elections to annex part of or all of the West Bank; recalls that international law prohibits the acquisition of territory by force; believes that any such move threatens any solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict; and calls on the Government to make clear that any such Israeli annexation would entail significant consequences for UK-Israeli relations.”
EDM no. 2216 – ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF THE GOLAN HEIGHTS
Tabled 22 March 2019 by Richard Burden MP (34 signatures including St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer)
That this House reiterates its support for the long-held international position that Israel is in occupation of the Golan Heights and has been for nearly 52 years; notes that such an occupation should be temporary and that all Israeli settlements there are illegal under international law; urges the UK Government and European partners to oppose the new position of the US Government recognising the Golan as Israeli territory; and calls on the UK Government to reiterate the vital nature of the land-for-peace formula based on UN Security Council Resolution 242 and the UN Security Council Resolution 497 of 1981 calling on Israel to rescind its illegal annexation to be implemented.
EDM no.1566 – UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES
Tabled 4 September 2018 by Richard Burden MP (87 signatures including Liverpool Walton’s Dan Carden)
“That this House is appalled by the decision of the US Administration to end its funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which amounts to a reduction of nearly a third of UNRWA’s operating budget; believes that such a move takes the Middle East further away from peace and is part of an unprecedented attempt to undermine the international legal consensus on the protected status of Palestinian refugees; notes that across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, around six million Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA and reaffirms their status as such; is concerned that this funding decision will critically endanger UNRWA’s ability to continue providing vital services, including health care and social services as well as education for well over 500,000 refugee children; and calls on the Government to work with international partners to fill the funding gap left by the US Administration and ensure that vital front-line services are not put at risk by this reckless unilateral withdrawal of support.”
EDM no. 1556 – ISRAEL’S NATION STATE LAW
Tabled 24 July 20178 by Alex Sobel MP (33 signatures)
“That this House notes with concern the Nation State Law passed in the Israeli Knesset by just 62 votes to 55; further notes this law enshrines the concept that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people as a basic law and alters the application of the Basic Law on Human Dignity and Liberty in court rulings, and permits judges to give priority to Israel’s Jewish character in their rulings; notes in addition that Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the Palestinian Authority must acknowledge aspects of the law as a condition for a future peace agreement, putting the two state solution at risk; declares that democracies by their character treat all their citizens equally before the law and are committed to the pluralism of peoples and that this law abandons those basic tenets; and therefore calls on the Government to urge the Israeli Government to repeal the Nation State Law and to enshrine equal status to all its citizens.”
EDM no.1543 – FOREIGN NATIONAL VISAS IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Tabled 23 July 2018 by Alex Sobel MP (25 signatures)
“That this House expresses concern over reports that the Israeli Government is increasingly refusing to renew the residency permits and visas of foreign nationals who live and work in the Palestinian Territories; affirms the view that foreign nationals must be granted access to visit, travel and live in the Palestinian Territories unless there are legitimate security concerns; supports those foreign nationals who have made the Occupied Palestinian Territory their centre of life and built their careers in Palestine; believes that actions and policies which isolate Palestinians will harm peace building efforts; and calls on the Government to apply all appropriate diplomatic pressure to ensure foreign nationals, including British nationals, as well as aid workers have unhindered access to Palestine and for Israeli authorities to provide all assistance required to those who seek permits to reside in the Palestinian Territories.”
EDM no 1294 – UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
Tabled 21 May 2018 by Richard Burden MP (48 signatures including Liverpool Walton’s Dan Carden)
“That this House welcomes the resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) on 18 May 2018 to establish an independent, international Commission of Inquiry to investigate all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the context of large-scale civilian protests in the occupied Palestinian territory; regrets the failure of the Government to join 29 partner countries on the HRC in condemning the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians; believes the reasons given by the Government for its abstention from the vote do not bear scrutiny as the HRC resolution calls on all parties to ensure that future demonstrations remain peaceful and to abstain from actions that could endanger the lives of civilians; calls, as the remit of the Inquiry is to investigate all human rights violations and as the resolution, both on Israel and the occupying power and on all relevant parties to co-operate with the commission of inquiry and facilitate its access; and further calls on the Government to make good on the statements by the Minister for the Middle East to hon. Members during the Urgent Question on events in Gaza answered in the House on 15 May 2018 by giving its active support to the HRC Commission of Inquiry and upholding in practice the principle of accountability for violations of international law.”
EDM no. 1264 – DEATH OF PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS ON 14 MAY 2018
Tabled 15 May 2018 by Jonathan Edwards MP (25 signatures including St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer)
That this House unreservedly and unequivocally condemns the brutal actions of the Israeli Government in Gaza on 14 May 2018; recognises the decision by President Trump to move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as a deliberately inflammatory and dangerous act that has only served to heighten tensions in the region; believes this action has directly led to the killing of 55 Palestinians and injuring of over 2,000; further recognises the fundamental right of Palestinian people to demonstrate without being shot at with live ammunition, and the duty on the Israeli Government to respect the human rights of civilians; further condemns the US for abdicating all responsibility for leading peace efforts and calls on the rest of the international community to quickly determine how to fill the absence and avoid a more prolonged and open conflict; urges the Government to not simply remain silent on the systematic abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories; and calls on the Government to urge the Israeli Government to put an end to the entirely unnecessary death of protestors, and to work with the Palestinian Authority and the international community to find a peaceful way to negotiate a two-state solution to bring an end to this conflict.”
EDM no. 1258 – 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAKBA
Tabled 11 May 2018 by Richard Burden MP (28 signatures)
“That this House notes that 15 May 2018 marks 70 years since the Nakba catastrophe in which more than 750,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes; further notes that Palestinian refugees’ right of return as recognised by UN Resolution 194 has been blocked by successive Israeli governments; notes that there are now over five million Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and overseas, as well as internally displaced Palestinians living in Israel; notes the restrictions on civil and political rights for refugees in some of those countries and the extreme vulnerability of Palestinian refugees to the conflict in Syria; calls on the UK Government to work to improve the wellbeing of Palestinian refugees in host countries, without prejudice to their rights under international law, and therefore to respond positively to the UN’s appeal to offset the funding crisis now facing the vital work of UNRWA, which has been dramatically worsened by the US’ decision to withhold $65 million from the Agency; believes that a just solution for Palestinian refugees based on human rights and international law will be an essential ingredient of durable peace in the Middle East; and further calls on the UK Government to pursue that objective in its international diplomacy.”
EDM no. 1169 – DEMOLITION PLANS IN KHAN AL-AHMAR VILLAGE IN THE WEST BANK
Tabled 17 April 2018 by Lisa Nandy MP (109 signatures including St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer)
“That this House notes with concern the upcoming Israeli High Court hearing on 25 April 2018 on the demolition of buildings in the village of Khan al-Ahmar in the West Bank; condemns those plans and the impact they will have on communities in the occupied Palestinian territories; believes that the demolition of these buildings would be a flagrant disregard by Israel of both the will of the international community and the international legal order; further notes that the coercive environment of threatened demolition, illegal settlement expansion and forcible displacement are a daily reality faced by communities in the occupied Palestinian territories; is concerned that such demolitions form part of Israel’s E1 plan which will cut off Palestinians living in East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, jeopardising the contiguity of any future Palestinian state and thus undermining an already fragile two-state solution; welcomes the actions taken by the EU in issuing a demarche to Israel; reminds the Government of its duties as a signatory to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Fourth Geneva Convention; and calls on the Government to exert meaningful and decisive political, diplomatic and economic pressure on the Israeli authorities to halt the demolitions programme as a whole and, in particular, to abandon attempts to demolish the school and other buildings in Khan al-Ahmar.”
EDM no. 798 – DUMPING OF ISRAELI WASTE IN THE WEST BANK
Tabled 15 January 2018 by Grahame Morris MP (31 signatures including St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer)
That this House expresses deep concern over the allegations raised by the human rights organisation B’Tselem that Palestinian land in the West Bank is being used for the treatment of Israeli waste, including hazardous waste; notes that Israel is using the occupation of the Palestinian Territories to deny the Palestinian people dignity and is putting Palestinian residents health at risk; further notes that the exploitation of the occupied territories is illegal under international law; and calls for an immediate end to this unjust practice and for steps to be taken to prevent waste treatment facilities being operated by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
EDM no. 728 – DETENTION OF AHED TAMIMI
Tabled 21 December 2017 by Dr Philippa Whitford MP (49 signatures including St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer)
“That this House expresses deep concern that in the early hours of 19 December an Israeli Border Police unit broke into the Tamimi family home during a night raid in Nabi Saleh and arrested 17-year-old Ahed Tamimi, taking her away for interrogation; believes that Ahed is targeted because she is the daughter of parents who are leading activists in the popular struggle against the occupation in the village of Nabi Saleh; acknowledges the reality of repression against ordinary Palestinians and notes the disproportionate response to any action taken by Ahed and rejects the routine use of night arrests and interrogation of minors by Israeli military forces which fuel further hatred and division; calls for the immediate unconditional release of Ahed Tamimi; and asks the Government to make representations to Israel that actions carried out by the occupying power that are not necessitated by genuine security concerns are in violation of the laws governing military occupation.”
EDM no. 563 – MILITARY DETENTION OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN BY ISRAELI AUTHORITIES
Tabled 20 November 2017 by Lisa Nandy MP (144 signatures including Liverpool Walton’s Dan Carden, Wallasey’s Angela Eagle and St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer)
“That this House notes with concern that hundreds of Palestinian children continue to be arrested, detained and tried in Israeli military courts, despite the practice involving widespread and systematic violations of international law and being widely condemned; further notes that allegations of ill-treatment at the hands of Israeli authorities include blindfolding, physical violence and arrest at night; notes the disparity between the treatment of Israeli and Palestinian children by Israeli authorities and calls for those authorities to treat Palestinian children in a way that is not inferior to the way they would any Israeli child; notes that, as the occupying power in the West Bank, Israel has a responsibility under international human rights conventions for the safety, welfare and human rights protection of Palestinian children living under occupation; notes with concern that the recommendations of Unicef’s 2013 Children in Israeli Military Detention Report remain largely unmet; and urges the Government to urgently engage with the Government of Israel to end the widespread and systemic human rights violations suffered by Palestinian children in Israeli military custody.”
EDM no. 482 – ANNIVERSARY OF THE BALFOUR DECLARATION
Tabled 31 October 2017 by Caroline Lucas MP (22 signatures including St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer)
“That this House acknowledges the centenary anniversary of the Balfour Declaration on 2 November 2017; notes that the Declaration pledged Britain’s support for a national home in Palestine for the Jewish people on the understanding that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine; recognises that the promise to protect indigenous non-Jewish communities has not been accomplished and must be fulfilled; believes that the anniversary is an opportunity to reflect critically upon the role that the British Government has played and its failure to uphold obligations and safeguard the rights of Palestinians; celebrates the achievements of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra who are performing in the UK in advance of the centenary and whose work bridges the divide between Palestinians and Israelis; reaffirms its support for the negotiation of a durable peace between Israelis and Palestinians, resulting in two sovereign states of Israel and Palestine, both with viability and contiguity within secure and internationally recognised borders; and calls on the Government to recognise the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel so as to contribute to a secure and negotiated end to violent conflict.”
EDM no. 458 – BREAST CANCER IN GAZA
Tabled 25 October 2017 by Alistair Carmichael MP (31 signatures including St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer)
“That this House is deeply concerned about the crisis facing Palestinian women with breast cancer, particularly those living in Gaza; notes that restrictions on freedom of movement imposed by Israel prevent many from reaching essential treatment, such as radiotherapy, elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territory; expresses deep concern over reports of multiple deaths in 2017 of breast cancer and other patients awaiting permits to exit Gaza for treatment; further notes that shortages of essential medicines and electricity amid restrictions on the exit of Palestinian medical staff for training severely impact on the quality of treatment available inside Gaza; expresses further concern that the closure of Gaza which the International Committee of the Red Cross termed a collective punishment imposed in clear violation of lsrael’s obligations under international humanitarian law has continued for 10 years; and calls on the Government to use its multilateral and bilateral relations with Israel to press for an end to the illegal closure of Gaza and for the humanitarian needs of its population to be met.”
EDM no. 208 – HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN THE GAZA STRIP
Tabled 18 July 2017 by Caroline Lucas MP (22 signatures)
“That this House is deeply concerned about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip; notes that the blockade of Gaza by the Israeli and Egyptian authorities has been in place for 10 years, violates international law and continues to impoverish civilians in Gaza; recognises that Gaza remains under Israeli occupation and that Israel’s military controls Gaza’s land and maritime borders; notes that the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has said Gaza will be unliveable for its 1.8 million inhabitants by 2018; expresses grave concern at the combination of lsraeli, Egyptian, Palestinian Authority and Hamas policies that have made the situation in Gaza acutely worse over the past month; condemns the Israeli decision of 19 June to cut electricity supply to Gaza on the request of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas; further notes that on 12 July the sole power plant in Gaza shut down due to lack of fuel; expresses concern that inadequate supply of power will result in critical services, including hospital intensive care, being shut down; calls on all parties urgently to engage in talks to resolve the electricity crisis; and calls on the Government to apply pressure to the Israeli and Egyptian authorities so as to ensure the basic needs of civilians in Gaza are met.”
EDM no. 131 – 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OCCUPATION OF WEST BANK, GAZA AND GOLAN HEIGHTS
Tabled 5 July 2017 by Richard Burden MP (27 signatures)
“That this House notes that June 2017 marked 50 years since the Six Day War of 1967 and the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, as well as the Golan Heights; further notes that a system of military rule over areas of the West Bank has made way for the construction of Israeli settlements, with over 600,000 people in around 200 illegal settlements, and that in the past 50 years some 48,000 Palestinian homes have been demolished; recognises that the ongoing military occupation is a barrier to peace and security for all Israelis and Palestinians; and therefore calls on the Government to demand an end to the 50-year occupation and to recognise the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, contributing to securing a negotiated two-state solution in line with the resolution passed by this House on 13 October 2014.”
EDM no. 19 – AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ISRAEL’S OCCUPATION OF EAST JERUSALEM, THE WEST BANK, GOLAN HEIGHTS AND GAZA
Tabled 21 June 2017 by Chris Stephens MP (14 signatures)
“That this House endorses Amnesty lnternational’s newly launched global campaign calling on governments around the world to ban imports from illegal Israeli settlements; notes that this campaign coincides with the 50th anniversary of Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Golan Heights and Gaza; expresses grave concern at the UK’s complicity in a multi-million pound enterprise that fuels mass human rights violations against Palestinians and the legal implications this has under international law; calls on the Government to preclude all trade, imports and investment in Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise by adopting a total ban on trade and imports that are proven to either originate or are tied to Israel’s illegal settlements in territories under Israel’s belligerent military occupation; further calls on the Government to ensure that the UK acts in compliance with its obligations under international laws and treaties which require the Government, along with all third parties, to ensure respect for international law and not recognise an illegal situation arising from breaches, such as Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise, and refrain from any activity that would render aid or assistance to such grave and severe breaches of peremptory norms of international law; and asks the Government to demand that Israel dismantle the settlements and fully withdraw from the territories occupied in 1967.”