Early Day Motion on Gaza — House of Commons 17^th October 2023

Early day motions are short proposals that give MPs a chance to express an opinion, publicise a cause or support a position.  They are rarely actually debated, and are only publicised in writing.

Motion text

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.

Put forward by Richard Burgon, supported by 95 MPs.

Another Early Day Motion was put forward in July 2023 by Andy McDonald, supported by 58 MPs

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.