Julian Sturdy please oppose building in the West Bank - Open letter

Dear Mr Sturdy,

As one of your, probably few, Jewish constituents I am writing to ask you to please attend and speak up at the debate on Israeli settlements in the House of Commons on 9 February 2017 in order to show opposition to the illegal building of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The building of settlements constitutes a war crime under international law. Palestinians already walled in to the West Bank face continual loss of land and livelihoods due to the expansion of settlements, not to mention the violence from settlers and the Israeli military that goes along with them. In Jerusalem the situation is as extreme, with settlers invading homes with Israeli security support while the Palestinian owners are left without any channel of redress, protection or rights.

If the UK government is serious about peace and justice, it must take immediate steps to curb the growth of settlements including:

1) Refuse trade negotiations with Israel so long as it continues denying Palestinians their rights. Despite its systematic violations of international law, Israel enjoys favoured trade status with the UK and the European Union. Negotiating a new trade deal would encourage Israel’s impunity and send a clear message that its war crimes can continue without any meaningful consequences. As the UK prepares to renegotiate trade deals in light of the ‘Brexit’ process, it must not reward Israel’s aggression with an upgrade in diplomatic and economic relations.

2) Implement a two-way arms embargo on Israel over its blatant disregard for international law. UK arms companies like BAE sell weapons to Israel, used in its brutal occupation of Palestine. UK banks hold investments for arms companies that lend material support to Israel’s violations of international law. If the UK’s official criteria for licensing arms exports was properly applied, it would already result in a de-facto arms embargo on Israel over its continued building of settlements and other war crimes related to the occupation of Palestine.

Over the past years, Israel has continued to build illegal settlements and violate international law with impunity. FCO statements discouraging settlement building have no effect on Israel, so long as the words are not backed up by action.

This issue is of utmost importance to me, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of start of the brutal Israeli military occupation. Please ensure the UK does not go one more year enabling the atrocious crimes that deny Palestinians justice and freedom.

I am sure that you are aware that I am equally concerned about UK arms sales to other countries having written to you on the issue several times.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Franklin

4 Frazer Court

York

YO30 5FH

Treatment of Palestinians by Israel - open letter to Julian Sturdy MP

Dear Mr Sturdy,

I have just watched the short documentary, 'Breaking the Generations: Palestinian prisoners and medical rights', which is now available online (https://vimeo.com/157902498). I am writing to you because I am concerned about the serious human rights and health issues it raises, and am especially concerned as a Jew.

The documentary covers several issues including Israel's arbitrary and repressive use of so called administrative detention (ie imprisonment without charge for an indefinite period) on Palestinian detainees, the use of torture and the failure to provide proper medical care.

Remarking on the film, Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association said, “Over 700 Palestinian administrative detainees are currently being held without charge or trial. It is crucial that the UK speaks out on their behalf and highlights Israel's systematic violations of international human rights laws, including systematic detention without charge or trial, torture and ill treatment, and medical negligence inside Israeli prisons and detention centres.”

The film also addresses the issues of alleged torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and "systematic" medical negligence creating potentially dangerous medical consequences for the physical and mental health of Palestinian prisoners. Given that these prisoners have no mechanisms available to meaningfully raise, challenge and end these violations, I am writing to you to call on the British government, as a close ally and trading partner of Israel, to apply full diplomatic and political pressure on the Israeli government to:

(1) end the arbitrary use of administrative detention against Palestinian prisoners
(2) outlaw the use of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and end these practices in Israeli prisons;
(3) fulfil its legal obligations to provide Palestinian prisoners with adequate medical care and mental health treatment.
(4) end the sale to Israel of military and dual use equipment.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
Tom Franklin
4 Frazer Court
York
YO30 5FH