Standing Firm Against Israeli Aggression in Gaza: events in Norwich and London this Saturday [Press release]
PRESS RELEASE:
Green Party Councillors Stand Firm Against Israeli Aggression in Gaza
The Palestian death toll in Gaza from the latest conflict now stands at over 1000, mostly civilians, and over 300 of them children. By comparison 14 Israeli lives have been lost, the majority of whom are soldiers. Greens are deeply concerned about the loss of life on both sides; and about the gross disproportion in this conflict.
Green Party Councillors Stand Firm Against Israeli Aggression in Gaza
The Palestian death toll in Gaza from the latest conflict now stands at over 1000, mostly civilians, and over 300 of them children. By comparison 14 Israeli lives have been lost, the majority of whom are soldiers. Greens are deeply concerned about the loss of life on both sides; and about the gross disproportion in this conflict.
Green Party Councillors Rupert Read and Adrian Holmes are attending events this Saturday in protest against the Israeli occupation of Palestine and against this Israeli aggression in Gaza. Whilst Holmes (Green Party Parliamentary candidate for Norwich North) will be speaking at the rally and vigil planned at the amphitheatre outside the Forum in Norwich from 11.30 am, Read will be in London taking part in the rally for Gaza planned to start at 2pm am at Trafalgar Square. ((Read will be available live on his mobile, 07946 459066, to report from the march.))
Read, who is the lead Green Party MEP candidate for the Eastern Region in the 4 June 2009 Euro-elections, said "The Green Party is very concerned about the terrible plight of the Palestianian people in Gaza at present and our MEPs are calling for urgent action from the European Union to put pressure on Israel to stop their wholly disproportionate attack that will perpetuate violence and terror in the region for years to come." Read experienced the poverty the Palestinians suffer when he vistited their refugee camps in Syria during a visit there some years ago. With regard to the worsening situation in Gaza, Read said, "The population of Gaza is already suffering grievously from the long-running Israeli blockade and siege, which has accelerated Gaza'a decline into even greater hunger and poverty. Against this background, casualties among the civilian population only serve to make people more angry and sow the seeds for further violence."
The Green Party has demanded an end to Israeli assaults on Gaza, and is backing up its demand with a credible bargaining chip: The Leader of the Green Party Caroline Lucas MEP has called for the suspension of the EU's important 'association agreement' with Israel, a trade agreement giving Israel preferential terms, because of Israel's "grossly disproportionate" action in Gaza. The European Parliament will vote on this agreement later this month.
The Norwich event is scheduled to take place from 11.30 am to 1.00 pm and hundreds of supporters are expected to attend. The London march commences at 2pm where tens of thousands of supporters are expected to march in the capital.
Read, who is the lead Green Party MEP candidate for the Eastern Region in the 4 June 2009 Euro-elections, said "The Green Party is very concerned about the terrible plight of the Palestianian people in Gaza at present and our MEPs are calling for urgent action from the European Union to put pressure on Israel to stop their wholly disproportionate attack that will perpetuate violence and terror in the region for years to come." Read experienced the poverty the Palestinians suffer when he vistited their refugee camps in Syria during a visit there some years ago. With regard to the worsening situation in Gaza, Read said, "The population of Gaza is already suffering grievously from the long-running Israeli blockade and siege, which has accelerated Gaza'a decline into even greater hunger and poverty. Against this background, casualties among the civilian population only serve to make people more angry and sow the seeds for further violence."
The Green Party has demanded an end to Israeli assaults on Gaza, and is backing up its demand with a credible bargaining chip: The Leader of the Green Party Caroline Lucas MEP has called for the suspension of the EU's important 'association agreement' with Israel, a trade agreement giving Israel preferential terms, because of Israel's "grossly disproportionate" action in Gaza. The European Parliament will vote on this agreement later this month.
The Norwich event is scheduled to take place from 11.30 am to 1.00 pm and hundreds of supporters are expected to attend. The London march commences at 2pm where tens of thousands of supporters are expected to march in the capital.
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