Bedford and Kempston MP, Mohammad Yasin (Labour), is among 255 MPs representing nine different parties who have signed an open letter urging the Prime Minister to recognise the state of Palestine.
It comes as international humanitarian organisations warn that without intervention, mass starvation of the civilians in Gaza is inevitable.
More than a third of all MPs have signed the open letter from Sarah Champion MP (Rotherham, Labour), which has prompted the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to call a cabinet meeting today (Tuesday).
Neither of Bedford Borough’s Conservative MPs, Richard Fuller (North East Beds) and Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire), are signatories of the letter, and neither responded to our request for a comment.
Ms Champion is the Chair of the International Development Select Committee and is pressing for UK recognition of Palestinian statehood at the forthcoming UN Conference, taking place in New York on 28 – 29 July.
She said: “Parliament has backed Palestinian statehood for more than a decade. The broad support, from across the House, that my joint letter has received, shows clearly the strength of feeling from Parliamentarians in favour of recognising the state of Palestine without delay.
“While recognition alone will not end the suffering in Gaza or the rapid expansion of settlements and settler violence in the West Bank, it is an important symbolic step on the path to the two-state solution. That remains the only viable proposal to secure a lasting peace for the region.
“Recognition would send a powerful symbolic message that we support the rights of the Palestinian people, that they are not alone and they need to maintain hope that there is a route that leads to lasting peace and security for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people.”
Humanitarian catastrophe
In a statement to the Bedford Independent, Mr Yasin said: “I welcome the Prime Minister’s decision to call an emergency meeting during the holidays on the Gaza crisis so we can do all we can to address the humanitarian catastrophe, clearly visible in the unbearable images of starving children coming out of Gaza.
“I agree with the Prime Minister that what we are witnessing is “unspeakable and indefensible,” and that a Palestinian state is “an inalienable right” of the Palestinian people. I signed the letter because I believe the time to act on that belief is now.
“Of course, we must use all our diplomatic efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages. But in these darkest times, when the two-state solution feels more distant than ever, it is all the more important to reaffirm that it is still possible, and that it remains the only viable path to lasting peace.”
A survey published today (Tuesday) by Survation indicates that almost half of the UK population – 49% – is in favour of the recognition of Palestinian statehood.
54% of people surveyed felt that Israel’s actions had “gone too far”, and 49% felt that the UK government should be more critical of Israel.
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