Dignity for Palestinians
The next item of business is a members' business debate on motion S3M-2878, in the name of Pauline McNeill, on dignity for Palestinians. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament welcomes the passage of the boat, Dignity, which travelled from Cyprus to Gaza with 11 European parliamentarians including three members of the Scottish Parliament on board; recognises that this is the third boat to challenge the siege of Gaza, which has become a permanent blockade and which has affected every aspect of Palestinian life to the point where they are now in receipt of the largest food aid programme in the world; is concerned about the impact of the blockade on ordinary Palestinians, denying them basic health care rights as there is a shortage of medicine, proper medical equipment and severe restrictions on leaving Gaza for referral treatment, which has resulted in many deaths as recorded by the World Health Organisation; supports the efforts of Edinburgh Direct Aid to send aid to Gaza, and recognises that action by the international community, to secure an end to the siege of Gaza and implement international law, is key to encouraging long-term peace in the Middle East.
I am pleased to be leading off the debate on dignity for Palestinians. This is only the second time that the Parliament has debated the issue, and the debate could not be timelier as the situation is worse than ever. I welcome members of the cross-party group on Palestine, who are in the public gallery.
Desmond Tutu described the situation in Gaza as an "abomination", and Mary Robinson said that it is almost unbelievable that the world does not seem to care about a whole civilisation being destroyed. Scotland must play its part in exposing that human tragedy.
I will begin by talking about my recent trip to Gaza with Hugh O'Donnell and Sandra White—two members of the Parliament who showed great strength and determination in taking the 15-hour overnight trip from Larnaca to Gaza, with all the risks that that entailed—and eight other parliamentarians who travelled on the Free Gaza boat. The trip was organised by Dr Arafat Shoukri, the chair of the European campaign to end the siege on Gaza. Fifty parliamentarians were set to go through Egypt but, as we now know, Egypt has been complicit in the siege by permanently closing the Rafah border, and the original route was denied to us.
Arriving at 9 am at the Gaza port without any real hindrance, we were greeted by hundreds of local Palestinians and crowds of international media. The BBC, being refused entry, could not cover the trip. We were only the third boat, and the first group of parliamentarians, to challenge the siege of Gaza, and we are eye-witnesses to the situation that now prevails there. We gained access to every aspect of life in what is the most densely populated area of the world: 1.4 million Palestinians occupy that tiny piece of land, and 80 per cent of them are now dependent on food aid.
Since 2006, when Hamas unexpectedly swept the board in fair and free elections, Gaza has been under a siege that has become progressively heavier. The strategy of isolating the people of Gaza—the world's response to that election result—has resulted in ordinary people paying with their lives. No one—not the sick, not the infirm and not young children—has escaped the physical and psychological impact of the virtual imprisonment of the people of Gaza.
The health of Palestinians is the single most shocking issue. The World Health Organization has recorded that several hundred deaths have resulted from the Israeli policy of refusing people permission to leave Gaza. The Israeli Government claims that it is allowing people to leave, but virtually no one has been allowed to leave in recent months. We saw that for sure.
Another result of the Israeli policy is that there are no spare parts for health equipment or machinery. Also, no specialist technicians are allowed to enter the Gaza strip to attend to medical equipment. At the neo-natal unit at Al-Shifa hospital, the incubators are so old that they are not up to providing care for new-born babies. A doctor showed us a young baby with hypothermia and said that the baby would not survive. Forty-five per cent of children have an iron deficiency and 18.5 per cent have stunted growth. On 16 December, the 271st Palestinian patient died as a result of the blockade. He was banned from leaving Gaza to get cancer treatment. If someone living in Gaza has cancer, the chances are that they will die. Malnutrition among children is rife and disease is spreading, mainly due to infrastructure breakdown. The sewerage network cannot cope. A recent plant breakdown resulted in the contamination of water in the area.
Andrew Muncie, the Scot who was recently reported as having been abducted by the Israeli navy, is an example of the many foreign nationals whom we met on our visit who go out fishing with fishermen in an attempt to prevent the Israeli navy from shooting at their boats. The support that those foreign nationals have given fishermen has been a success: catch levels are up twentyfold. However, the fishermen are now forced to fish within a 3 to 5-mile limit, which means that they are fishing in contaminated waters. The population has no choice other than to eat the fish, but the practice is spreading disease, particularly among children.
Schoolchildren cannot aspire to achieve their chosen careers because unemployment is now above 50 per cent. University life is impossible: teachers cannot travel to learn. The mental health problems of people who live under permanent siege are acute, yet there are no mental health services in Gaza.
According to Medical Aid for Palestinians, 71 per cent of children say when interviewed that they want to be a martyr. That is shocking to many people. Of course, if the situation is not tackled, generations of young Palestinians will be lost to conflict. The blockage can lead only to further tension and conflict.
Scotland has a strong affinity with the Palestinian people. We must do what we can to stop this humanitarian disaster. I hope that the Parliament as a whole will back the efforts of Edinburgh Direct Aid, supported by the cross-party group on Palestine, in taking aid directly to Gaza early next year. We have many supporters, most recently from the Glasgow Central Mosque, the Sikh temple in my constituency, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and many members of the Scottish Parliament—too many to mention.
The root of the conflict is the failure to achieve real progress in the establishment of a viable homeland for Palestinians. It is a failure of the world to challenge the illegal occupation of the west bank and the illegal siege of Gaza. We can no longer simply pay lip service to the idea of a two-state solution; it has to be made a reality. David Miliband, the United Kingdom Government Foreign Secretary, reiterated the UK position—which is exactly the right position to take—this week at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council. However, if pressure is not brought to bear on the main player—Israel—to bring about that solution, there will be neither peace nor progress. Like others, I condemn all violence, wherever it comes from. However, punishing all Palestinian people because of the actions of a few is morally wrong and will not lead to peace.
The Dignity delegation has urged the Foreign Secretary to visit Gaza to see the situation for himself. He must see the human tragedy and the impact of the illegal siege. I believe that he will go to Gaza when the time is right—I certainly hope that he will do so. Britain must challenge Israeli behaviour over the siege of Gaza. We cannot be complicit in silence.
There is much hope that Barack Obama, the incoming US President, will make the middle east a top priority. I am sure that we will all support him in that.
The head of the United Nations relief and works agency recently said that he believed that Israelis and Palestinians want peace and are ready for a solution, but that leaders on both sides are unable to bring that about. I believe that he is right. Europe must stop giving preferential trade terms to Israel until it abides by international law. Scotland must continue to play its part in raising awareness, campaigning and lobbying to bring peace to the middle east.
Palestinians do not desire revenge; they desire justice. I hope that we can play our part in bringing that about.
I congratulate Pauline McNeill on securing the debate and commend her for her long-standing commitment to Palestine and its people.
I also commend the Scottish Parliament for having the courage and conviction to hold a debate on a subject that is very important for peace in the middle east and the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the situation in Gaza is continually overlooked by the international community and its media, but I hope that the Scottish Parliament's action today will serve to highlight the growing humanitarian crisis that is happening there.
I have been watching with interest the BBC's documentary on Aleem Maqbool's walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem, in which he re-enacts the journey made by Joseph and Mary. His documentary tells the human story behind the many headlines. There is also some surreal comedy, as he is told that one of his donkeys does not have the correct paperwork. Unfortunately, that would not be funny to many people in Palestine and the Gaza strip.
As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—an aspiration that was born of the persecution of Jews and other minorities—many are still suffering. We must take this opportunity to uphold people's rights in the 21st century and stand up for those who are being persecuted and denied the right to live in peace and freedom.
The situation in Gaza is dire. People have no food, schools have no equipment, hospitals cannot repair their equipment, electricity is cut regularly, and people are dying from lack of medication. Why? In a democratic election—let us remember that the election was democratic—the people of Gaza elected Hamas. Let me put the politics aside: those people are being collectively punished. No one gets in or out, and no goods are allowed in or out.
I therefore praise the people who operate the Dignity, enabling medicine to reach Gaza and allowing people who urgently need medical help to get out. Teachers and doctors are told that, if they go to work, they will receive no salary, but if they stay at home, they will receive $40,000. Why? Because Israel will not allow money to enter Gaza. The reason that Israel has given for that is that the crossings into Gaza are closed. Whose fault is that? Who closes the crossings? The Israelis—at the least, that is hypocritical.
I get very angry about this subject. What is happening in Gaza is nothing short of genocide and it must be stopped. We cannot let the situation continue. I welcome the statement from UN human rights delegates, in which they urged 100 measures to be taken by Israel, including ending the siege of Gaza. I sincerely hope that the Israelis take that statement on board.
Pauline McNeill has described exactly what we saw in Gaza. However, we did not see everything. More suffering is going on. The state of Israel was created 60 years ago. I ask the Israeli people to look on the people in Gaza and Palestine with humanity, as they themselves were regarded 60 years ago, with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the bringing into existence of the state of Israel.
We cannot allow the situation to go on. The international community must heed the words and the suffering of the people of Gaza. A humanitarian crisis is happening there, and it will get worse. I do not want thousands of people in Gaza to die—at my hands, if I do nothing. The international community has to take the message on board and tell Israel that it must end the siege of Gaza, and the issue of a Palestinian state must be settled.
I also congratulate Pauline McNeill on bringing this important debate before the Parliament. No one would condone the Israeli blockade of Gaza following its seizure by Hamas in June 2007. On a basic humanitarian level, it is unacceptable that the 1.5 million citizens of Gaza have to rely on less than a quarter of the volume of the imported supplies that they received before the Israelis set up the blockade.
Although the Israelis deny that there is a humanitarian crisis, earlier this year UN agencies reported that supplies of flour, rice, sugar, dairy products, milk powder and vegetable oil were regularly running out. Even when supplies get through, the main problem for Gazans is how to pay for them. A UN survey found that more than half Gaza's households had sold their disposable assets and were relying on credit simply to buy food.
The Israelis respond by saying that food imports have been restricted because of their inability to transport goods as a result of Palestinian attacks, rather than because of limits that the Israelis have imposed on particular products. As Pauline McNeill and Sandra White have outlined, there is also the problem of the ability of patients in Gaza who are in need of urgent medical care to get through Israeli-policed crossings. Claims have been made that in the past year alone, up to 200 patients have died while waiting for permits. The Israelis counter-claim that at least three people who have obtained permits to leave for medical reasons have been found to be planning attacks on Israel. As ever, the claims and counter-claims have become part of a media war that is conducted by both sides and which is aimed at world opinion.
As we have heard, Dignity, the vessel on which Pauline McNeill, Sandra White and Hugh O'Donnell sailed, faced no direct interference from and had no radio contact with the Israeli navy as it delivered its relief cargo.
I have a point of information. We were challenged by the Israeli navy and we responded accordingly. It did not come into close contact with us.
I thank the member for that clarification.
It appears that the ploy of including politicians and journalists on the passenger list was effective, in that much-needed supplies were delivered. However, I noted that a Free Gaza spokesperson said that the problems in Gaza would be solved not by the provision of symbolic amounts of aid, but by political direct action to break the siege. In that connection, I am not sure exactly what direct action those who sailed on the Dignity were proposing; perhaps Hugh O'Donnell will enlighten us in his speech.
I confess that I have no solution to the Gaza stalemate; nor, it seems, does the official UK envoy to the middle east, Tony Blair, whose job to date seems to have amounted to little more than keeping President Bush informed of what is happening in the region. From the point of view of the Scottish Parliament, although I have every sympathy for the plight of the Palestinians, I sometimes wonder whether we were right to set up a cross-party group on Palestine rather than one that focused on the welfare of all people in the middle east.
The current blockade of Gaza is only the latest confrontation in a conflict that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of innocent people on both sides for more than half a century. What is happening in Palestine is clearly a human and civil rights outrage, but it is difficult to take the moral high ground with the Israelis, given that 6 million Jews were exterminated, in complete disregard of their human rights, within living memory.
It seems clear that any solution will be achieved only through the normal diplomatic channels. Israel and Palestine are both proponents of the so-called two-state solution—a pact that recognises both Israel and the Palestinian Authority as distinct nations with mutually agreed boundaries. I suspect that the futures of the Prime Minister of Israel and his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, who are lame-duck political leaders, and a peaceful solution to the Gaza stand-off will have to wait until the new American President can find a solution to his own nation's domestic problems.
However, the fact that we in the west are experiencing economic woes does not mean that we should forget the agony of the Palestinians or the need for a just and lasting settlement in the middle east, and I am happy to commend Pauline McNeill, Sandra White and Hugh O'Donnell for their personal efforts in that regard.
I, too, congratulate Pauline McNeill on securing such a timely debate. As we break up for Christmas, it is fitting that we should take some time to consider the increasingly desperate plight of the people of Palestine. As has been said, their plight is not the result of a natural disaster but has been caused by, and continues because of, not just the actions of its near neighbours, but the inaction of the international community. Inaction can, of course, have just as devastating an effect as action.
I congratulate our three parliamentarians on taking part in the challenging and breaking of the blockade of Gaza. Their stories are fascinating and I hope that they have many opportunities to spread the word. I also understand their frustration at the fact that the media do not always pick up on such reports. However, recently there has been some interesting coverage of events. I recommend to members—particularly Ted Brocklebank—Jonathan Freedland's very thought-provoking analysis of the situation in yesterday's Guardian, in which he suggested that any solution should be more wide ranging than the long-sought two-state solution.
Moreover, today's Scotsman contains a report on BBC middle east reporter Aleem Maqbool's journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, which Sandra White referred to and which illustrates the present-day hazards of the Christmas journey, including the checkpoints and security hazards that our MSPs experienced directly and which Palestinians have to cope with every day. We cannot overemphasise the importance of reporting such direct experiences.
The historical twinning relationship between the Palestinian city of Nablus and the city of Dundee encourages such experiences. The decision to twin the cities was taken in November 1980 as a result of trade union links and after leading Labour politicians in the city met the mayor of Nablus, who had come to the United Kingdom to be fitted with new limbs as a result of injuries sustained when his car was booby-trapped. Over the years, several visits have taken place between the two cities and, although such activity has become increasingly difficult, it continues. In 2007, the Nablus-Dundee twinning association office was opened in Nablus, mirroring the association's office in Dundee. The association acts as a centre for people and societies in the two cities, allowing them to develop future plans, increase co-operation and enhance cultural exchange and dialogue. There are Dundee-Nablus newsletters and a wonderful website that gives details of the twinning and outlines the organisation's aims and mission statement.
This year, despite increasing difficulties, delegations have travelled in both directions, and very recently I was very pleased to show Riyad Khanfar, a former university teacher of technology, and Rola Kanaan, a councillor from Nablus, around the Parliament. The councillor told us about her colleagues, most of whom, like her husband, were in prison, and the teacher talked about his university, which has been closed down.
Such personal stories leave a lasting impression and allow us never to forget the people of Palestine and their struggles. Every time visitors return from Palestine, they bring back stories of hope and resilience, and we must continue to give our support.
I congratulate Pauline McNeill on securing this important debate. I also congratulate her, Sandra White and Hugh O'Donnell on completing their recent voyage to Gaza. We are all pleased to have them back safe and sound.
Last weekend, I read in one of our national newspapers a deeply disturbing article, the headline of which—"Gaza families eat grass as Israel locks borders"—summed up the dire situation in that part of the world. I never believed that in the 21st century people would be eating literally nothing but dried grass and plants, and the situation shows clearly that the issue is not political, but humanitarian. It does not matter whether one believes in a one-state or two-state solution; we all believe in dignity and respect, and what we are witnessing in the Gaza region is a lack of both.
One of the worst humanitarian disasters in the last century is unfolding before our very eyes. What makes it even more appalling is that, as a man-made catastrophe, it is completely avoidable.
The Israeli blockade has seen the demise of Gaza's infrastructure, with schools and hospitals across the region shut down. In addition, for the first time in its history, the United Nations relief and works agency in the region declared that it had run out of food. The Israeli authorities are collectively punishing the Gazan people for democratically electing a Government. Unfortunately, the majority of the world continues to sit back in silence.
Like every other reasonable person, I believe that Israel has a right to defend its citizens from attack. However, by continuing to punish those who have nothing to do with any attacks, Israel is simply causing more resentment and ill feeling towards itself.
I believe that support for the Gazan people is gathering momentum. I was delighted to hear that, including our MSPs, 11 members of European Parliaments made the voyage.
Last week, I celebrated the festival of Eid, and soon many will be celebrating Christmas. Unfortunately, the situation in Gaza means that most people will spend their Christmas in darkness and hunger. It is our duty and responsibility to continue to put pressure on the Israeli authorities and other influential partners to end the siege of Gaza. Only when people can eat again and the rule of international law is obeyed can a long-term peace become a reality.
Like other speakers, I congratulate Pauline McNeill on securing the debate—and on managing to survive our trip without the effects of mal de mer.
It is ironic that last week in the chamber we celebrated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, yet our countries stand by and watch the Israeli Government turn the Gaza strip into the biggest prison camp in the world.
If we have an eye to history, we can see that the blame for the current political situation in Palestine and across much of the middle east lies firmly with Europe and the United States. Some would argue that the Balfour declaration, the British mandate and the creation of the state of Israel following the justified guilt of Europe for the terrible wrongs done to the European Jews and others by the Nazis are all to blame for what is happening in Gaza and in the rest of Palestine. It is quickly becoming the largest humanitarian crisis that we have seen.
Let us not forget that the guilt of Europe and the USA is no excuse for standing by and allowing the Israeli Government, the Israeli Defense Forces and fundamentalist settlers to harry, harass, ghettoise and collectively punish the population of Gaza for the unacceptable acts of a few Palestinians.
We cannot stand by while the democratically elected Government of the Gaza strip is prevented from keeping the innocent civilian population alive—prevented by a blockade and an illegal siege by the Israelis and the states complicit, which, by turning a blind eye to what is happening, are allowing it to happen.
To engage in the siege on the basis that Hamas is a terrorist group is hypocrisy of the first order—not least because the roots of the state of Israel can be found clearly in Irgun and the Stern gang, and the atrocities that they perpetrated in their desperation, such as the bombing of the King David hotel in Jerusalem and the murder of British troops. If we applied that criterion, there would be no peace in Northern Ireland and perhaps no African National Congress in South Africa.
It is a cliché, but it is true—one person's terrorist really is another person's freedom fighter. In other situations, however, politicians got around the table. They spoke, they negotiated, and they found solutions and compromises. Yes, there has been direct action, including, for example, a boycott of Israeli goods, which is much the same thing as the Israelis preventing produce from Palestine from coming to Europe for sale.
The fighting must be stopped. Israel and the Palestinians must stop the bombing and the rockets, and meaningful talks must begin. We must not be silent, as we were between 1933 and 1939. The actions of the Israeli Government are no more acceptable than the actions of Hans Frank in Warsaw in 1940, and they have produced the same negative reaction. We must support the rights of all people in the middle east to self-determination, including the Palestinians, and we must remember article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
I join colleagues in congratulating Pauline McNeill on bringing this matter to the chamber for debate. The debate is timely because of the longevity and severity of the crisis. As Pauline McNeill outlined, there is a real humanitarian crisis because of the long-standing failure to find political solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We must not forget what happens to the ordinary Palestinians as a result of that political failure, and I will focus on what we can do to help people in a practical sense.
There is a shop in my constituency called the Hadeel fair trade shop. It is based in St George's West church on Shandwick Place, and it aims to provide a sustainable source of income for craftspeople who work in community groups in the west bank and Gaza. It is a member of the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and it supplies other Fairtrade shops and traders as well as Palestinian solidarity groups. It is the only recognised fair trade Palestinian importer, so it acts as an important focus for Palestinians who want to get their goods out to market.
Hadeel, which sells Palestinian handcrafts, is seen as a symbol of the people and as a way for them to establish some normality in a world that is anything but normal. Like all fair trade initiatives, it makes a practical difference to people's lives. Making craft products helps people to survive psychologically during the long hours and days when they are not permitted to leave their homes because of Israeli-imposed curfews and they do not have any water or electricity. The profit from the shop goes directly to local traders, so they see the benefits. That is a practical way to support people and show that we have not forgotten them.
I will mention just two of the active local groups, to give members a sense of the work they do. Sulafa is an embroidery project in Gaza, which, as Pauline McNeill said, has suffered enormously. The project, which is supported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, encourages self-support and provides income for about 400 refugee women in eight refugee camps. It is an amazingly difficult project to co-ordinate, but those involved have managed to do it. Without trade or any economic activity, people have no income and no way in which to support themselves, so that project is hugely important.
The Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children is the first institution to be set up to support deaf people in Gaza. It was founded in 1992 and it boasts a modern school that gives people practical support. In particular, it supports parents and helps them to raise their children in what must be an incredibly hard life. Its income generation programme provides jobs and work-from-home opportunities for more than 350 women, men and their families. It provides training, particularly for young adults and women, to give them a future and some opportunity to support themselves.
Just yesterday, I got an update on those projects for today's debate. They cannot get any materials in or out of Gaza and they are running out of basic materials. Locally, nobody has money to buy presents for Christmas—there are people who will be celebrating Christmas in Gaza and the west bank—and their borders have been shut for two months.
I ask the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture to do what she can, and I ask colleagues to support Palcrafts by visiting the Hadeel shop and ensuring that it gets Scottish Government support as one of the fair trade organisations in Scotland that we have all supported on numerous occasions. I ask members to ensure that Palestinians are properly included, because it is incredibly tough for them to do that work. I ask members to visit the shop and look at the beautiful embroidery, pottery and little wooden jewellery boxes. When people buy those tokens, they should remember that they do not have to buy them only for Christmas presents; they can buy them all year round. People are not just buying a one-off gift; they are providing tangible support to a people who are trapped in a terrible tragedy. They are trying to support themselves; the least we can do is give them our support.
Like those who have spoken before me, I congratulate Pauline McNeill on bringing the debate to the chamber and on making the trip to Gaza with Sandra White and Hugh O'Donnell, apparently without suffering from seasickness.
For far too long the plight of the people of Palestine has received less attention than it should. The descriptions that we have heard of life in the Gaza strip make it clear how desperately the Palestinian people need a just solution.
On 1 September, following reports of IDF gunboats firing on fishing boats, I wrote to the Israeli ambassador to the UK. I noted the reports of Israeli gunboats firing on unarmed fishing boats while they were fishing in Palestinian territorial waters. I urged the ambassador to pass a message to his Government to make it clear in the strongest possible terms that unarmed civilians should not be the target of military attack. Actions such as that by anybody only harm efforts to build stability in the region. I received a reply from the embassy that stated:
"Although the group of activists that joined the Palestinian fishermen was verbally warned a number of times, they chose to confront with the IDF forces and as a result, shots were fired in the air."
That unarmed fishermen and observers might choose to confront armed gunboats struck me then—and strikes me now—as somewhat improbable. I responded:
"I regret to tell you that you have been grossly misinformed by the Israeli Defence Forces. I suggest that you might wish to launch an immediate inquiry. The IDF were inside waters under the legal jurisdiction of the Gaza authorities … as designated by the Oslo Accords of 1994. The IDF had no right to be warning anyone in these waters, far less firing at them. The only people ‘choosing to confront' were the members of the Israeli Defence Forces."
I understand that several similar incidents have followed, which makes matters worse. I shall list but three: an Israeli military gunboat is reported to have rammed a fishing boat on 10 September; on 5 October, a Palestinian fisherman was shot in the leg; and on 4 November, the Israeli navy attacked Palestinian fishing boats using live ammunition and a high-powered water cannon containing a noxious chemical substance.
Soon after I wrote that letter, events compelled me to write another one, this time jointly with Sandra White, to protest against the kidnapping of fishermen and human rights observers by Israel. Once more, the fishermen were well within internationally recognised Gazan waters. I received a single reply to both letters. It made no acknowledgement of the fact that the fishermen had been in Gazan waters, it failed to mention that the boats were confiscated and returned only when Israel was threatened with legal action, and it made no mention of the theft of the global positioning system, which of course prevents the fishermen from proving that they had not ventured—and never would venture—into anywhere other than the waters in which they are legally entitled to fish under international law.
The most recent development—the refusal of the Israeli Government to allow the UN special rapporteur for human rights to visit Gaza—is of a piece with the theft of the GPS equipment. If the Israeli state had nothing to hide, there could be no concern about the visit. It is worrying to say the least that the Israeli Government has expelled international observers accompanying the fishermen, refused the UN representative entry to Gaza and acquired GPS equipment.
Oppression, like corruption, fears the light. The destruction of homes, collective punishment, the refusal to allow ambulances to cross through check points, the denial of fishermen the right to catch their food are actions that are abhorrent to all right-thinking people, and those who practise them do not like to be observed. That is why the UN human rights rapporteur is denied access.
I shall conclude by congratulating two Scots who have worked hard to bring the light of public scrutiny to dark places. Theresa McDermott has made several trips to Gaza and Andrew Muncie has had the dubious pleasure of filming Israeli gunboats while they fired upon and intimidated unarmed fishermen. He has been kidnapped, detained and expelled by the Israeli authorities for his troubles. There are many others who could be congratulated—Professor Jeff Halper, an Israeli whom I have nominated for the Robert Burns humanitarian award, is an obvious example—but there are too many to name them all.
That there are too many such people to name is where hope lies. As long as there continue to be people who, at personal risk, seek to expose the actions of oppressive regimes, there will continue to be hope.
Due to the number of members who are still waiting to speak, I am minded to accept a motion under rule 8.14.3 that the debate be extended.
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended until 1.24 pm.—[Pauline McNeill.]
Motion agreed to.
I will not take that as a licence to speak for longer. I congratulate Pauline McNeill on securing the debate. I also congratulate her, Sandra White and Hugh O'Donnell, who returned from their trip to Gaza.
As a member of the cross-party group on Palestine, I think it is important that these issues are brought to the chamber, to raise awareness of what is happening in Gaza and to send a strong signal of support to the Palestinian people, who are suffering more than ever before.
I also pay tribute to the work undertaken by Edinburgh Direct Aid. I have no doubt that the work that it and others do in getting aid through, and demonstrating Scotland's support to Gaza, is crucial. Scotland has always been supportive of the Palestinian people and their cause and today we echo calls for all international organisations to work together in an effort to find a two-state solution.
As we have heard, the reality for ordinary Palestinians is that the siege has affected every aspect of their lives. Israel's blockade has meant that, since last month, the Gaza strip has been closed to virtually all supplies. Palestinians inside the territory have had to deal with food shortages, lengthy power cuts and no cooking gas. If that was happening here, we would be outraged; people would be on the streets and the Parliament would be ringing with the sound of condemnation. The situation has led the UN to describe conditions there as the worst ever, but despite all that the blockade continues.
Palestinian poverty is now at such a level that Christian Aid has described it as being as crippling a part of the conflict as the suicide bombs and the military incursions. Some 64 per cent of the Palestinian population now exist on less than £1.10 a day—less than the official UN poverty line.
Gaza has been under siege conditions for more than two years now. Most of the population survive only by virtue of the aid from the UN World Food Programme, but Israel has allowed that aid into Gaza only five times in the past month. As others have said, 271 people—it is worth repeating that; 271 people—have died as a direct result of the blockade, and the deaths continue.
On 10 December we saw the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but the steadily rising death toll in Gaza highlights the painful gap between the declaration's peaceful rhetoric and the desperate reality for Palestinian people.
Only yesterday, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution that calls on all parties to intensify their efforts to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We must make real progress.
The UN has described the situation as a humanitarian crisis and said that it cannot go on. The people of Palestine cannot be denied basic health care or be allowed to slip further into poverty.
Sarah Boyack was absolutely right to talk about practical things that we can do as individuals, but we must take collective action, too. As 2009 approaches, it is perhaps more important than ever that we all commit to ending the siege of Gaza.
I congratulate Pauline McNeill, Hugh O'Donnell and Sandra White on going on their trip. Who is to know how dangerous it might have been? They have my admiration for taking the decision to go.
After half a century of vote after vote in the United Nations, successive Israeli Governments have been obdurate in their resistance to doing anything to provide justice for the people of Palestine. The evidence comes to Edinburgh almost weekly.
I pay my own tribute to the work that is being done by the St John's peace and justice centre and by Theatre Workshop in Edinburgh. Theatre Workshop has a Palestinian cafe and, under the direction of Robert Rae, it has employed Palestinian writers and directors. In addition, the short film "Trouble Sleeping" is now earning international awards. That kind of support for the people of Palestine is very important—it is what we can do, and it is what we must continue to do until something happens internationally to put enough pressure on the Israeli Government to give the Palestinians true justice.
At the moment, hundreds of people are dying. It is only a matter of time before the people of Gaza, under the stress of being deprived of medical supplies and basic utilities, start to die in their thousands. The urgency to put as much international pressure as possible on the Israeli Government grows with every day that passes.
The only thing that has been missing in the debate is the observation that there is a ray of hope. When asked whether he was confident about the future, Desmond Tutu said, "I am not so much an optimist as a prisoner of hope." I think that we should all be prisoners of hope—the one big hope that the United States, whose influence on the situation could be considerable, will, for the first time, under the leadership of President Obama, do something rather than sit in yet another series of conferences with the leaders of the middle east.
The fact that the debate has been extended is a mark of the strong feeling that exists throughout Scotland on this subject. There is so much to be said that it could not be said in a whole day of debate in the Parliament.
Pauline McNeill eloquently and passionately outlined the current situation in Gaza. A civilisation is being systematically destroyed over the years. She also mentioned the people from important ranks in life who recognise the humanitarian aspects of the Palestinian cause, as well as the political aspects in many cases. Sadly, it is ordinary people who are paying the price all the time. Pauline McNeill, Sandra White and Hugh O'Donnell saw that at first hand when, on the third trip of Dignity, they witnessed the blockade and the effects of the siege of Gaza. Politicians are sometimes accused of being populist and leaping on causes. I want to put on record the fact that those three MSPs are long-standing activists on issues relating to the middle east. Pauline McNeill has visited Palestine before; Sandra White has visited Lebanon; and the first time any of us met Hugh O'Donnell, his interest and passion in the subject was marked.
Ted Brocklebank asked why we should have a cross-party group on Palestine. I think that the answer is very plain and straightforward: Palestine is suffering and people are dying each day, or starving—as Jackie Baillie and others have outlined. If people can do nothing else, it is valuable to raise awareness and focus on the issue. I used to be a member of the group, which includes representation from a broad cross-section of society. It is not a talking shop about one particular aspect of the situation; it is a genuine way of bringing people together to try to find a solution to the terrible things that are happening in Palestine. As Sandra White said, collective punishment is going on in Palestine, and we have a collective responsibility to make people aware of that and to do what we can to stop it.
As Sandra White, Bashir Ahmad and Jackie Baillie said, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has its 60th anniversary this year. Sadly, there are many examples across the world of human rights not being respected.
Hugh O'Donnell reminded us of the need to keep talking, and noted that if people had stopped talking about South Africa or Northern Ireland we might not have arrived at solutions there. Therefore, even if, as Robin Harper says, it is frustrating that the round-table discussions keep breaking down, it is time for action and incredibly important that we keep talking. The new discussions will focus on the UN Security Council's latest resolution, which encourages the USA, the European Union, the UN and Russia to keep working to help parties achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the middle east and to support the negotiations that were launched in November 2007.
The Scottish Government supports the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and recognises the need for a two-state solution. There is general agreement in this chamber that that is the way to secure a safe and secure future for Israel and Palestine. We support any efforts to secure that comprehensive, just and lasting peace, and we welcome the new UN resolution.
Will the minister take this opportunity to endorse the idea of a convoy of humanitarian aid from Scotland to Gaza?
I was just about to address the humanitarian work that is being done by individuals and organisations across Scotland. There cannot be any moral and just person who would deny the right of people who are suffering to receive humanitarian aid or who would not support the provision of that aid. Indeed, in August, when there were issues about aid getting into Gaza, the First Minister wrote to the ambassadors of Egypt and Israel in London to impress on them the importance of humanitarian aid being taken to a people who are suffering. As I said before, it is always the ordinary people who end up paying the price in these conflicts.
Scotland-based non-governmental organisations do a huge amount of work in Gaza. There has always been an affinity between Scotland and Palestine. All sorts of organisations are involved, from the Theatre Workshop, which Robin Harper mentioned, and Palcrafts, which Sarah Boyack mentioned, to organisations such as Edinburgh Direct Aid and Medical Aid for Palestine. Many people have been very quietly doing fantastic work for a long time. The generosity of Scottish people in supporting those charities must be commended.
Bishop Desmond Tutu talked about prisoners of hope. We should share the optimism that that phrase suggests. We must never give up on an ideal because, if we do, we are giving up on the people who are suffering. We should look forward with an absolute hope that one of the true priorities of President-elect Barack Obama will be to drive forward the peace process. On the back of the new UN resolution, the time is right for everyone to step up to the mark and be absolutely serious that 2009 should be the year when we see a potential solution for the trouble in the middle east.
Meeting suspended until 14:15.
On resuming—