Gaza - Post-conflict
Posted by Robert Wilson, MP for Reading East, at 13:19, Mon 2 February 2009:
Israel has now halted its military operations in Gaza and Hamas has stopped its rocket fire into Israel. We welcome this ceasefire, although we believe that it should have come sooner and we recognise that it is fragile.
The Conservative Party has been active throughout the crisis, calling for an immediate ceasefire on both sides, for access to Gaza for ambulances and aid, and for the evacuation of the most urgent medical cases from Gaza. The Shadow Foreign Secretary, William Hague MP, also called for the international community to begin planning for a massive humanitarian relief and reconstruction effort for Gaza that could be launched as soon as the fighting came to an end.
Several steps urgently need to be taken. First, the fragile ceasefire needs to be bolstered so that it can become durable. Neither Israelis nor Palestinians can afford another descent into violence. This requires sustained international diplomacy so that agreement can be reached on ways to prevent weapons from being smuggled into Gaza and to open Gaza’s borders on a continuous and safe basis – not just for aid, but for trade – so that the people of Gaza can see a pathway to a better life.
Secondly, Gaza’s civilian population, many of whom are refugees, have paid a terrible price for the violence and need our help. In the 22 days of the conflict, over 1,200 Palestinians have died and many more require urgent medical care for their injuries. Gaza’s critical infrastructure has also been destroyed, and systems for power, sewage and food distribution are broken or under strain. Gaza was already facing an acute humanitarian crisis even before the conflict. The international community must now do everything possible to alleviate that suffering and rebuild Gaza. Britain has pledged £20 million towards those efforts and a joint EU-UN mission is to be sent to Gaza to assess the scale of the need.
Above all, there needs to be a return to negotiations on a two-state agreement that achieves a viable and secure Palestinian state living alongside a secure Israel. The Conservative Party will continue to urge the British Government to work with the United States and other members of the Middle East Quartet to secure an early return to negotiations.
I assure you that I will continue to follow the situation closely and to urge the Government to lend British support and diplomatic weight to efforts to secure a durable ceasefire and assistance to the people of Gaza.
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