A rare debate on Palestine backed an immediate suspension of arms sales to Israel during the Labour Party conference. The debate marked the first time that Palestine was debated on the floor of the party’s conference.
Colin Monahan, a delegate from Harlow addressed the crowd with a moving speech about the plight of the Palestinian people and condemned the recent decision by US President Donald Trump to cut funding to UNRWA (video below).
“Cutting the funding to the UNRWA, the humanitarian agency set up by the UN, to assist this people, in exile, born homeless, born stateless, in refugee camps, will not crush their spirit.”
Colin also addressed a room full of MP’s and supporters at the annual reception of the Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East. He spoke about the importance of speaking out for the Palestinian people as a party and his passion for standing up for people who are being oppressed.
“It is not about all these important MPs who have been up here speaking, tomorrow is all about the Palestinian people.”
A packed room of hundreds of attendees at LFPME’s annual reception at the Party Conference also heard from other MPs and the Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn reaffirm their support for achieving peace and justice for the Palestinian people
Jeremy Corbyn reiterated the Labour Party’s commitment to immediately recognise Palestine as a state as soon as it takes office. He also said that he supports a two-state solution to achieve peace in the Middle East, saying he wanted a “secure and viable” Palestine alongside Israel.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry, Tan Dhesi MP, Bambos Charalambous MP, Neil Sammonds of Medical Aid for Palestinians and Mark McDonald PPC for Stoke-on-Trent South and LFPME co-founder, also spoke at the reception.
Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East (LFPME) is a voluntary group that exists within the Labour Party and campaigns for peace and justice through the implementation of international law and respect for human rights.
We are a voluntary organisation and although we have had unwaivering support from volunteers and many members of the Labour Party, our work and reach is limited due to the shortage of funds. By making a regular donation you will be enabling us to expand our scope of work to reach further into the Labour Party and continue to strengthen our advocacy and campaigning work. Click here to find out how to donate.
Click here to download our Existence is Resistance booklet which contains photo story of Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces.
