By Hugh Lanning, Labour & Palestine

Tomorrow is UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People it is important to consider what a just and lasting peace would look like.

The ‘pause’ in the bombing has been widely, and wrongly, described by much of the media as a ceasefire, even though Israel is committed to continuing its war on the Palestinian people. But no pause or ceasefire, however long, will by itself bring about peace.

Israel has been at war with the idea and existence of a state of Palestine since 1948. The starting point for any peaceful solution must be the ending of Israel’s illegal military occupation and with it bringing down the Wall, ending the siege, giving the Palestinians back their land, water and gas and removing the settlers and their settlements.

Given Labour’s shameful failure to call for a ceasefire, one must be sceptical as to whether its leadership is capable of supporting a just and lasting peace or only rubber-stamping the continuation of an Israeli imposed military regime from Gaza on the Sea to Jericho on the River Jordan.

To achieve the possibility of negotiating a just and lasting solution there has to be a quantum shift in the balance of power. Sending Palestinian leaders into an imagined negotiating chamber with Israel is not just sending them in naked, but it’s with their arms and legs bound on the rack while the screws are applied to make them sign the proffered ‘agreement’.

With the armed forces of the occupier sitting on top of them, backed by the might of the Western World – the unholy trinity of the US, EU and UK – what chance do the Palestinian people have of emerging with their self-determination, rights and freedom intact?

Polls tell us that Palestine has the sympathy of the world community. The millions marching around the world for an immediate ceasefire and for freedom for Palestine show that the global population is being moved by what it is witnessing.

Some 75 years after the UN unilaterally created a nation state on Palestinian land – from then on, through the occupation in 1967, to Oslo and beyond, the world has continually failed to deliver on its promises of a Palestinian state.

To achieve this will of course require a volte face by the major parties in the UK Parliament. On the universal and uncritical support of Israel’s war on Palestine, we must be clear. This is not just a war on Gaza – it is a war on the whole Palestinian people and the notion of a Palestinian state. The West must use its considerable powers to drag Israel kicking to negotiations. Through its actions Israel has de-legitimised itself by acting outside and without reference to international law.

Today is the right day for the world to commit to ending Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people and to impose sanctions until it finally complies. This should mean no arms trade, no military aid, no military cooperation and support. It is transparently clear how, when and where such support is used – to kill and repress in order to support its illegal occupation.

Rather than a bill by Government trying to ban boycott and disinvestment from Israel, the UK should be calling for full trade and financial sanctions until a just peace is agreed that achieves self-determination for Palestine. There is no doubt that the numbers marching on London’s streets and demonstrating up and down the country are demanding not just an immediate ceasefire, but also for Britain to acknowledge the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

On this day of solidarity, Labour must listen to those voices and heed the call of the next generation of voters for an end to the occupation and sanctions now and stop arming issue until there is a just peace for Palestine.

ONLINE EVENT : International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

Online lunchtime, 1pm. Wednesday 29 Nov, 13.00. Register here to join live or for link to watch back later // Share here // RT here.

Newly announced: Zarah Sultana MP & Mick Whelan, ASLEF GS.
Plus: Afzal Khan MP // Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP // Beth Winter MP // Kim Johnson MP // Nadia Whittome MP // John McDonnell MP & more tba.

To mark the UN’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we’re organising an online event backing the international Ceasefire Now call, with speakers including MPs & unions.

Hosted by Labour & Palestine. Streamed by Arise – A Festival of Left Ideas. Free event but solidarity donations towards organising costs essential.

Breaking news: Oxford City Council has passed a motion unanimously calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, as has Leicester Council and Liverpool Council.

Image; Mass protest for a ceasefire in London, November 25th, c/o Labour Hub.