Embrace statement 13 October 2023

There are courageous people on all sides and in all communities calling for an end to the violence in Israel and across all of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially now Gaza. We stand with them and ask you to do the same – the voices calling for restraint must be heard.

Our own government has failed to show leadership, preferring simplistic responses to constructive, considered, measured and collective action. The UN itself is being ignored by the UK, US and France its Permanent Security Council members.

The news today that half of the civilian population in Gaza is being told to move or risk being caught up in further, escalated and deadly military action is unprecedented, and legally and morally indefensible. And yet the Defence Secretary supported it this morning on the Today programme.

Israel has the right to respond to the barbarous events of the weekend. It does not have the right - on this international law is very clear - to act indiscriminately, without due regard for the safety of innocent civilians. It cannot for example erase whole neighbourhoods, starve or move an entire population from their homes.

Notwithstanding its support for Israel, it is the duty of our government to make this clear. It has failed to do this.

When the violence is over, Embrace the Middle East, along with many other NGOs, will continue its mission to support partners, in our case Christian partners, on the ground in Gaza, in the West Bank, in East Jerusalem and in Israel to provide for people’s basic needs, including their human right to self-determination.

We urge the government in the meantime not to abandon international law and not to turn a blind eye to the potential humanitarian disaster which is imminent.