Ceasefire in Gaza and the Palestine demonstration in London on 18th January 2025
Socialist Health Association welcomes the pause in hostilities seen today, Sunday 19th January, but we continue to call for a permanent ceasefire, just peace and unfettered and immediate access to humanitarian aid and essential supplies.
Socialist Health Association had its banner and a delegation at Saturday’s peaceful demonstration in London which called for an end Israel’s genocide in Palestine and to stop arming Israel. We have participated in all of these protests for more than a year.
The SHA is unequivocally opposed to the collective punishment, starvation and slaughter of a population and targeting of health facilities and health workers. We oppose the taking of hostages by all parties. We note reports that in addition to the hostages seized on 7th October there are currently more than 450 health workers and over 10,000 civilians in Israeli prisons.
Many of us also share the concern of demonstrators about the prejudicial coverage of this conflict by the BBC which delegitimises reports of Gaza deaths and injuries. It is entirely understandable that marchers wish to highlight this by protesting outside the corporation’s headquarters.
It’s clear on the day the police were instructed to apply intimidatory tactics. When asked they were frequently unable to explain their rationale. Many simply shrugged their shoulders. The policing of this demonstration was unacceptable and must be reviewed.
Those arrested must be released forthwith! These spurious public order charges must be dropped.
The SHA as an affiliate of the Labour Party finds it incomprehensible that our government and our London mayor permit this attack on civil liberties and will communicate this directly.
Motion: Stop the War on Gaza
Download our template motion “Stop the War in Gaza” – brought by the SHA London branch and passed by the SHA Central Council in December 2024.
Where to present the motion
If you are a union member, please present this motion at your union branch meeting, and if successful, ask for it to be sent to your next regional branch meeting.
If you are a Labour Party member, please present it at your local ward meeting, to be cascaded to the CLP and then regional LP meetings. SHA branches can submit the motion directly to CLPs they are affiliated to, via their SHA delegates to those CLPs.
Motion: Get Palantir Out of the NHS
Download our template motion “Get Palantir out of the NHS” – primarily authored by Just Treatment, in partnership with Doctors in Unite (DiU) and SHA and passed by both SHA and DiU.
Where to present the motion
If you are a union member, please present this motion at your union branch meeting, and if successful, ask for it to be sent to your next regional branch meeting.
If you are a Labour Party member, please present it at your local ward meeting, to be cascaded to the CLP and then regional LP meetings. SHA branches can submit the motion directly to CLPs they are affiliated to, via their SHA delegates to those CLPs.
Use the template motion to write to your MP and new Secretary of State for Health, Wes Streeting at wes.streeting.mp@parliament.uk .
Gaza: Lancet estimates 186,000 dead – how much death is enough?
Members join Labour on Gaza protests 3rd Feb 2024.
SHA leadership joins protestors 2024
STATEMENTS ON GAZA.
SHA Central Council has voted to back Mish Rahman’s initiative ‘Labour for a ceasefire now’.
Mish is a member of Labour’s National Executive Committee and a member of the SHA.
https://www.labourforaceasefirenow.org.uk/
SHA Oct 15: Recent escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine.
The SHA joins with humanitarians across the world in expressing our condemnation of all of the violent acts that have occurred since the severe escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine on October 7th 2023.
International law makes it clear that the deliberate killing of civilians, hostage-taking and collective punishment, including direct attacks on civilian populations and withholding essential supplies such as water, electricity, food and medicines, are war crimes. There is a need for immediate ceasefire and lifting of the Gaza blockade so that humanitarian aid and essential supplies can be brought to affected communities without delay and refugees can exit safely with the right of return.
We call for a lasting peaceful and equitable resolution to the conflict, which can only be achieved by addressing all root causes.
In view of the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in the region, we encourage our members and supporters to donate to Medical Aid for Palestinians.
SHA Oct 25: We are aware of acute concerns among members about the events in Gaza where an imprisoned population is being deprived of water, food and medical supplies plus fuel for hospital generators and for vehicles to distribute supplies. At the same time they are being subject to relentless aerial attack and soon massed assault by tanks and troops.
The SHA, historically, has played a strong international role with the TUC to create the Spanish Medical Aid Committee in 1936. Most recently we heard from the Bhopal Medical Appeal.
Central Council members agreed to continue with our current humanitarian approach putting particular emphasis on support for Medical Aid for Palestinians, to speak up for children and pregnant women particularly, but also to step up support for those organising lobbying and protests for a ceasefire and just peace. This is the position of the United Nations, of desperate healthcare teams in Gaza and of progressive Israeli medics.
We urge the Labour Party, to whom we are affiliated, to speak out clearly and unequivocally for a ceasefire and a just peace. Many will remember the historic work of Mo Mowlam in building peace in Ireland; this is the calibre of leadership which is needed urgently.
We back members and branches in supporting solidarity actions; be they marches, fundraising events for MAP or public meetings. Please take SHA banners and flags. Please speak out wherever you can.
Stickers and leaflets A5 and A4 will be available for 11 Nov events.
Campaign resources from the PSC including the Early Day Motion calling for a ceasefire plus a list of protests: https://palestinecampaign.org/emergency-response-2023/
- Medical Aid for Palestinians:https://www.map.org.uk/
- Campaign resources from the PSC including the Early Day Motion calling for a ceasefire plus a list of protests: https://palestinecampaign.org/emergency-response-2023/
- British Medical Journal article