MEND Statement on Ceasefire in Occupied Palestine

While the ceasefire in occupied Palestine is welcome, today’s attack on Masjid Al-Aqsa reiterates Israel’s continued breaches of international law and human rights violations against the Palestinian people. This includes:

• Forced erasure of Palestinian communities;
• Depriving Palestinians of water and electricity;
• Demolishing homes;
• Political imprisonments;
• Violent attacks, such as those seen against worshippers in Masjid Al-Aqsa during Ramadan;
• Abduction and incarceration of children;
• Enabling settler violence, including setting fire to farms, destroying livelihoods, physical attacks, and invasions of Palestinian homes;
• A blockade against Gaza that has been in place for over a decade.

The ceasefire can only be credited to the support of everyday citizens across the world. However, particularly in light of persistent Israeli aggression, MEND calls on the UK Government to urgently hold the Israeli Government to account, of which the first step is enforcing an immediate embargo on all weapons trade between the UK and Israel. We also urge all supporters to capitalise upon the current momentum and continue this international pressure, including active support for the BDS movement.