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Protesters call for UK arms embargo and sanctions on Israel

Thursday, 24 October 2024 8:24 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 24 October 2024 8:24 AM ]

Protesters have been calling for the UK to suspend arms sales to Israel since the start of the war in 2023. (Photo by AFP)

Within ear shot of the Prime Minister's residence, an emergency pro-Palestine demonstration was held, one of numerous others, demanding that Keir Starmer negotiate a ceasefire in Palestine and Lebanon.

He should stop all arms to Israel, that he starts to properly negotiate a ceasefire on behalf of the United Kingdom, that he recognizes the state of Palestine to be able to start to even acknowledge Palestinians as humans, so that they can be given the same human rights that we're all allowed to have.

Protestor 01

Protesters call for UK arms embargo, sanctions on Israel

Protesters call for UK arms embargo, sanctions on Israel

The US and the UK have provided extensive military support to the Israeli regime over the past year.

Over the past year, Britain's involvement in the genocidal war on Gaza, and now Lebanon, has been staggering, including hundreds of reconnaissance flights providing Israel with intelligence on ground movements in Gaza, as well as delivering weapons on cargo planes taking off from several European bases, including in the UK, all aimed at helping sustain Israel's brutal massacre of Palestinians and expand it into southern Lebanon.

Pro-Palestine march in London calls for end to genocide

Pro-Palestine march in London calls for end to genocide

The march, despite police attempts to delay it, was seen as a success, symbolizing public sympathy for Palestinians and a demand for the UK government to address its complicity in the Israeli regime

It's not just enough of what the UK is doing. It's what the UK isn't doing. And you know right now, we should be standing up on the world stage. Keir Starmer should be standing up on the world stage demanding an end to this.

Protestor 02

In September, the Labour government suspended 30 of its 350 arms export licenses to Israel, purportedly fearing violations of international humanitarian law.

Protesters demand UK stop arming Israel

Protesters demand UK stop arming Israel

A protest outside Starmer’s office has demanded that his government impose an arms embargo on the regime over its war crimes in Gaza.

Government has the opportunity ... to influence this, but as long as Keir Starmer stands behind his comments of being an avowed Zionist, he's going to do nothing.

Protestor 03

After months of rallies, the British government has suspended less than 10% of those arms export licenses, and there's no telling whether there will ever be a total ban.

However, these protesters keep coming back, in large and small numbers, to keep the pressure up hoping that the government will eventually listen.