Voice in exchange for position on the Gaza war.. A campaign targeting British parliamentarians | Policy

London- A number of civil institutions and human rights activists in Britain launched a campaign called “No Ceasefire, No Vote” aimed at pressuring parliamentarians to support a ceasefire in Gaza, through British citizens sending a letter to the parliamentarians informing them that if they do not declare their support for a ceasefire Shooting, they won’t get their votes.

Thousands of Britons began participating in this campaign launched by the “Friends of Al-Aqsa” Foundation, to send the largest number of messages to parliamentarians before the session the day after tomorrow, Thursday, in Parliament to discuss the ceasefire in Gaza.

Indeed, a number of Britons of Palestinian or Arab origins succeeded in attracting the attention of parliamentarians in their region, and obtained from them promises to convey their demands to the leadership of the Labor and Conservative parties.

Pressure campaign

It is with great satisfaction that the head of the British “Friends of Al-Aqsa” Foundation, Ismail Patel, speaks about the magnitude of the response to the “No Ceasefire, No Vote” campaign, as “within only two days of launching the campaign, tens of thousands of Britons responded to it, and “we expect the number to increase within This week, it is an important campaign, because we are heading to general elections next year, and every representative will fear losing votes in his district.”

In his conversation with Al Jazeera Net, Patel stressed the importance of corresponding with parliamentarians, “because we are facing a decisive week, where the ceasefire will be discussed in the British Parliament, and the more pressure is put on the parliamentarians, the more we will succeed in increasing the votes that will vote in favor of the ceasefire.”

The British human rights activist revealed that “the campaign to correspond with British parliamentarians succeeded in changing the positions of many of them, and currently we expect that at least 100 British MPs will vote in favor of the ceasefire.”

Patel added that this number is likely to rise, in addition to the polls that say that 76% of Britons support a ceasefire, “which will put the British decision-maker, as well as the leadership… labor Party “We are in an embarrassing situation, because we are acting against the popular will and against the will of the voters.”

You must not be afraid

In turn, the President of the Arab Lawyers Association in Britain, Sabah Al-Mukhtar, talks about his own experience in sending a legal letter to the British Prime Minister Rishi Sonak He calls on him to cease fire, as well as to write to his region’s parliamentarian, “It is the duty and right of every British citizen to write to parliamentarians and politicians to express his opinion.”

Al-Mukhtar stressed in his interview with Al Jazeera Net that “this correspondence to parliamentarians is very important, because it informs the politician of the public mood and puts him under the pressure of fear of losing electoral votes.”

From a legal standpoint, Al-Mukhtar said, “People should not fear anything, because what they are doing is permitted by law, and no one should carry with him ideas from dictatorial countries, because if he goes out in a demonstration, expresses his opinion, or corresponds with politicians, he will be exposed.” to arrest or harass.”

He appealed to “all Arabs and Muslims to participate in this campaign, because it is a moral and humanitarian duty, and I am certain that it will have an impact, as happened with the dismissal of the British Home Secretary, who wanted to prevent marches in solidarity with Palestine.”

Al-Mukhtar expressed “disappointment and regret, because many members of the Arab community have not yet emerged from negativity and are afraid to participate in the political debate. This is a grave mistake that makes those with the counter-narrative take the lead on the scene without anyone responding to them.”

Important experience

For his part, Palestinian journalist Muhammad Amin succeeded in opening a discussion with the parliamentarian who represents him in his constituency.

Amin told Al Jazeera Net how he took the initiative to write to the parliamentarian to express his anger and frustration at the position of the Labor Party, specifically the position of its leader, Keir Starmer, who agreed at the beginning of the aggression to cut off water and electricity from Gaza even though he is a lawyer and human rights activist.

He added, “Based on my consideration as a British Palestinian who has the right to vote, I decided to take a practical step to put pressure on the party I voted for. I sent an angry message demanding a ceasefire, and for the representative of my region to take a humanitarian stance and not support the war of extermination. The response came clear that the party’s position is Supporting Israel in defending itself, while adding in the message that it regrets the loss of civilians, but the party does not support a ceasefire.”

The Palestinian journalist did not stop at the parliamentarian’s response: “I responded to him with another message warning him not to be part of the genocide, and I told him that my frustration with this position would translate into not voting for him and his party, and I would convince those around me and urge the Arab community not to vote for the Labor Party, because the party chose silence or Participate in what is happening, and I told him that I lost a number of my family members and relatives Gaza strip Because of the continued aggression, the silence of the Labor Party and the position of the UK Government.”

The parliamentarian immediately called Amin, who said, “In the call, I explained to him that my message was that what is happening in Gaza is a war crime, and that I do not understand what the definition of genocide is if it is not bombing hospitals and killing children by the thousands, and he must be on the right side by calling immediately.” “For a ceasefire, and he promised that he would convey all these points to the party leadership.”

The journalist considered that his experience is what members of the Arab and Muslim communities should do and “know the importance of their electoral vote, and I urge all members of the community to put pressure and communicate with parliamentarians to convey their point of view, get out of negativity, participate positively, and practice punitive voting for anyone who takes an opposing position.” Stop the aggression against the Palestinians.”