Agenda item
Motion E: Israel-Palestine - Proposed by Councillor Andy Goodwin, seconded by Councillor Rosie Pearson
Many residents and community groups of West Oxfordshire have raised concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Israel/Palestine. Some residents are directly affected by the situation with family there.
The situation in Israel / Palestine is appalling. The background is long and complex. Hamas’s massacre of innocent Israeli people in October 2023 was heinous. Since 2001, the UK government has imposed comprehensive sanctions on Hamas and its leaders. The UK Government has been proscribed Hamas as a terrorist organisation, it is a crime to belong to or invite support of Hamas. The remaining Israeli hostages must be returned.
The current actions of the Israeli government are unacceptable:
• The UN indicates that the IDF may have systematically violated the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack – fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.
• The UN Human rights office says that the establishment and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem amount to a war crime.
• The IPC (Integrated Food Security phase classification) says more than 500,000 people in the Gaza Strip are facing starvation destitution and death.
The UK government has been critical of recent events, restored funding to UNWRA, committed more aid to Gaza, suspended more arms licences to Israel, and added sanctions on several Israeli ministers and two “illegal settler outposts” in the West Bank.
We ask the Leader of WODC to write to local MPs and the secretary of state to draw their attention to the concerns raised by residents, asking:
• Call for Hamas to end all acts of terrorism and war crimes, to return all Israeli hostages immediately and unconditionally.
• Confirm the UK would execute ICC arrest warrants against those accused of crimes in the conflict if they visited the UK.
• Introduce an arms embargo on Israel, including component parts of military equipment delivered via third parties and apply economic sanctions on all leaders of the Israeli government.
• Stop trade with Israeli settlements in occupied territories, call for the Israeli government to protect citizens of the West Bank from the increased levels of violence and not allow new Israeli settlements in occupied territories.
• Call for the Israeli government to allow international journalists access to Gaza.
• Call for the Israeli government to end their war crimes against Palestinians including: disproportionate use of force in Gaza; planned military operations in Gaza city; restricting aid organisations in delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza; and demolition of infrastructure in Gaza.
• Set up an evacuation scheme for the seriously injured and malnourished, similar to that instigated by the Italian government
This Council:
• Endorses the right of citizens to peaceful protest, including vigils, in the UK and welcomes the ability of communities to challenge and scrutinise decisions taken by elected representatives.
• Requests the Portfolio Holder for Finance to undertake a review of the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy and where no contrary legal requirement exists, to avoid investing in authorities, institutions or groups that participate in, enable, profit from or legitimise violations of human rights and international law.
Minutes:
The Chair proposed suspending the Council’s standing orders in respect to Rule 13.2, in order to move the order of the motions and deal with Motion E first,
This was seconded and voted on.
Voting record - 34 for, 4 against, 2 abstentions.
Councillor Andy Goodwin proposed the motion. He thanked public speakers and stated that the motion was not about politics, but about the people affected. He stated that Hamas and the Israeli government had committed war crimes.
Councillor Goodwin read out his motion as follows;
Many residents and community groups of West Oxfordshire have raised concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Israel/Palestine. Some residents are directly affected by the situation with family there.
The situation in Israel / Palestine is appalling. The background is long and complex. Hamas’s massacre of innocent Israeli people in October 2023 was heinous. Since 2001, the UK government has imposed comprehensive sanctions on Hamas and its leaders. The UK Government has been proscribed Hamas as a terrorist organisation, it is a crime to belong to or invite support of Hamas. The remaining Israeli hostages must be returned.
The current actions of the Israeli government are unacceptable:
• The UN indicates that the IDF may have systematically violated the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack – fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.
• The UN Human rights office says that the establishment and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem amount to a war crime.
• The IPC (Integrated Food Security phase classification) says more than 500,000 people in the Gaza Strip are facing starvation destitution and death.
The UK government has been critical of recent events, restored funding to UNWRA, committed more aid to Gaza, suspended more arms licences to Israel, and added sanctions on several Israeli ministers and two “illegal settler outposts” in the West Bank.
We ask the Leader of WODC to write to local MPs and the secretary of state to draw their attention to the concerns raised by residents, asking:
• Call for Hamas to end all acts of terrorism and war crimes, to return all Israeli hostages immediately and unconditionally.
• Confirm the UK would execute ICC arrest warrants against those accused of crimes in the conflict if they visited the UK.
• Introduce an arms embargo on Israel, including component parts of military equipment delivered via third parties and apply economic sanctions on all leaders of the Israeli government.
• Stop trade with Israeli settlements in occupied territories, call for the Israeli government to protect citizens of the West Bank from the increased levels of violence and not allow new Israeli settlements in occupied territories.
• Call for the Israeli government to allow international journalists access to Gaza.
• Call for the Israeli government to end their war crimes against Palestinians including: disproportionate use of force in Gaza; planned military operations in Gaza city; restricting aid organisations in delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza; and demolition of infrastructure in Gaza.
• Set up an evacuation scheme for the seriously injured and malnourished, similar to that instigated by the Italian government
This Council:
• Endorses the right of citizens to peaceful protest, including vigils, in the UK and welcomes the ability of communities to challenge and scrutinise decisions taken by elected representatives.
• Requests the Portfolio Holder for Finance to undertake a review of the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy and where no contrary legal requirement exists, to avoid investing in authorities, institutions or groups that participate in, enable, profit from or legitimise violations of human rights and international law.
Councillor Rosie Pearson seconded the motion and reserved her right to speak. Councillor Pearson stated that the Council was right to express an opinion on this, even if some members did not believe that it was an issue which affected the residents of West Oxfordshire. She stated that many in the District had written to express concern and some had families which were directly affected. Moreover, she stated that the Council’s own financial investments were directly within the Council’s remit.
- Members debated the motion and thanked the speakers for their emotive and important contributions.
The following points were raised for why the Council should support the motion;
- Members highlighted that the situation in Gaza was a humanitarian one, having met the threshold for famine, and criticised that aid was being blocked by Israel.
- One member made reference to family in Israel and stated that there had been displacement on both sides, and stated that many Jewish people did not agree with the Israeli Government’s actions.
- Stated that Israel’s actions in retaliation were out of proportion.
- Highlighted that 20,000 children had been killed and the arrests of 309 medical staff according to the UN and WHO.
- At the Labour conference there had been an successful motion accepting a UN finding that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and urging the British Government to act to prevent it.
- Journalists had been denied entry into Gaza.
The following arguments against supporting the motion were raised;
- That the remit of the motion exceeded the Council’s responsibilities. While the points raised, including by the speakers were considered valid, the motion itself was criticised for relevance.
- One member stated that they did not object to the letter itself but did not support it influencing the Council’s treasury management strategy.
The motion was put to a vote as follows;
For 33, Against 2, Abstentions 5
Resolved: The Council
1) Endorsed the right of citizens to peaceful protest, including vigils, in the UK and welcomed the ability of communities to challenge and scrutinise decisions taken by elected representatives.
2) Requested the Portfolio Holder for Finance to undertake a review of the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy and where no contrary legal requirement exists, to avoid investing in authorities, institutions or groups that participate in, enable, profit from or legitimise violations of human rights and international law.