Protest against visit of Benjamin Netanyahu

Note that there will be a protest against Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the UK, and the perceived complicity of the UK government in illegal Israeli settlements, on Monday 6 February.

***

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will be in London to meet Theresa May on Monday 6 February. Join our (https://www.facebook.com/events/1835192500095095/) protest (https://www.facebook.com/events/1835192500095095/)  opposite Number 10 Downing Street, between 11.30am to 1.30pm.

Over the last few weeks, Netanyahu has made clear he will ignore the UN resolution 2334 adopted last December, and regards Donald Trump’s election as US president as a green light to expand settlement construction. Since Trump’s inauguration, there have been 6,000 new settlement units announced.

Theresa May must make Netanyahu aware that Britain was serious when it supported UN resolution 2334. The resolution confirmed the illegality of Israel’s occupation and condemned settlement building as illegal and an obstacle to peace.

It is not enough for the government to talk about settlements as illegal, they need to be treated as such. We are calling on the government to use Netanyahu’s visit as an opportunity to announce a review of all of the UK’s financial relationships with settlements and the intention to exclude all settlement goods from UK markets. Next Thursday there will be a debate in parliament about Israel’s illegal settlements.Please ask your MP to demand an end to UK complicity in settlements. (https://palestinecampaign.iparlsetup.com/lobby/settlementsdebate)

Netanyahu’s visit also comes at a time when there is talk of the UK’s need to forge new trading relationships post Brexit. Trade should not come at the expense of compliance with international law and human rights conventions.

Britain needs to make clear that there will be no new trade deal with Israel unless Israel complies with international law. Britain must also suspend arms exports to Israel as these violate the International Arms Trade Treaty.

Theresa May told us on the eve of her meeting with Donald Trump that she would not be afraid to tell the heads of other governments when they were doing things that were unacceptable.

Her failure to respond to Donald Trump’s announcement of a ban on Syrian refugees and Muslims from seven different countries travelling to the US saw her fail the test she had set herself.

Join us, and help deliver the message to Theresa May loud and clear: justice now for Palestine!