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Foreign policy experts urge David Cameron to back immediate Gaza ceasefire ‘Morally indefensible’: experts urge Cameron to back instant Gaza ceasefire
(32 minutes later)
Letter to foreign secretary in run-up to UN vote says failure to call for end to hostilities is ‘morally indefensible’ Foreign secretary is told failure to call for immediate ceasefire is also ‘strategically ill-advised’, as UN vote approaches
David Cameron has been urged in a letter from foreign policy experts including a former head of the armed forces to back an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza in the run-up to a crucial UN security council vote. Foreign policy experts including a former head of the armed forces have urged David Cameron to back an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza in the run-up to a crucial UN security council vote.
The failure to call for a ceasefire was “strategically ill-advised and morally indefensible”, the British foreign secretary was told in the letter, as senior Conservatives also added to pressure on the government for a shift in its approach to the conflict. The failure to call for a ceasefire was “strategically ill-advised and morally indefensible”, the British foreign secretary was told in a letter, as senior Conservatives also added to pressure on the government for a shift in its approach to the conflict.
Cameron will call for increased coordination between allies to address the “desperate” humanitarian situation, and use a trip to Paris and Rome on Tuesday to reiterate his call for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, but the spotlight falls on a UN security council meeting after a previous attempt to pass a ceasefire motion was vetoed by the US. Cameron will call for increased coordination between allies to address the “desperate” humanitarian situation, and use a trip to Paris and Rome on Tuesday to reiterate his call for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza. But the spotlight falls on a UN security council meeting after the US vetoed a previous attempt to pass a ceasefire motion.
“The UK does not have to follow America’s lead – particularly when US public and opinion is far from united,” says the letter from Gen Lord David Richards, a former head of the armed forces, and others including six former UK ambassadors.“The UK does not have to follow America’s lead – particularly when US public and opinion is far from united,” says the letter from Gen Lord David Richards, a former head of the armed forces, and others including six former UK ambassadors.
They welcomed the “slight positive change in tone” last week, They welcomed the “slight positive change in tone” last week, adding: “We implore the United Kingdom to once again work with all members of the UN security council to ensure a renewed resolution for an immediate ceasefire is brought forward, and then to vote in favour of it.”
adding: “We implore the United Kingdom to once again work with all members of the UN security council to ensure a renewed resolution for an immediate ceasefire is brought forward, and then to vote in favour of it.”
Their intervention came as a group of Tory MPs, including three former cabinet ministers, wrote to Cameron to tell him the case for an immediate ceasefire was “unanswerable”.Their intervention came as a group of Tory MPs, including three former cabinet ministers, wrote to Cameron to tell him the case for an immediate ceasefire was “unanswerable”.
One of those MPs, Flick Drummond, told Times Radio on Tuesday that what was happening in Gaza was an annihilation, while the influential Conservative chair of the foreign affairs committee, Alicia Kearns, said Israel’s operation had “gone beyond self-defence” and it lost the moral authority in its war with Hamas. One of those MPs, Flick Drummond, told Times Radio on Tuesday that what was happening in Gaza was an annihilation, while the influential Conservative chair of the foreign affairs committee, Alicia Kearns, said Israel’s operation had “gone beyond self-defence” and it had lost the moral authority in its war with Hamas.
“Bombs don’t obliterate an ideology and neither can a stable state be constructed from oblivion,” Kearns wrote in Tuesday’s Telegraph.“Bombs don’t obliterate an ideology and neither can a stable state be constructed from oblivion,” Kearns wrote in Tuesday’s Telegraph.
The challenges from the conflict to the position of the main political parties was also illustrated as Labour was also again pressed on its approach. Asked if the party backed the call for an “immediate” ceasefire, Darren Jones, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said “of course” Labour wanted to get to a position “where can long-lasting ceasefire can be put in place. The challenges the conflict poses to the position of the main political parties was illustrated as Labour was also again pressed on its approach. Asked whether the party backed the call for an immediate ceasefire, Darren Jones, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said “of course” Labour wanted to get to a position “where a long-lasting ceasefire can be put in place”.
“But ceasefires only happen because the people fighting each other agree to it. That’s why the diplomatic efforts are so important to securing that outcome.” He added: “But ceasefires only happen because the people fighting each other agree to it. That’s why the diplomatic efforts are so important to securing that outcome.”
The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, shifted his language last week to call for a “sustainable ceasefire”, calling for Hamas to stop firing rockets into Israel and release its hostages in exchange for aid.The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, shifted his language last week to call for a “sustainable ceasefire”, calling for Hamas to stop firing rockets into Israel and release its hostages in exchange for aid.
The vote in New York had been due on Monday. The US said it could not support a reference to a “cessation of hostilities” but may accept a call for a “suspension of hostilities”.The vote in New York had been due on Monday. The US said it could not support a reference to a “cessation of hostilities” but may accept a call for a “suspension of hostilities”.
The Arab countries negotiating the text said they had been encouraged to see that the White House was apparently trying to find wording that it could support – as opposed to simply vetoing resolutions. The Arab countries negotiating the text said they had been encouraged to see that the White House was apparently trying to find wording that it could support, as opposed to simply vetoing resolutions.