Rochdale Euro-MP banned from Gaza

Chris Davies MEP

A Rochdale Euro-MP has been banned by Israel from gaining access to the Gaza Strip from its territory. 

The Israeli embassy has written to Chris Davies to say that they will no longer “facilitate the entry of political delegations to Gaza.”

But the Liberal Democrat MEP, who has made four visits to Gaza, accused Israel of trying to prevent the world from understanding the consequences of its policies.

He said: “I’m not surprised that Israel wants to keep politicians away from Gaza. Every time one visits they return horrified at the results of Israeli policies that leave more than a million people undergoing collective punishment for having voted the ‘wrong’ way.”

The Israeli army has maintained a blockade of Gaza since January 2006, when Palestinian elections resulted in a small majority for supporters of Hamas, an organisation that refuses to recognise the State of Israel.

Last month an attempt to draw attention to the blockade led to the death of nine volunteers when Israeli troops boarded aid ships heading for Gaza in international waters.
In a letter to Mr Davies, Israel describes Hamas as a “brutal terrorist organisation which openly calls for Israel’s destruction and appears on the EU’s list of terrorist organizations.”

The accumulation of political visits, it is argued, “not only undermines Israel’s security but also undermines the efforts of the Palestinian Authority to lead the Palestinian people to peace.”

Davies, who is a member of the European Parliament’s Palestine Delegation, described Israel’s policies as cruel and self-defeating. He is calling for the British government to open direct talks with Hamas.

He said: “Half the people of Gaza are under 18. They haven’t voted for anyone, yet Israel denies them educational opportunities and the prospect of jobs. How does this give hope for a peaceful future?”

“I don’t agree with the policies of Hamas but the organisation cannot be ignored. The new British government should follow the lead of the Russian president and meet with their representatives face to face.

“You cannot make peace without talking to your enemies.”