PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote addressed a  Stop the War rally outside Downing Street yesterday. Her speech is below.
I want to thank Stop the War for organising tonight's rally. We are here to say “Stop the War†and “Stop the war crimesâ€.
Israel has destroyed Gaza, displacing hundreds of thousands of innocent people. According to the United Nations, 92% of homes in Gaza are now rubble.
And Israel is now inflicting the same atrocities on Lebanon. Entire towns and villages have been razed to the ground. Hundreds of thousands of innocent Lebanese people – Christians and Muslims alike – have been made homeless and forced to flee their homes.
These are war crimes on a massive scale. And they are war crimes happening with the collusion of this UK Labour Government.
Enough is enough. It's time to stop the complicity.
Where are the sanctions on Israel, where is the suspension of all trade, where even is the full arms embargo?
When Russia invaded and started bombing Ukraine in 2022, there was no hesitation: Keir Starmer immediately called out the war crimes Putin was committing. He backed the sanctions put on Russia and toughened them further when he got into Government.
So my question to Keir Starmer, and his Labour Government, is: why the double standards?
Do Palestinian lives and Lebanese lives matter less to you? Are war crimes OK if the country committing them is deemed to be an ally?
Because there is no doubt about Israel's crimes:
- The United Nations has described what is happening in Gaza as a genocide;
- The International Association of Genocide Scholars has said what is happening in Gaza is a genocide; and
- The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, with charges of crimes against humanity and the war crime of starvation.
We in the Stop the War movement are the global majority – that can see and condemn war crimes. And we see the double standards too.
Keir Starmer may not be in 10 Downing Street much longer – but whoever replaces him should know, you will be just as unpopular, just as isolated, if you don't stand for peace and human rights.
- End all the arms sales.
- Impose sanctions.
- And say no to US and Israeli wars in the Middle East.
Solidarity with the people of Palestine, Lebanon and Iran!
Fran Heathcote is General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union.
Image: Fran Heathcote speaking at the rally. c/o Labour Hub.
