UK government silent on Israeli attacks on al-Aqsa Mosque while intimidating Muslim charities working in Palestine.

UK government silent on Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque while intimidating Muslim charities working in Palestine.

Human Aid & Advocacy condemns yesterday’s violent assault by Israeli forces on worshippers at the sacred Al-Aqsa mosque. The violations are particularly disturbing as they occur during the holy month of Ramadan. Human Aid & Advocacy is also concerned by the silence from the UK government who, only a week before had issued sanctions related threats against Muslim charities supporting survivors in Palestine.

In light of the government’s tacit support for this latest Israeli aggression and the possibility of further attacks on Gaza, it appears to Human Aid & Advocacy that the correspondence from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) is nothing more than an attempt to disrupt legitimate aid work, and thereby maximise the suffering of the Palestinian people.   

This is part of a broader trend in which the UK government is enhancing its bilateral support to Israel in defence, economy and other sectors.[1]

Nur Choudhury, Chair of Human Aid & Advocacy, said: 

“It is startling that when the UK government seeks to expand a £7-billion trade relationship with Israel – a state that has been roundly condemned for maintaining apartheid - it is also turning on its own citizens and restricting the delivery of aid to Palestinian survivors.” 

“Charities and volunteers that are helping to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians living under apartheid deserve every support from UK authorities. They should not be obstructed nor threatened with prosecution. We call on the OFSI to reverse its decision and to stop the intimidation of Muslim charities especially during the month of Ramadan”

[Ends]

NOTES:

[1] UK government relations with Israel span a number of areas:

• Committed to a 2030 Roadmap for UK-Israeli Bilateral Relations for mutual profit through defence and technology systems, further fortifying the Zionist state and enabling its occupation of Palestine. 
• Continued its arms sales to Israel through companies including BAE Systems, GE Aviation, Martin-Baker, Selex, Cobham, Ultra Electronics, UTC Actuation Systems and Rolls-Royce, and purchased arms from Israeli-based companies including Elbit Systems.
• Cut the UK’s aid budget by £4.5bn – from 0.7% to 0.5% of gross national income (GNI) in violation of a UN commitment, placing more pressure on independent aid organisations working in devastated areas such as Gaza and Palestine.
• Diverted roughly £3.5 billion that should have been used to alleviate increasing suffering overseas to spend mostly on Ukrainian refugees in the UK.
• Merged its diplomatic and aid departments into the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) which means that UK “aid” will address foreign policy interests.