Killing Must Stop (Exeter Liberal Democrats)

Exeter Liberal Democrats <info@exeterlibdems.org.uk>

Killing Must Stop

January 17, 2009 8:00 PM

Margaret Clark and Graham Oakes at the Stop The War March in Exeter

Exeter's Liberal Democrat PPC Graham Oakes joined a march through Exeter aimed at stopping the killing in Gaza. Graham was the only senior representative from any of the major political parties who joined the 700 + people protesting in the city at lunchtime.

Speaking at the end of the March and rally he said: "Over the past couple of weeks we have watched the devastation unfold on our TV screens each evening. The death toll rises on both sides each day and now as food and water run out the numbers of dead will rapidly increase, as those most vulnerable to lack of food and water, the very young, the old and the sick start to die in greater numbers. It is no longer an operation to halt rockets being fired at Israel, but genocide. We are seeing war crimes on a daily basis"

"I am ashamed at the lack of action by our MP and our government of which he is such a keen supporter. The Prime Minister should be leading the EU to use its significant diplomatic and economic leverage to broker peace. The talks are far too slow as every day more and more innocent people die."

"The EU is by far Israel's biggest export market, and by far the biggest donor to the Palestinians, putting the EU in a great position to act as a peace broker. It could and should ban the export of arms to Israel."

"Our Prime Minister should be calling for the EU ban and if the EU is unwilling he should act unilaterally. Last year export licenses amounted to £20M in the first quarter alone, far more than when Labour came to power."

"The present situation is a breeding ground for terrorists and there will never be peace. It is in Israel's interest that Palestine is prosperous and peaceful and they must play their part in creating that peace, supported by the EU and the US."

"No terrorist organisation has ever been defeated by bombs alone. A new approach is in the interest of everyone who wants peace in that region."