As concerned residents of Barnet, we urgently call on our three local Labour MPs—Sarah Sackman, David Pinto-Duschinsky, and Dan Tomlinson—to address the growing alarm caused by the Labour government's increasingly anti-Israel policy.
Since the formation of the new government on 5 July 2024, the following concerning actions have taken place:
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19 July: The UK government restored funding to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) despite substantial evidence suggesting that many of its employees were complicit in the atrocities committed on 7 October and have since harboured hostages. The UN has also conceded that at least 9 of its employees were involved in the pogrom. This decision raises serious questions about the UK’s commitment to ensuring that its financial support does not inadvertently empower entities linked to Hamas, a designated antisemitic terrorist organization.
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26 July: The UK government decided to drop its challenge to the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move that could be interpreted as equating Israel's democratically elected leaders with those responsible for orchestrating the heinous massacre on 7 October. This decision not only undermines Israel’s sovereignty but also places the UK at odds with its key international allies, including the United States and Germany, who continue to support Israel's right to self-defense.
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5 August: Reports indicate that the UK government has suspended arms exports to Israel pending a policy review. This suspension, if confirmed, sends a troubling signal that the UK is reconsidering its support for Israel's security at a time when the nation faces existential threats from hostile entities.
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2 September: The Foreign Secretary announced a partial arms embargo on Israel whilst the funeral of one of six recently murdered hostages was ongoing.
In light of these developments, we request that the three Labour Barnet MPs each issue their own comprehensive statement addressing their personal views on the above matters and outlining what representations they have made to the government in support of or against these decisions.
Throughout the general election campaign, each Labour candidate in Barnet pledged to support its Jewish community. We now seek clarity on what each MP's threshold is for taking action and how they reconcile their current silence with the commitments they made to their then-prospective constituents.