Leicester East MP issues no-holds-barred speech; over 66,000 sign letter to International Criminal Court
Leicester East MP Claudia Webbe MP has signed a formal call to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and prosecute Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
And in a no-holds-barred Westminster Hall speech to MPs explaining her decision to put her name to the formal letter of complaint, she said that she ‘will not be an accomplice’ to the daily atrocities against Palestinian civilians:
Webbe was one of the first of more than 66,000 international lawmakers, civil society representatives and civilians to sign the official complaint asking on the ICC to investigate, prosecute and arrest Israeli government figures, including Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, for war crimes against the people of Gaza including genocide and crimes against humanity.
“‘Never again’ must mean never again for anyone”
In a statement today, Ms Webbe MP said:
I have signed a formal complaint to the International Criminal Court for Justice calling on them to investigate and prosecute the Israeli government for war crimes against the people of Palestine, including genocide and crimes against humanity.
Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has destroyed or severely damaged 60-70% of homes and public buildings – some estimates say 80-90% – and has killed more than 20,000 civilians, including at least 10,000 children, as well as maiming countless others, who are now forced to undergo amputations and other serious surgery without anaesthetic, in impossible conditions.
The death toll from bombs and missiles is horrifying, but the toll from starvation and disease is set to be even worse, with Israel only allowing a fraction of the aid into Gaza that its people need and the UN unable to distribute it effectively because so many of their trucks have been destroyed. More than 150 UN personnel have been killed.
Yet the Israeli government is blaming the UN for the situation and is using humanitarian aid as a weapon of war, while Israel’s ministers have even suggested dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza and talk openly of ‘Nakba 2023’ – a repeat of the violent mass expulsion of Palestinians in 1948 – and Israeli troops have planted flags in the centre of flattened residential districts to stake their claim.
I have received well over 6,000 letters and emails from constituents calling for an immediate ceasefire and I am comforting too many who have lost family under the rubble and others desperately worried about their loved ones and friends in Gaza and I will not be silent. Collective punishment is a war crime, forcible transfer of the population is a war crime, indiscriminate bombing and the use of white phosphorus on civilians – now confirmed by Amnesty International – is a war crime. I will not be an accomplice.
I have signed the formal complaint to the International Criminal Court because there must be accountability for those responsible, and I have urged my colleagues in Parliament to do the same.
Never again must mean never again for anyone.
The formal letter of complaint to the ICC, which has been signed by hundreds of politicians globally as well as more than 66,000 others, is still open for readers to add their names here. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Podemos Social Rights minister Ione Belarra Urteaga and a host of other global lawmakers have signed. Details of signatories can be found here.
Despite the huge number of signatures, the UK media appear determined to ignore the war crime prosecution call.
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Signed.
The latest in a line of ignominiously grotesque acts of the ibf (‘b’ for butchery, not ‘d’ for defence, as there is none) I’ve seen was on al jazeera this morning.
They’ve went into a school building where people – including (mainly) women and kids – were sheltering, and shot them all. No bomb damage, so they can’t claim airstrike fatalities – as if bombing a school is alright anyway.
But hey – at least they weren’t raped before they were murdered, so give the ibf some credit for that, why dontcha? 😕
Just discovered þhis article and never saw that sky report. We have such exposes daily and like other scams the truth is making an appearance. I look forwards to more exposes and bigger helpings of the truth. Even journos want to sty alive.
The wording on the submission is as follows:
“Would you join an international popular initiative to advocate for the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and prosecute the Israeli government for the crimes and collective punishment committed in Gaza since 7 October 2023?
To this end, a group of civil society organisations, political representatives and activists from various countries wish to submit a communication to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor requesting the investigation of various Israeli government authorities for documented crimes.”
As it stands it says nothing either explicit nor implicit about the prosecution of all those involved in aiding and abetting these War Crimes. A key element covered under Article 25 of the ICC Rome Statute.
https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/RS-Eng.pdf
Whose provisions cover not only those responsible for providing direct and indirect material and personnel aid and support but also any other support which aids and abets such crimes.
This element needs to be included in any proceedings.
She needs to announce that she will be a candidate at the next general election.
WTF happened to the other thread article on this site highlighting the submission to the ICC?
I’ll ask again.
Where is the other article/thread on this submission?
Well done Claudia! There was a heartbreaking interview with
Palestinian journalists this morning on Radio 4 – but nothing on
TV ..
The press has spent scant attention to the deaths in Gaza – much
better information can be obtained from Israeli press – eg “Times of Israel”
which told how “Netanyahu propped up Hamas” over
many years. (A search will provide the relevant article).
Occasionally there is a piece online eg the fact*** of the (female) observers
warning that something was up in the way of “Hamas preparing
for an invasion” but this was ignored
*** reported here a while ago ..