District Council unanimously passes Emergency Motion in relation to Israel and Gaza
During the full council meeting on evening of 18 October, the District Council unanimously passed an Emergency Motion on Israel and Gaza, stating:
’’This Council is appalled by and condemns unreservedly the terrorist outrages perpetrated by Hamas on Israeli civilians in Southern Israel earlier this month.
’’This Council acknowledges Israel’s right acting within international law to prevent further such attacks.
’’This Council deplores the mounting death toll in Gaza and condemns the cutting off by Israel of electricity, gas, water which impacts deeply upon the civilian population of Gaza, many of whom do not support Hamas.
‘’This Council urges the United Kingdom prime minister to seek international support for the United Nations to negotiate with all relevant parties to ensure:
- a safe route for immediate humanitarian aid to civilians still living in Gaza;
- (ii) the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages;
- (iii) a ceasefire and
- (iv) the re-opening of negotiations thereafter to achieve a ‘two-state solution’ as the best hope of long term peace in the area with a secure Israel free from terrorist threats and a viable, independent state of Palestine. ‘’
The Council has unanimously resolved to encourage and support good intercommunal relations in St Albans including continued communication and dialogue between the local faith leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities.
The Council also unanimously deplored the rise in both antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crime in this country and has called upon the Council Leader to write to the Herts Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner to ask the latter to set out what steps he is taking to maintain community cohesion and to ensure the safety of the Jewish and Muslim communities.
The Council has stated its recognition of the anguish and grief of St Albans residents who have family, friends and loved ones caught up in the violence in both Israel and Gaza and extends its deepest sympathies to residents during these troublesome times.