Israel-Gaza: Burnley Council passes motion calling for ceasefire

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, as seen from Sderot, Israel, 01 December 2023EPA

A seven-day truce which had seen humanitarian assistance reaching the Gaza Strip ended on 1 December

By Bill Jacobs
Local Democracy Reporting Service

A council has passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Burnley Council voted for the move to "stop the mass killing of civilians in the Israel-Gaza conflict".

A seven-day truce, which had seen humanitarian assistance reaching the Gaza Strip, ended on 1 December.

Council leader Afrasiab Anwar said: "This is not a Muslim issue. It is a humanitarian issue. Every single one of us needs to speak out."

Eleven councillors quit Labour over Sir Keir Starmer's decision not to push for a ceasefire in Gaza and formed a coalition with the Greens and Lib Dems in November.

Burnley Council's motion to call for a ceasefire was proposed by councillor Lubna Khan and seconded by Green group leader Scott Cunliffe.

The Conservative group abstained, while Labour councillors had a free vote, with some, including group leader Mark Townsend abstaining.

Former council executive members Sue Graham and John Harbour voted against the motion.

Hamas attacked Israel in October, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages, some of whom were released during a short-lived truce.

Hamas officials in Gaza said Israel has killed more than 17,000 people in its retaliatory campaign, including about 7,000 children.

The council motion also called for the opening of aid corridors into Gaza, the United Nations and International Criminal Court appointing arbitrators to assess evidence of war crimes and the establishment of a recognised and sovereign Palestine alongside a secure and sovereign Israel.

Former councillor Bea Foster, who was on a Burnley Women for Peace pilgrimage to the Holy Land when the conflict broke out, told the meeting before the debate: "To challenge the Israeli government on the issue of the illegal occupation is not anti-Semitic."

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Sir Keir Starmer said in November that a ceasefire would enable Hamas to stay in control of the territory

Councillor Shah Hussain said: "Everyone has seen footage of what can only be described as genocide and wiping out a particular race of people.

"There are extremists on both sides. When we call out Hamas, and rightly so, we need to call out the Israeli terrorists who are killing Christians and Muslims on the West Bank," he added.

Councillor Gordon Lishman said he believed there was an "unspoken alliance between Hamas and [Israel's Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu" because both of them "have an interest in maintaining conflict".

More on Israel-Gaza war

Labour member Gail Barton questioned the motion's wording asking the government to "guarantee" the prompt opening of aid corridors into Gaza.

She said: "As a British government we have no power to do that whatsoever. Words are important."

Ms Khan responded: "I don't think any of these people would forgive us for being pedantic about a word.

"These are real people. Nobody will silence us on this. Every human life matters."

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