Jean today sent a letter to the UK Foreign Secretary expressing her grave concerns over Turkish military action in north-western Syria (Afrin province).

You can read the full text of her letter below.

—

Dear Foreign Secretary,

Re: Turkish military activity in Afrin province, Syria

A number of my constituents in London have written to me to express their grave concerns over military activity by the Turkish Government in north-western Syria. I share these concerns and would be grateful if you could raise this with the Turkish authorities at your very earliest convenience. It is unacceptable that a NATO ally should be attacking Syrian Kurds in Afrin province – especially after their contribution to recent military efforts against so-called Islamic State fighters. This also raises the question of the propriety of UK arms sales to Turkey, including fighter jets, and I would also ask you to reconsider the UK Government’s position on this matter.

Thank you for your kind consideration; I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Jean Lambert MEP
Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London

LETTER 2018 01 26th Foreign Secretary [Afrin]

The post Letter to Foreign Secretary protesting Turkish military action against Syrian Kurds appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.

LONDON’S Green MEP Jean Lambert has called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza – and added her name to a letter demanding David Cameron immediately to stop UK-based firms selling weapons to Israel and all armed groups operating in the region.

Ms Lambert, who is a patron of Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign, also called for the EU to suspend its ongoing trade and cultural co-operation deal with Israel.

She said: “The EU-Israel Association Agreement should be suspended until the ongoing siege of Gaza is abandoned: restrictions on the Gazan economy are forcing a ‘tunnel’ economy on Gaza – and as long as the EU continues to trade with Israel it remains complicit in that.”

“Children in Gaza are being traumatised – and civilians have nowhere to run to when the Israeli missiles fall. We must have an immediate cease-fire and, while I welcome the growing voices from within Israel calling for an end to this assault, I support the UN Commission of Inquiry which will look at all violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, by all sides, and I hope those found to be responsible will be brought to justice.”

Ms Lambert spoke at a central London rally on July 26th organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign calling for an end to the fighting and human rights violations in Gaza.

She added: “We really need a long-term solution that allows all, whether they consider themselves to be Palestinian, Israeli, or neither, to live peacefully side-by-side in one of earth’s most densely-populated regions.

“The seemingly endless cycle of bloody conflict and fragile cease-fires offers no stable, peaceful future. This latest round of death and injury was sparked, apparently, by the murders of four young men, committed by those who do not want peace. Countless other deaths is not a fitting memorial.

“But with so many dead and injured, an immediate cease in hostilities must be the priority: and a complete end to all arms sales and military support to the region. I have written to Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, and, today, to Prime Minister David Cameron, to demand exactly that.”

The post Green MEP calls for end to UK weapons sales to Israel appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.

You can read it on their website here, or, in full, below.

The true character of the Coalition’s immigration and asylum policies can be seen in the 2014 Immigration Act, which requires landlords, employers, and doctors to run checks on the status of migrants who access their services or are seeking employment. The UN has warned that the Act could create a “climate of ethnic profiling”, stigmatising vulnerable asylum-seekers and refugees, leaving them unable to secure a place to live or open a bank account.

The Government’s closed-door approach has already resulted in Britain accepting just 54 highly vulnerable people from Syrian refugee camps despite the fact that 2.8 million people have fled the region in desperate search of safety. If David Cameron genuinely wants to help those affected by disasters, including the conflict in Gaza or the brutal intolerance displayed by Isis in Iraq  he would display a sense of pride that Britain should be considered a place of refuge for troubled communities, rather than locking down our borders while watching the death-toll climb.

 
Jean Lambert, MEP for London (Green)

The post Letter to the Evening Standard: ‘Tough’ immigration policy endangering refugees fleeing Gaza appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.

In a letter to Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond Jean, who is a patron of the Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign,  said she supported the Amnesty International campaign to stamp out UK arms being used in the current conflict between Israel and Gaza.

Israel Arms Sales July 2014

The post Green MEP calls on Government to halt all weapons exports to Israel appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.

Lambert is a member of the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs committee and said it highlights the importance of health and safety regulations to protect working conditions and save lives.

She said: “This is an appalling tragedy which is devastating for so many families in Soma.

“People in Turkey are right to be angry – a full, transparent and independent investigation is needed to get to the root of what happened, and what must be done to stop it ever happening again.

“Such terrible workplace tragedies are not down to fate – they are down to negligence. Private mining companies must be made to put safety first – they should not be praised for cutting costs while people risk their lives to make a living.

“Turkey’s ruling party voted down a parliamentary inquiry into earlier accidents at mines in the region, and there are questions to be answered about how seriously they have taken health and safety issues at work.

“This shows the importance of so-called EU ‘red tape’ which some UK parties wish to roll back – it saves lives and ensures everyone is entitled to decent working conditions.

“We should be working to raise working conditions internationally, not roll them back in Europe.”

The post Turkey mine disaster shows importance of EU Health and Safety at work rules appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.

Representatives of the Turkish protest movement will address Green MEPs about recent protests and the current situation in Turkey during a public conference on Tuesday (June 11th) ahead of a full parliamentary debate the following day.

London’s Green MEP Jean Lambert said she welcomed the visit and debate, and hoped it could form part of the international dialogue needed to bring an end to the recent wave of arrests and apparent police brutality.

She said: “The spirit of compromise must prevail here if we are to prevent any further regression of democracy in Turkey.

“The original protests against the construction of Gezi Park were indicative of growing concern over excessive commercialisation, with little regard for social and environmental impact or public will.

“But the bigger concern is the way these protest were dealt with – and the widely reported anti-democratic crackdown on peaceful protesters by the Turkish police.

“Turkey must respect the basic human rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech: these rights are, reportedly, being denied on a widespread scale at the moment.

“There is a need to find a peaceful, democratic solution to the current situation – one that respects everyone’s basic human rights – and I hope the discussions can play a role in that.”

The post Green MEP calls on Turkey to halt police brutality and guarantee human rights for all appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.

We should be afraid and angry about the current escalation around Gaza because this has nothing to do with security and will increase insecurity in the region.

The situation in the area had been relatively quiet recently: now we see an escalation. Why? The Israeli economy is in difficulty: there is an election approaching: Netanyahu’s Party (Likud) is merging with a hardline party (Israel Beiteinu) and needs to assert this new identity. We are hearing that there had been negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians about longer-term ceasefire, opening Rafah and helping to boost the economy of Gaza – which needs that possibility as there is at least a 30% unemployment rate there..

Any progress has now been halted – again.

This conflict has nothing to do with increasing security; securing peace or securing prosperity – it has everything to do with internal politics.

The international community must take action. It is not enough to simply secure a ceasefire, essential though that is.

We have to tackle the ongoing injustices:
The increase in illegal settlements
The apartheid wall
The imprisonment of children
The check-points, the arbitrary arrests, the delays getting medical care, the everyday humiliations and difficulties that stop the Palestinian people from living normal lives, developing their own economy and strengthening democracy and human rights.
Having a viable, Palestinian state
All of that would offer security for both the Israeli and Palestinian people

The EU is the largest multi-lateral donor to the Palestinian Authorities. The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner. The EU must use that power.

We need an arms embargo both in to and out of the area. No-one should be selling arms there. Nor should we be buying arms there, as Israel grows as an arms producer.

We should invoke the Human Rights clause of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and suspend that agreement.

We should be tracing the money behind the illegal settlements and stopping that support which does nothing to bring about a solution.

The Palestinian people will be at the UN at the end of the month, seeking recognition: will our Government support that?

We have to stand firm. Aggression must not pay.

We need a ceasefire now.

Stop the killings.

Freedom for the Palestinian people.

The post Speech at the emergency demonstration outside the Israeli embassy, London, called by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in protest at the escalation of conflict and violence in Gaza appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.

The recent escalation in hostilities from both sides of the conflict, which have seen almost 70 people killed – including children – and many hundreds more – including journalists – injured, mocks international human rights standards, she said.

“The EU must use all the lawful and peaceful means at its disposal to to try to stop the killing and guarantee the human rights of all living in Palestine and Israel,” Ms Lambert said.

“It must immediately suspend Israel’s preferential trade deal with the EU, by invoking its clause requiring both parties to the agreement to respect international human rights law – and explore other means of using trade negotiations to try to prevent and future violence and bringing both Israel and a viable Palestinian state into the international community.

“Further, we must declare an immediate arms embargo to stop the flow of weapons into both Israel and Gaza.”

She made her comments at a demonstration against the recent escalation in violence – which has seen more than 1,000 Israeli attacks on Gaza in the last four days.

The post EU must suspend preferential trade deal with Israel, MEP tells Gaza demo appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.

Speaking after the vote, Jean said:

“As a longstanding advocate of a lasting peaceful and just resolution in the Middle East, I welcome the vote for a strong position on the Goldstone report as a positive step forward in the peace process.

“The Green Group has endorsed the report’s recommendations from the beginning, including the call for both parties to respect and be held accountable for violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws, and the demand for both Israel and Palestine to conduct their own domestic investigations that must meet international standards of impartiality, transparency, promptness and effectiveness.

“Crucially, the European resolution [2] adopted by Parliament also asks the EU to work towards a strong common position to closely monitor and assess effectiveness and genuineness of these domestic investigations, as well as the implementation of the further Goldstone recommendations.

“I also welcome the call for the immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of the crossings along the Gaza-Israel frontier to allow for civilian reconstruction and the position on NGOs stating both sides should refrain from any measures restricting the activities of these organizations.”

Jean concluded:

“The ongoing blockade of Gaza is an outrage and is robbing thousands of any sort of hope for a normal life. The Goldstone report is important: we now want to see real action from EU Governments and Council in response to Parliament’s vote.”

09/03/10

Jean released a statement ahead of the vote, in which she commented:

“I will endorse a European Parliament resolution which supports Israel being held to account; an end to the siege and an opening of crossings for civilian reconstruction; for steps to include Hamas in peace talks, removing them from the terrorist list as a constructive step and to help Hamas act in a way that assists the implementation of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Palestinian territory; and which supports NGOs and civil society to uphold human rights and call those in authority to account.

“I have been a longstanding advocate of a lasting peaceful and just resolution, which respects democracy and human rights. Along with Green colleagues, I will continue to press for progress in line with these principles.”

Notes

[1] For the full text of the Goldstone Report, see: http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2009/09/15/UNFFMGCReport.pdf

[2] The joint European Parliament resolution (put together as a result of resolutions from different political groups) can be read at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2010-0145&language=EN

The post Green MEP welcomes vote adopting strong position of crucial report into Gaza conflict appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.

Jean will be among speakers at the demonstration, organised by groups including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Stop the War Coalition, the British Muslim Initiative and CND.

Campaigners will use the Remember Gaza – Free Palestine! demonstration to call for an end to the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the arms trade.

Jean addressed thousands of protestors at a rally in Hyde Park during the national demonstration for Gaza on 10 January. Speaking ahead of Saturday’s event, she said:

“All eyes are on the Middle East this week for the Pope’s visit. I’ll be demonstrating on Saturday to ensure that, while Gaza might have slipped down the news agenda since January, the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people is not forgotten. We have seen that there is a tremendous sense of solidarity among Londoners for the people of Gaza, I hope this remains as strong now.”

With fellow Green MEP Caroline Lucas, Jean has been pushing for a suspension of the trade agreement between the EU and Israel [1]. Jean continued:

“Determined action to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is long overdue. We must exert pressure on leaders in the UK and Europe to help lift the blockade on the movement of goods across the border, and to end arms trading with Israel.

“The Palestinian people urgently need our support to help work towards creating a safe and peaceful future based on a two state solution.”

The demonstration takes place this Saturday, 16 May. It will assemble at 12 noon in Malet Street, London WC1, nearest tubes Goodge Street and Russell Square, and will be followed by a rally in Trafalgar Square.
Notes to Editors

[1] The EU-Israel Association Agreement is a contract which allows Israel privileged trading terms with EU countries conditional upon respect for human rights (Article 2)

The post Green MEP to Remember Gaza at Free Palestine demo appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.