Al Shifa Massacre - Updated template - Urge your council to pass a motion for ceasefire
Greetings Councillors,
I am writing to you directly to urge you to support a Motion for Ceasefire. This is a small symbolic act that sends the message that our community stands against Genocide.
There is an enormous volume of evidence highlighting genocidal intent from senior members of Israel's current Government. On October 13th Isaac Hertzog (President of Israel) was recorded stating “it is an entire nation that is responsible”, Giora Eiland the former head of NSC said on the 12th October 2023 “Gaza will become an area where people cannot live”, Eliyau Yosia, an Israeli Middle East Expert said on air on October 29th 2023 “We don’t take into account that Hamas is not the enemy, but all of Gaza is the enemy”.
A number of credible sources (ReliefWeb, Euro-Med Rights Monitor, Al Jazeera) have reported that in the last week the Israeli occupation army has carried out a shockingly horrific massacre in Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City. This was one of the largest and last barely functioning hospitals and places of shelter in the entire Gaza strip. The latest horror in an unimaginably horrific and systematic plan to make Gaza unlivable and unsurvivable. Reports have suggested over 1500 Palestinians have been killed, injured with largely untreated life changing mutilations or are missing with women and children making up half of the casualties, 22 people were shot in their hospital beds as the IDF levelled the entire complex forcing 25,000 people in surrounding homes to flee.
At present 15,000 babies, infants, and children have been killed by Israel since October 7th. That is the population of our entire Bellingen shire, everybody in this whole area. Dead.
If the world looks away now, it not only means that Palestinian children’s lives are worthless, but it also means all children’s lives are worthless. That your children’s lives are worthless.
The recommendations of local Palestinian Solidarity group “Gather for Gaza” have been informed by a number of successful Ceasefire motions that have passed elsewhere in Australia as well as the most recent Human Rights Council Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of humans rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 – ‘Anatomy of a Genocide’
We are asking if you will support the following recommendations as part of a ceasefire motion;
Acknowledges and mourns the tragic and horrific ongoing loss of civilian lives and condemns attacks on all civilians.
Acknowledges that the current crisis did not begin on October 7 2023, it began with the occupation of Palestine by the state of Israel and forced displacement of Palestinians over seven decades before.
Acknowledges widespread concern from governments, NGOs and Human rights agencies including Amnesty International, United Nations Special Rapporteurs, and the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Occupied Palestinian Territory in regards to the proportionality of State of Israel’s response and indications of serious war crimes.
Strongly condemns the State of Israel’s;
a) ground, sea and air bombing of residential neighbourhoods, tents, schools, health facilities, mosques and churches where civilians are sheltering and receiving medical treatment.
b) use of white phosphorus (a chemical weapon) on civilians.
c) denial of aid, including food, water, fuel, electricity, internet, and medical supplies to the people of Gaza.
5. In alignment with council policy around ethical investment, Council to develop a report of contracts with companies that support the illegal occupation of Palestine or profit from it, especially companies that supply equipment to the Israeli Defence Force. Council to consider ending these contracts.
6. Writes to the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister calling on the Australian Government to:
a) Urge the Australian Government to support international efforts for an immediate sustainable humanitarian ceasefire to enable peace negotiations and a pathway to achieving lasting peace.
b) Ensure that UNRWA is properly funded to enable it to meet the increased needs of Palestinians in Gaza.
c) Advocate for release of all hostages, both Israeli and Palestinian.
d) Immediately implement an arms embargo on Israel, as it appears to have failed to comply with the binding measures ordered by the ICJ on 26 January 2024, as well as other economic and political measures necessary to ensure an immediate and lasting ceasefire and to restore respect for international law.
e) Advocate for a peaceful political resolution to the decades long conflict that includes an end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories.
f) Support South Africa having resort to the UNSC under article 94(2) of the UN Charter following Israel’s non-compliance with the above-mentioned ICJ measures;
g) Act to ensure a thorough, independent and transparent investigation of all violations of international law committed by all actors, including those amounting to war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of genocide, including:cooperating with international independent fact-finding/ investigative and accountability mechanisms;referring the situation in Palestine to the ICC immediately, in support of its ongoing investigation and discharging their obligations under the principles of universal jurisdiction, ensuring genuine investigations and prosecutions of individuals who are suspected of having committed, or aided or abetted, in the commission of international crimes, including genocide, starting with their own nationals;
7. Reaffirms our local area as a diverse and welcoming community which stands united against all forms of racism, including islamophobia, and anti-semitism.
We will not stay silent during a Genocide
Kind Regards,
COUNCILLOR EMAILS
mayor@bellingen.nsw.gov.au
cr.brotherton@bellingen.nsw.gov.au
cr.fenton@bellingen.nsw.gov.au
cr.cook@bellingen.nsw.gov.au
cr.king@bellingen.nsw.gov.au
cr.glyde@bellingen.nsw.gov.au
cr.tree@bellingen.nsw.gov.au