So whats then? The majority of the UK MPs voted in favour of recognising Palestine as a state. The motion was amended during the debate to add bits on supporting the two-state solution on the basis of 1967 borders. This is not what I was looking for to be honest. I enjoyed watching the debate and following what each MP said and their experience of going to Palestine or that of their fathers being part of the British army. Just to stress some points here: - Recognising the historic Palestine of 1948 is the right step that should be taken. This is not a gift but a right. It is the least the UK government can do after gifting Palestine to Jews after Balfour Declaration 1917. - There are more important issues than passing a motion like this. Palestine is more about the right of return, freeing all political prisoners, demolition of settlements, ending occupation and lots more. - More effective steps could be supporting the BDS movement, specifically imposing sanctions on Israel and stop arming its army. The Palestinians have endured enough aggression. They live as prisoners in their own lands. They aspire freedom and justice. To be honest, the whole thing annoyed me. And as my friend Aisha puts it nicely, I am annoyed that a bunch of middle and upper class white men feel they have the privilege and right to recognise a people when it was their colonial country that created the state of Israel in the first place! Why do we need to look to these people for recognition, we should be gaining strength from ourselves on the ground, not from the top.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 22:31:13 +0000