The UK will go to the polls for a General Election on 4 July 2024. Parliament was dissolved on 30 May 2024. Ahead of this, Caabu has created a General Election 2024 resource.
Although the economy is likely to dominate this election, the issue of Gaza and Palestine cannot go ignored. We hope that this page can be a resource for those who are interested in what is being said about the Middle East, through highlighting policy positions from UK political parties. An overview of what political parties are saying on Palestine can be found here. Policy positions on Palestine, the Middle East more broadly, issues regarding human rights, refugees, the right to protest (including what is in party manifestos) can be found here.
We encourage you to write to your local candidates to get an idea of their stance on Palestine and we have suggestions of questions that you can ask them. These can be found here and below. Please send the correspondence you receive to Malaka El-Gammal ([email protected]). Those standing for election in your local area can be found here if you enter your postcode. Responses from candidates can be found here.
We will continuously update this website as party manifestos are published and as the correspondence from your local General Election candidates start to come through.
We need all of our supporters to write to candidates and party leaders as soon as possible.
We need elected politicians who will back an end to this conflict, an immediate ceasefire, full humanitarian access, as well as proper accountability for all parties for their actions. This should include backing the decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), including the order to end the invasion of Rafah. It should also include backing the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for seeking arrest warrants for the Israeli Prime Minister and Defence Minister.
Respecting international law matters and this is not just about Gaza. This continued refusal by our representatives to respect international and legal norms where war crimes may not be met with proper accountability sets a dangerous precedent and risks the entire breakdown of the post-WW2 international system.
In this respect, we urge that our supporters determine the views of the candidates on offer in your constituency and what they stand for in relation to the conflict in Gaza and wider international law.
Here are ten suggested questions for constituency candidates. You can find your candidates here.
Do you support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza?
Do you support the UK restoring funding to UNRWA to ensure that the humanitarian needs of Palestinians in Gaza are met?
Do you fully support and respect international law and believe that it applies to all parties in a conflict?
Do you believe that Israel and Hamas must adhere to the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in January, March and May, including an end to the ground invasion of Rafah?
Do you fully respect the independence and jurisprudence of the International Criminal Court (ICC)?
Do you support measures to ensure Israel permits full humanitarian access into Gaza, particularly given levels of famine and malnutrition experienced by Palestinians in Gaza?
Are you in support of an arms embargo on Israel while it continues to perpetrate war crimes across Gaza and in the West Bank?
Given that Israeli settlements in occupied territory are illegal, do you support a ban on UK trade with Israeli settlements?
Do you support the immediate UK recognition of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines?
Do you fully and unequivocally support the right to assemble/protest and freedom of expression in the UK?
Please let us know what responses you receive by emailing [email protected]. This is immensely important to allow us to identify potential supporters.
