This past week, an Israeli drone killed 8-year-old Wafaa Akila and her father in Gaza City – hours after she’d gone back to school for the first time this year. She is amongst thousands of Palestinian children killed since the war began.
Now Israel is targeting and calling for a ban on aid and humanitarian advocacy organisations that rush to save lives in the aftermath of attacks and or highlights Israeli violations. A leaked letter recommends barring staff from Oxfam, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Save the Children, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Friends of Al Aqsa and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
This is an obvious retaliation for multiple Governments, including ours, for banning trade with illegal settler occupied land.
Punishing charities that deliver humanitarian aid and highlight gross human rights and international law should be a signal for our government to take stronger measures.
Cowering to Israeli pressure will only cost more civilian lives. These are not the actions of an ally or a state that abides by international law. It is time that we stopped treating Israel as either.
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