Councillors put on united front to raise concerns over conflict in Israel and Gaza

IN a showing of unity councillors at Warrington Borough Council put on a united front and voted unanimously to support a motion that raised concerns about the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

The motion was proposed in collaboration between the Labour and Liberal Democrat groups by both Cllr Paul Warburton, Labour Councillor for Chapelford and Old Hall and Cllr Graham Gowland, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Lymm and seconded by Cllr Sagheer Zaman and Cllr Judith Wheeler. In the motion both groups shared their great concern about what has happened and is happening in Israel and Gaza and expressed deep sympathy for all those affected by the conflict.

The motion stated that the tragic events in Israel and Gaza must not be allowed to divide our communities in Warrington, that people of all faiths and none should feel safe in our town and that all forms of racism have no place in our society.

Cllr Warburton said: “We cannot help but be shocked by the reports about what has happened and is happening in Israel and Gaza and that children are the innocent victims of this conflict.” He went on to explain that innocent children with significant injuries are suffering life changing injuries and dying because they do not have access to emergency and life-saving healthcare.

Cllr Gowland added: “The conflict in Gaza has hit many local people, with a range of concerns and issues. This motion was intended to reassure all the parties that locally, we as a council were there to support those that needed our assistance. We also agreed to pass their concerns on to government – asking the government to support a ceasefire, and to help work towards a peaceful solution. My group will add our ongoing support for a two-state solution.”

The motion called on the Council to resolve to understand that people of all faiths and none may wish to come together and express solidarity and sadness in response to these events, offer appropriate support to any local resident who needs our assistance because of these violent events and to stand ready to provide support and open our arms to innocent people displaced and affected by these events.

Following the unanimous support for the motion all Group Leaders within the council resolved to write to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to raise the concerns voiced by Warrington residents to;
• Request that the UK joins other nations and bring children, who require urgent and lifesaving medical treatment because of the Gaza conflict, to the UK to access high-quality treatment in the NHS.
• Call for an urgent permanent, bilateral ceasefire in Gaza, Israel and the rest of Palestine and to make every effort to resume the peace process;
• Upholding international humanitarian law to ensure that civilians are protected in accordance with those laws;
• To request both sides allow humanitarian access to hostages in Gaza, to provide urgent medical aid to the elderly, the sick and the wounded and to ensure all civilians have access to support, including unfettered access to medical supplies, food, electricity, other fuel, and water.
• To call on the UK Government to do all in its power to support those that are committed to a permanent peace.
• All hostages to be released and returned home

Warrington is recognised as a place of peace, and through the vision of Wendy and Colin Parry, the work of the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation and the Warrington Peace Centre, the town has shown that peaceful alternatives to violence in conflict are possible.