The start of another week. It’s a very grey day. I ran in the rain this morning, on the grounds that it wasn’t actually raining too hard and besides, if I didn’t go out then I might possibly not stick my head out all day. And it wasn’t too bad. I met a few dog-walkers, all of whom commented on how we are back to normal after a few days of brighter weather. We are in that bleak of time of year, nor the depths of winter and still not yet spring.
In his message to the country for Holocaust Memorial Day King Charles said this:
“The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 is the Fragility of Freedom, a stark reminder to us all how freedom can so easily be lost when it is taken for granted, and how crucial it is, therefore, to learn from those who bear witness to the horrors of the Holocaust and all genocides.”
Various MPs have posted photos of themselves signing the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment. One of these, Labour MP for Edmonton, Kate Osamor, together with her picture, posted on her website that Holocaust Memorial Day was “an international day to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, the millions of other people murdered under Nazi persecution of other groups and more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and now Gaza”. And just the last three words led to her being criticised, nay, condemned!
The Holocaust Memorial Trust condemned her “disgusting post”, which it said was a “ painful insult to survivors of the Holocaust”. And now Ms Osamor has been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party pending an investigation. I’m unsure about what such in investigation consists of, unless someone needs to confirm that she did in fact write those words. Otherwise I suspect that investigation means putting pressure on her to retract the words.
Freedom is indeed fragile!
Also, if this is happening:
“The UK has temporarily paused future funding of UNRWA, saying it is “appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel”
then why is the UK government not equally appalled by allegations that some of those killed on October 10th were actually shot by Israeli soldiers and is not temporarily suspending sales of weapons to Israel?
I saw a comment somewhere that saying funding to UNRWA should be cut because of some individuals’ actions is rather like saying that funding for the NHS should be cut because of one nurse being tried for murdering babies. Or maybe, MPs’ salaries should be cut because some MPs are corrupt.
Meanwhile people, many of them women and children, children too young to be accused of belonging to any kind of organisation, are going hungry. The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) said today that it would not be able to continue operations in Gaza and across the region beyond the end of February if funding is not resumed.
And already aid is not getting in. According to Middle East Eye:
“Israeli protesters at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday blocked trucks loaded with humanitarian aid bound for Gaza from entering Israel for security checks.
After the planned checks in Israel, the trucks were supposed to head to Gaza. They returned to Egypt instead after the protesters prevented them from crossing.”
Nobody seems to be taking the ruling of the ICJ seriously.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment