Government should be ‘ashamed’ of policies on Gaza, former cabinet minister says

The British Government should be “ashamed” over its policies in response to the war in Gaza, a former cabinet member has said, as he suggested ministers should resign as a result.

Kit Malthouse raised concerns about the limited impact of sanctions and cuts to arms exports licences on the conflict.

The Conservative backbencher said the Government could be accused of having “inherent racism” underpinning its policies, which meant “Palestinian lives matter much less than any other lives”.

He made reference to the arrest of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, the doctor in charge of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza which was closed by Israeli forces in late December.

In a heated exchange with Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer in the Commons, Mr Malthouse (North West Hampshire) said: “I was going to ask about the fate of Dr Abu Safiya, but I think we all know what’s going to happen to him.

“I was going to ask about the freezing babies, the babies that are freezing to death while blankets are being denied entry into Gaza, but I don’t think we are going to be doing much about that. Or indeed the denial of access for cancer medication, anaesthetic, or crutches or the bombing of every single hospital.

“The minister said he and his team are frustrated. But given the partial application of international law and the Government’s unwillingness to take any significant steps to either compel the imposition of the ceasefire, or compliance with international law, rather than frustrated, isn’t he ashamed that millions of people in this country and around the world believe there is an inherent racism at the heart of British foreign policy in this regard?

“That says that Palestinian lives matter much less than any other lives, or indeed than Israeli lives.”

Referring to Mr Falconer, who was sat alongside Foreign Office minister Anneliese Dodds, he said: “If he is ashamed… why are they hanging on to their red folders? Why aren’t they standing down and compelling the Government to actually do something active and physical to save these lives?”

Earlier in the session the former education secretary heckled Mr Falconer, while he was responding to Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran (Oxford West and Abingdon) at the despatch box.

After Mr Falconer said the Government had taken “decisive action”, Mr Malthouse shouted: “No, you haven’t.”

In a testy response to his question, Mr Falconer punctuated his reply by banging his hand on the despatch box.

He said: “There are places I will take lessons about shame, but it is not from the benches opposite me, particularly not on this issue.

“If the benches opposite me want to give me a hard time about what is being done in relation to the people in Gaza, I would turn to your own record, whether it is in relation to aid into Gaza, whether it’s in relation to the ICC, the ICJ.

“These are sober issues, we deal with them with the sobriety that they require, and I would particularly from the opposite benches appreciate questions of that tone.”

Ms Moran, who had called the urgent question on the situation in northern Gaza, said people there are “living in the Hunger Games” as she said relatives of a surgeon who had operated on her had been killed by a drone strike while walking 10 metres to get aid at the weekend.

“These were obviously not militants. They were sick. They are not legitimate targets of war. There is no excuse for this,” she said.

Ms Moran added: “People in Gaza are trapped in a doom loop of hell. Hospitals decimated, ceasefires promised and never delivered. And so I press the Government again, is this really everything the UK has got?

“Have we deployed everything to make this stop? When will we recognise Palestine? Why haven’t we stopped arms trade to Israel? And when will the Government ban trading with illegal settlements?

“The frustration is palpable. Our grief is fathomless. People across the UK are looking on in horror, and the horror in Gaza must stop now.”

Mr Falconer replied: “The whole ministerial team in the Foreign Office has these people in our mind each and every day and I have been engaged through the break, as many others have, recognising that for most people in Palestine, there is no break from a truly dreadful situation.”

He added: “I can only join with (Ms Moran) in reaching out to those in Palestine in this situation, we have done much, we recognise there is much more to do and my heart goes out to those people.”