Given the scale of suffering and loss of human life unfolding in the Israel-Gaza conflict, it would be arrogant beyond belief to suggest that how UK Parliament votes on anything is especially of interest in Tel Aviv.
Yet in supporting the call for a ceasefire, as a number of my colleagues and I did on Wednesday evening, we can empower our Government to strengthen and direct those voices on the world stage. To work for a ceasefire – or to oppose such calls – is not without its challenges. Yet, as ever in the Middle East, none of them are insurmountable with political will.
A ceasefire is not a ceasefire if it is one-sided. Only when all commit to put down their weapons and halt threats of violence can any constructive conversation begin about aid or the necessary and immediate unconditional release of hostages.
Those who call for an urgent ceasefire, yet forget the 230 people held captive by Hamas and the missiles still firing at southern Israel, are no more advocates for peace than those who dismiss concerns about targeting hospitals or starving Palestinians in Gaza through a siege as inevitable in conflict.
The distinction between a ceasefire and a humanitarian pause has been heavily debated, yet still not further clarified. This is because, in reality, they are not mutually exclusive. Both would require talking to those who can influence the actions of Hamas; both risk Hamas using this time without military action to regroup unless the dismantling of the terrorist infrastructure is a condition.
Despite the rhetoric of some who preach total destruction of their opponents in both Israel and Gaza, the reality is that both a ceasefire and a humanitarian pause are also currently being negotiated. Asking our Government to turn all its efforts to how either could be achieved is certainly more desirable than silence.
A humanitarian pause – as with a ceasefire – can last any length of time, if it can be brokered. What matters is what is done with that time. Given Gaza, especially in the north, has been destroyed by fighting, aid must cover more than water and food; it must also be used to help repair basic infrastructure.
That means any humanitarian pause must be extensive if it is to be effective; this raises again the difficulties of sustaining the argument that a ceasefire and a pause stand in contrast to each other, rather than as complementary objectives. Indeed, a ceasefire is not an alternative to getting aid into Gaza; it relies upon it to help stabilise the horrific situation.
A pause also isn’t going to lead to the release of the hostages unless it is an explicit requirement – and without freeing all hostages there will be no peace. Only one hostage has been released through military operations to date – some 230 remain captured. Prior to last night’s vote, I was privileged to host an event with several families of individuals currently being held hostage by Hamas. Listening to their heartbreaking testimonies of the events of 7 October and the loved-ones that are still missing should concentrate our minds. Any action in Parliament is ultimately about what the UK Government can do rather than being armchair generals about the conflict itself.
Whether advocating for these hostages in discussions with their international counterparts, standing with all those in the international community urging that the basic conditions for a ceasefire are met so that negotiations for a longer-term resolution can begin, or providing aid and assistance to those innocent civilians suffering on all sides, there are practical actions within the gift of MPs.
Above all, in recognising that all want the bloodshed to stop, the only differences between us are our views on how best to achieve that aim. As events progress, we must not stifle the one enduring action that can finally give hope to generations of Israelis and Palestinians who have suffered as a result of their political leadership.
However distant it may seem now, we must continue to reaffirm and strengthen those voices calling for peace – one that can only be achieved by a two-state solution which seeks a free Palestine and a safe Israel.
Stella Creasy has been MP for Walthamstow since 2010. She served in the frontbench teams of Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman from 2011 to 2015
