Letter from the Iona Community to David Lammy

Posted: 31st March 2025

Iona Community South West

As from:

5 St Aubyns Villas

Tiverton

EX16 4JB

29th March 2025

Israel, Gaza and the West Bank

Dear Mr Lammy,

We are Members, Associates and Supporters of the Iona Community, a Christian community committed to peace, justice and the integrity of creation, and we are writing from our South West meeting.

We thank you for your intervention in Parliament last week which criticised the remarks of Israel Katz and Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for the annihilation of the people of Gaza, and citing the words of 1 Samuel 15, which tells of the genocide of the Amalekites. Prime Minister Netanyahu also cited that text when this present conflict began.

Since the ceasefire ended two weeks ago more than 700 civilians have been killed, including 200 children. The slaughter goes on day by day with no care whatsoever taken to protect civilians.

On the West Bank the 40,000 occupants of the Jenin camp have been driven out, civilian deaths are increasing, and at least 17 children have been killed by Israeli forces. Palestinian villages are ceaselessly destroyed and their olive groves chopped down. The Peace Now group, which closely tracks settlement growth, said plans for 10,503 housing units have advanced since the start of the year, compared to just 9,971 in all of 2024. Another 1,344 homes have just been approved.

Mr Netanyahu flourishes a map at the United Nations which shows Israel occupying the whole of Palestine and boasting that he has ‘changed the map of the Middle East’.

It is perfectly clear that Israel, now supported by the US government, is intent on ethnic cleansing and adheres to no ethical standards whatsoever.

We deplore the fact that British taxpayers, ourselves, are paying for weapons which will murder and maim innocent Palestinians.

We deplore the fact that the Government has pressured the BBC to withdraw a film depicting the situation in Gaza.

We recall that the present situation was initiated by Imperial Britain, gifting parts of Palestine to Jewish settlers without consulting the existing inhabitants. British imperial arrogance is thus at the root of the trouble.

We likewise deplore the Prime Minister’s insistence on repeatedly speaking of the evils of Hamas, without condemning the slaughter of at least 50,000 people in Gaza, the torture and murder of Palestinian medical staff, the destruction of hospitals, schools, mosques and churches, and the denial of UN institutions, by the Israeli government.

As you know, since October 7th 2023 17,400 children have been killed in Israeli attacks:

Among the documented children killed, there were –

at least 825 babies, not yet old enough to celebrate their first birthday
895 one-year-olds, killed before they could take their first steps
3,266 who died as preschoolers aged two to five, deprived of play, discovery and the simple wonders of growing up
4,032 who died aged six to 10, leaving behind empty classrooms and school uniforms that were hardly worn
3,646 who died aged 11 to 14, middle schoolers who had lived through three wars (2012, 2014, 2021), but were killed in the fourth
and 2,949 who were 15 to 17, at the age when they were preparing to step into the world, leaving behind dreams of independence and futures never realised; the 17-year-olds lived through four wars (2008-09, 2012, 2014, 2021), and were killed in the fifth
8,899 who were sons and 6,714 were daughters

Nowhere else in the world could this happen, and Western governments turn a blind eye to it.

We support your calls for a proper cease fire, and ask that the British government protest the ongoing slaughter and ethnic cleansing in the strongest possible terms, including the adoption of sanctions. To fail to do this is to make explicit what is already implicit, that Palestinian lives do not matter – a racist view which you, Sir, would never subscribe to.

Yours sincerely,

( Rev’d Prof Timothy Gorringe)