Plaid Cymru politicians Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM and Jill Evans MEP have today condemned the actions of the Israeli Defence Force who attacked an aid convoy sailing in international waters on Monday. The attack killed nine people in the ships that were carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza.
In 2008 Rhodri Glyn Thomas was part of a successful mission to break the Gaza boycott when he joined a convoy that sailed from Cyprus to Gaza. Jill Evans has also been to Gaza on a number of occasions as part of the European Parliament’s Palestine delegation. Her most recent visit was in January where she witnessed the effects of the Israeli siege.
Jill Evans (pictured) said:
“I visited Gaza in January and saw the desperate situation with people struggling to survive because of the Israeli blockade. The United Nations told us that the amount of humanitarian aid being allowed in by Israel was inadequate to provide even enough food for people.
“Israel must lift the siege of Gaza which is collective punishment and illegal under international law.
“I condemn the violent attack on the aid ships. There must be a full, independent investigation carried out by the UN and action taken. The European Union must now also take action. We should suspend our trade agreement until Israel ends the illegal siege of Gaza.”
Rhodri Glyn Thomas added:
“Having had the opportunity to visit Gaza as part of an International Delegation, I saw only too well how under-resourced Gaza is due to Israel’s siege of the region. It is frightening to think of the horrific ordeal that humanitarian activists – delivering aid to the region – had to endure during Israel’s unprovoked attack, for which the Israeli Government must face sanctions”
