Press Release
Hampton resident and well known actor, singer and TV star John Altman, best known for his part as “Nasty” Nick Cotton in EastEnders, this week handed an Open Letter to Vince Cable calling upon the Twickenham MP to ban all arms sales to Israel. John presented the letter on behalf of a consortium of local groups, which includes Amnesty, the United Nations Association and Friends of the Earth. John explained “I have been sickened by the extreme brutality of the Israeli regime in killing so many innocent civilians in Gaza and their destruction of homes, schools and medical facilities. It is shocking to learn that local MP Vince Cable is actually responsible for sanctioning UK weapons exports to Israel, which may well have been used in this current conflict”
Spokesperson Wendy Hatto, secretary of Twickenham and Richmond Amnesty Group, said “As Business Secretary, Vince Cable is responsible for both controlling and promoting the export of UK weapons, some of which go to some of the most repressive regimes in the world and regions of conflict. He has to personally approve any arms exports.”
She went on to say, “As quoted in the Independent newspaper, since taking office he has granted export licences worth £42m to UK Companies to supply Israel with arms ranging from weapons control and targeting systems to ammunition, drones and armoured vehicles. Among the manufacturers given permission to make sales were two UK companies supplying components for the Hermes drone, described by the Israeli air force as the “backbone” of its targeting and reconnaissance missions. The Hermes drone has been widely used during Operation Protective Edge, the ongoing Israeli military action in Gaza, to monitor Palestinians, pinpoint targets and guide in missile and smart bomb strikes.”
The Open letter, which has been sent to all local Churches, calls upon the local MP to take a principled stand on the issue and to speak out immediately against the disproportionate use of force by Israel and their killing of innocent civilians. It calls upon Vince Cable to use his powers under the 2002 Export Control Act to impose an immediate ban on all UK weapons and components to Israel and to revoke all weapons licences for Israel.
The event was organised by Twickenham, Richmond and Kingston Network Against the Arms Trade -TRAKNAT www.traknat.org.uk Contact: info@traknat.org.uk
TRAKNAT is comprised of Richmond & Twickenham Amnesty Group, Twickenham and Richmond United Nations Association, Richmond & Twickenham Friends of the Earth, Richmond & Kingston World Development Group, Richmond and Kingston Greenpeace, Richmond & Twickenham Green Party , Kingston Peace Council and Richmond & Kingston Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Open Letter to Vince Cable
Dear Dr Cable
We are writing to you as concerned local residents to urge you to stop all arms exports to Israel. We are horrified that UK weapons have been used to kill large numbers of civilians in Gaza, many of them children. We want to see a total embargo on all UK weapons to Israel. As Business Secretary, in your Trade and Industry and Export Control role, you are responsible for both controlling and promoting the export of UK weapons, some of which go to the most repressive regimes in the world and regions of conflict.
The Independent newspaper (August 2nd) has revealed that since you took Office you have granted export licences worth £42m to UK Companies to supply Israel with arms ranging from weapons control and targeting systems to ammunition, drones and armoured vehicles. Among the manufacturers given permission to make sales were two UK companies supplying components for the Hermes drone, described by the Israeli air force as the “backbone” of its targeting and reconnaissance missions. The Hermes drone has been widely used during Operation Protective Edge, the ongoing Israeli military action in Gaza, to monitor Palestinians, pinpoint targets and guide in missile and smart bomb strikes.
Yet you remain silent while in Gaza nearly two thousand civilians are killed and thousands more horribly injured. The BBC has reported that over 25% of the dead are children. Very large numbers of homes, schools and medical facilities have been destroyed. Decent people round the world have been sickened by the extreme brutality of the Israeli regime (which you have helped to make possible) with its wanton slaughter of civilians including children, and the targeting of schools, hospitals and mosques.
It is time for you to take a stand. You cannot continue to ignore the plight of innocent residents of Gaza under attack from Israeli aggressors reportedly having used over 50,000 sophisticated weapons including high explosive ‘smart’ bombs, missiles and tank shells, some of these guided by drones that your exports have helped to build.
We urge you to immediately speak out against the disproportionate use of force by Israel and their killing of innocent civilians and to use your powers under the 2002 Export Control act to impose an immediate ban on UK weapons and components to Israel. You must revoke all weapons licences for Israel.
Twickenham, Richmond and Kingston Network Against the Arms Trade -TRAKNAT
TRAKNAT is comprised of Richmond & Twickenham Amnesty Group, Twickenham and Richmond United Nations Association, Richmond & Twickenham Friends of the Earth, Richmond & Kingston World Development Group, Richmond and Kingston Greenpeace, Richmond & Twickenham Green Party , Kingston Peace Council and Richmond & Kingston Palestine Solidarity Campaign. www.traknat.org.uk
Contact: info@traknat.org.uk
PS
The handing in of the letter on Tuesday 5th August 2014 was reported in the Richmond and Twickenham Times — www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/11395635.Protesters_call_on_Vince_Cable_to_ban_arms_sales_to_Israel/
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