Mick Bates attends rally to condemn Gaza violence (Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats)

Cymraeg
English

Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats <montlibdems@gmail.com>

Mick Bates attends rally to condemn Gaza violence

January 21, 2009 12:00 AM

Mick Bates AM attends Gaza protest rally outside the Senedd

Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates has added his voice to the condemnation of the Israeli military operation in Gaza and urges the Welsh Assembly Government to introduce strict conditions to the investment grants it makes for the defence industry in Wales in the future.

Commenting Mick stated:

"I am deeply disturbed by Israel's disproportionate attacks on Gaza, which have led to the indiscriminate killing and maiming of too many innocent men, women and children. Most of the civilian population in Gaza has no access to humanitarian aid, they have nowhere to go for safety and hospitals are overstretched and lacking basic necessities."

In 2007, the UK Government approved £6m of arms exports. In 2008, it licensed sales 12 times as fast: £20m in the first three months alone.

"It is time for the Government to stop burying their heads in the sand and take action to condemn Israel's tactics" Mick adds. "Brown must halt Britain's arms exports to Israel and use his influence to persuade the EU to work towards peace and diplomacy, to find solutions without violence, so that the people of Gaza no longer live in fear of their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

"Equally is it crucial that the Welsh Assembly Government introduces strict conditions to the investment grants it makes for the defence industry in Wales in the future, to ensure that weapons developed or produced here are not used to fuel human rights abuses overseas."

Notes:

Photos: Mick Bates AM at a protest outside the Senedd against the situation in Gaza. Higher resolution images available.

Evidence suggests that the UAVs have been used by the Israeli army in the current and in previous conflicts to target air strikes. The Hermes 450 UAVs, used by the Israeli army during the Lebanon conflict in 2006, were tested at Parc Aberporth, a centre of excellence for UAV development supported by £8.7m in grants from the Welsh Assembly Government.

End/Diwedd