LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT FOR PALESTINE

NOVANEWS

***Please Circulate Widely: Please Make an Appointment***

Lobby of Parliament for Palestine

Wednesday 24 November

What you should do now:

– Contact your MP now asking for a meeting in the House of Commons on Wednesday 24 November between 2pm and 6pm – (Use http://psc.iparl.com/lobby/52 to make an appointment).

– Once you’ve let your MP know that you are going to lobby them make sure you email:  [email protected]

All info here: http://www.palestinecampaign.org/lobby-2010

Please come and lobby your MP as part of our Annual Lobby of Parliament in November and help demonstrate support for the Palestinian people. In 2010 this event will be held on Wednesday 24th November from 2-6pm in the House of Commons.

It will be followed by a rally in Parliament at 6.30pm with speakers including Gerald Kaufman MP and Baroness Jenny Tonge.

This year’s lobby of parliament is critical, as the government have announced that they will bring in changes to weaken the law on issuing arrest warrants for war criminals (universal jurisdiction) – we will be sending a strong message that those responsible for war crimes should be prosecuted, not welcomed.

We have also seen how local people lobbying their MPs greatly improves the willingness of MPs to take up the issue of Palestine – including by signing Early Day Motions (EDMs); tabling parliamentary questions; pressing ministers or joining bodies like the Britain-Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group.

This year we want you to ask your MP to:

• Call for an immediate end to the siege on Gaza

• Oppose Government proposals to change Universal Jurisdiction: these proposals add a political dimension to a legal decision and introduce a source of delay when urgent action may be required to stop a suspected war criminals escape justice.

• Support the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement until Israel ends its illegal occupation

Supporting the lobby in 2010

There is a common belief that lobbying requires some special expertise. It doesn’t.

This guide is designed to make lobbying easier for anyone interested in making their case to their MP You are simply asking your MP to do their job by listening to your concerns and to consider taking up those concerns in Parliament and with Government.

Please read the attached ‘how to lobby’ guide, and our key facts briefing before meeting your MP.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC),     Jews for Justice for Palestinians (JfJfP) and the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) will be at the Commons on 24th November to provide you with help and support for your meeting with your MP. Information is also available on-line so you can prepare for your meeting in advance.

If it is difficult for you to get to Parliament on the 24th you can also arrange to meet your MP at another time that suits you both. This could be at their local office or advice surgery or you could invite them to a public meeting if you are part of a group. The important thing is that you let your MP know you care about Palestine . 

Contact us for more information: [email protected]