Ex-UK Labour head Corbyn calls for end to Palestinian bloodshed

A prominent former leader of Britain’s opposition Labour party on Wednesday decried Israel’s violence against Palestinian protestors and worshippers, calling for an end to the forced evictions of Palestinian families in Jerusalem.

Jeremy Corbyn, who still serves as an MP, said that the recent dramatic escalation of violence and hostilities is a direct result of Israel’s push to increase forced evictions of Palestinian families, destroy Palestinian neighborhoods such as Sheik Jarrah, and build illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.

“The escalation of hostilities overnight in Jerusalem & now Tel Aviv is a direct result of the home invasions #SheikJarrah by government-backed settlers,” Corbyn said on Twitter.

“If it wanted, Israel could halt the bloodshed by ending the siege of Gaza and the occupation of Palestine. Ceasefire needed now,” he added.

At a Tuesday protest outside the prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street, Corbyn said the eyes of the world are watching the atrocities Israel is committing against Palestinians and despite the overwhelming odds, people will fight for Palestinians’ rights to live in safety and freedom.

“There is a point of hope. The whole world is seeing in real time what is actually happening,” he said.

“Our solidarity here in London is to bring about the permanent peace in which the Palestinian people will no longer ever be under occupation again.”

Violence against Palestinians by Israeli forces and tensions with Palestinian authorities in the occupied and besieged Gaza Strip has risen sharply in recent days.

In Gaza, 53 civilians, including many children, have been killed and more than 300 wounded by Israeli airstrikes. Over 800 Palestinians in Jerusalem and other occupied areas of Palestine have been injured following a week of Israeli attacks and violence against worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

In retaliation against the brutal and violent suppression of Palestinians, military groups in the Gaza Strip began launching rockets after an ultimatum to cease its attacks was ignored by Tel Aviv. The rockets were mainly intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile interception system