Sderot urges British MPs to act against Kassam attacks

Delegation from w. Negev town urges MPs to bring cause to attention of Parliament and to pressure PA to stop rocket bombardment.

By JONNY PAUL JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT
kassam quds 298.88 (photo credit: Channel 10)
kassam quds 298.88
(photo credit: Channel 10)
A delegation of Sderot residents held meetings with several senior MPs in London last week, urging action to stop the Palestinians from firing Kassam rocket attacks at the Negev town. The MPs with whom the Sderot citizens met included former Conservative Party leaders Michael Howard, Iain Duncan Smith, shadow foreign secretary William Hague and former deputy leader Michael Ancram. They also met with David Gauke, shadow foreign minister for the Middle East. Members of the Sderot delegation described the devastation caused by the rocket attacks and their effects on the city's residents. They urged the MPs to bring their cause to the attention of the Parliament and to pressure the Palestinian Authority to stop the bombardment. Hague expressed his sympathy and pledged support for the city's residents, as well as expressing understanding that in order for the peace process to progress, Kassam attacks had to stop. Smith stated he would do what he could to publicize the difficulties faced by Sderot residents. Robert Halfon, political director of Conservative Friends of Israel, said that the Sderot delegation "were able to make their case loud and clear to the Conservative Party." "We were delighted that so many Conservative parliamentarians gave their backing to the people of Sderot in the face of unprovoked Palestinian aggression," Halfon continued. Sderot resident Yitzhak Elner, one of the delegation's members, said that his city could not "go on living under fire... from Palestinians in Gaza and still... hope for peace... The West needs to understand Israel and demand that the Palestinians to stop the violence immediately." Elner said the group was thankful to the CFI for helping them meet with MPs. "We were grateful to the MPs that they were took time out of their busy schedules to meet with us and express willingness to raise [awareness of] the plight of Sderot residents," he added. In addition to meeting with the MPs, the delegation also met with Jewish community organizations, officials at the Foreign Office, and Amnesty International. Amnestry representative Donatella Rovera said it was important to meet with them and hear what was happening in Sderot. Rovera said she hoped to "build a long-term relationship with them" and would visit members of the delegation when next in Israel.