Speeches

Madam President, colleagues, despite previous dialogue efforts, Putin continues to systematically violate international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, which has every right to defend itself. We must support Ukraine as much and as quickly as possible. Just last Sunday, I returned from Kyiv and the message from Kyiv was clear: EU Member States and other actors should lift or ease weapon restrictions and provide long-range systems to help Ukraine defend itself against aggression and brutal attacks on the civilian population. It is absolutely unreasonable that Ukraine is not allowed to fully defend itself from aggression. Missile and drone attacks are being launched from neighbouring locations on the Russian side of the border. The consequences of these serious attacks is the death of Ukrainian civilians, including women and children. The sound of air raid sirens has become a daily reality in Ukraine, as I experienced first-hand during a night with over 70 drone attacks. Finally, I would also like to welcome President Zelenskyy's upcoming roadmap to end this war. Colleagues, let's continue supporting Ukraine. Let's continue supporting international law.

Mr President, I would like to thank you. Colleagues! Hate, intimidation and violence have no place in our Union. Tyranny and hatred should have been relegated to the rubbish dump of history in view of our European history, but unfortunately this is not the reality. Hate is growing stronger and even here in our Parliament. Even in my country, Sweden, we have elected representatives who openly express anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other forms of racism. They are aware that their words lead to consequences. These words lead to violence as we saw in the attack on my Social Democratic colleague Mattias Ecke in Germany. And this is reflected in the policies pursued in some Member States. In Sweden, the Sweden Democrat MP Richard Jomshof, former chairman of the Justice Committee, has recently been forced to resign after being notified of suspicions of incitement to racial hatred. This should have led the ECR group, to which the Sweden Democrats belong, to discuss the exclusion of the Sweden Democrats. Instead, they continue with business as usual. This should also have led the Moderates and the Christian Democrats, who belong to the PPE Group, and the Liberals who belong to the Renew Group, to stand up for what is right and end their cooperation with the Sweden Democrats, but that does not happen. These three parties have no backbone. Instead, the racists are allowed to continue to shape the government's policy in Sweden. It is a scandal that divides both Sweden and the EU. That is to deliberately allow a development that we have long said in our Europe must never happen again.

Mr President, colleagues, I want to start by echoing the words of the Secretary-General of the UN, Mr Guterres: the region is on the edge of an abyss. The red lines are being crossed every day: unprecedented killings of civilians, media and humanitarian workers; missile attacks on other countries; foreign embassy buildings being targeted; blocking of humanitarian aid and fuel for civilians. People in the region have been suffering for a long time, and I know it very well with my own roots from the region. We do need to condemn Iran’s attacks on Israel with force, as well as condemn the attacks on a consulate building and Israel’s decision to carry out a counterattack. We need a de-escalation. De-escalation means that everyone needs to take their responsibility. We must work for de-escalation. We must work for democracy in the region, in Iran, through supporting the opposition, through supporting civil society, through putting the IRGC on the terrorist list. As well, we need to ensure an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, which is leading to escalation. It has done so for decades and is continuously doing it day by day. And we need to demand an immediate permanent ceasefire now and, of course, also an immediate release of the hostages. We need de-escalation, colleagues.

Madam President, thank you very much. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the catastrophe in Gaza. Nearly 40,000 people have been deprived of their lives. More than 70 percent are women and children, completely innocent. This is one of the highest death tolls even for humanitarian aid workers and journalists in our modern age. whereas more than 250 humanitarian aid workers and 122 journalists have been deprived of their lives; It is nothing more than a disgrace to humanity that this should continue for more than seven months. It is a disgrace that during periods the EU Member States have frozen support for UNRWA without Israel having to provide any evidence whatsoever. It is a disgrace that there are those here in the European Parliament who do not want to send humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza. It is a disgrace that it took this Parliament a long time to demand an immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire. There is no time for business as usual. Freeze the EU's and Israel's trade agreements, resume them only when Israel stops its actions against international law, increase support for all the innocent people in Gaza who are currently starving! The EU was formed to put an end to frequent and bloody conflicts on our continent, but there seem to be those who think it is okay to have frequent and bloody conflicts outside our continent. It's a disgrace!

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! We stand here thanks to generations of women before us who have secured the rights we have today with blood, sweat and tears. Reality speaks for itself: The year is 2024, and we women and girls are still deprived of our lives and freedom to this day. Oh, my friends! The women's movement has been demanding this package of laws for over 30 years, and I'm among the first to say we wanted more! But because of liberal President Macron and liberal Justice Minister Buschmann and illiberal Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, this is where we could go. But this shows the importance of continuing to roll up our sleeves. The work is therefore not complete, but the directive is an important step forward. It requires Member States to step up their prevention efforts, provide protection and support to survivors, prosecute offenders and common crimes at EU level. It concerns offline and online. For anyone who really wants to save women's and girls' lives, it should be a matter of course to vote in favour of this proposal. I must say that I am so angry that some are trying to turn this into a national and domestic political discussion. Put aside all national, domestic political discussions. Put women's and girls' lives and freedom at the centre! To the moderate parliamentarian Arba Kokalari, who attempted historical revisionism, I would like to say: Do not forget that, in the time of our modern history, the Moderates have repeatedly voted against every progressive proposal put forward by Social Democratic governments. And to the Centre Party, I must actually say that I am ashamed that you are making a political gimmick and risking the whole package of laws when you now want to postpone the proposal for the next term of office and allow the illiberal Orbán to decide over the lives of women and girls. That's enough now. Listen to the women's movement and vote yes to this important package of laws! It's now or maybe never.

Mr President, colleagues, after more than three decades of dedicated and continuous fight for women’s rights by European women, we are on the brink of achieving a new milestone in the history of women in Europe. The journey has been challenging, but every moment of anger and every tear shed along the way have been worthwhile. While the negotiation process has taken over two years, the battle for our rights and demands has been ongoing for much, much longer. The pleas from women and girls resonate throughout our Union, spanning all our Member States and reaching across the globe. Though their voices may vary, their message remains consistent: a call for freedom, safety, security and the protection of women’s human rights. No corner in our society is immune to the threat of gender-based violence. Whether it is in homes, schools, workplaces, public squares, streets or online platforms, women and girls are continually subjected to violence and abuse at the hands of men. It has occurred throughout history and in all parts of society, whether during times of war or during times of peace. Close to one out of every three women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15. Approximately 5% of women in EU countries have been raped since the age of 15. Shockingly, only 0.5% of rapes result in convictions. This is unacceptable. We must put an end to this impunity. Globally, intimate partners are responsible for up to 38% of all murders of women. Between 45% and 55% of women in the EU have encountered sexual harassment since the age of 15. However, this issue extends beyond personal relationships and infiltrates various settings, including online platforms. Online violence against women and girls has surged in recent years, presenting significant threats to their safety and wellbeing. For example, 73% of female journalists have faced online violence in the course of their work. As I eagerly anticipate finally being able to transition from words to action to save the lives of women and girls, I am also disheartened by certain leaders in some of our Member States, particularly the trio of men who hindered the inclusion of legislation based on consent to address rape. The actions of the liberal President Macron in France, the liberal Minister of Justice Buschmann in Germany – who disregarded the pleas of his ministerial counterparts from the Social Democratic Party and the Green Party to incorporate legislation based on consent to address rape – and the illiberal Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary are deeply disappointing. Your betrayal and obstruction of the opportunity to implement consent-based legislation will not be overlooked and will not be forgotten. Nevertheless, despite the resistance from these three individuals and others, we succeeded in incorporating for the first time in EU legislation the requirement for Member States to promote a culture based on consent in sexual relationships, to define non-consensual sex as a criminal offence. While this may not seem ground-breaking at first glance, the challenges faced during negotiations have revealed its truly strong and revolutionary nature. Colleagues, let’s pay attention to the request of the various European and national women’s organisation. It’s time to finalise – through adoption of the agreement – and embrace this historical and ground-breaking first directive aimed at combating violence against women and domestic violence in a comprehensive way. At this point, any indecision would be a betrayal of the collective efforts, aspirations and dedication of generations of women and girls. Remember: the rights of women and girls are human rights. Let’s now go from words to actions for a more secure Europe for women and girls, for a feminist Europe.

Madam President, over 30 000 people have been killed in Gaza due to the bombs that are raining down on the people in Gaza. Over 70% of them are women and children – totally innocent. It is unacceptable, this current situation, and we need to act. More than that, we need to start ensuring that we demand a stop to this ongoing violence that is taking place right now. So due to this, we from the S&D Group would actually want to add a resolution to the debate, but with the current title. So we don’t want to change the title, but we want to add a resolution.

Madam President, colleagues, first and foremost, I want to today, on the International Roma Day, congratulate all our Romani in the EU and beyond. Today is the day we celebrate Romani, who are the largest ethnic minority in Europe, their language and their culture. The EU’s motto, ‘United in Diversity’, includes each and every of our citizens, including the Romani. However, I wish I could say that the EU has made progress in ensuring all our people equal rights, because the Union and our Member States have failed totally in fighting anti-gypsyism and discrimination towards Romani and travellers. Institutional, structural and intersectional racism exist in all our Member States. Roma still encounter significant obstacles in obtaining equal rights, access to rights and services such as quality education, employment and healthcare. In at least almost half of our countries, 80 % of the Roma population are in danger of poverty and over half of the population lack adequate housing. Words of action are cheap and, therefore, we need to go from words of action to ensuring their rights.

Mr President, thank you very much. Where are all the heroes who since day one defended the right and life of the Ukrainian people? Where are you now that over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 70,000 wounded because of Israeli bombs? Many of them children. Where are you now? When over two million Gazans are in desperate need of humanitarian aid at a time when the Israeli far-right government is starving to death the population of Gaza by preventing aid from entering. We are not talking about a natural disaster – it is a human-made disaster. The far right, the right, parts of the liberal group and others in Sweden and Europe have watched as Palestinian children are killed and starving to death. I am ashamed of everyone who has consistently voted to cut off support for UNRWA, including representatives of the Swedish right-wing parties. You now have the chance to change your mind so that we can secure continued EU support for UNRWA. You cannot save the 30,000 Palestinians who have died, but you can ensure that no more do. Because no one, not even Israel, is above international humanitarian law.

Mr President, thank you very much. Democracy, human rights and freedoms and the rule of law must be conquered by every generation for the present and the future. Our European cooperation was formed as a counterforce to authoritarian and extremist forces that had devastated Europe. But now authoritarian forces are on the rise again when mosques and synagogues are set on fire or attacked, when people like me – with a little darker pigment, born outside EU borders, raised in a suburb and woman – are attacked with sexist and racist attacks, when support for civil society is cut, when free independent media is demonised, when the LGBTIQ movement is suspected, when courts are attacked. This development is not a natural phenomenon. We can change the development. It is in our hands and it is in the hands of the people. Then there is no place for what conservative forces, unfortunately, and some liberal forces, do when they normalize right-wing extremism and their ideology. What we need in the coming years are progressive forces across Europe that are reversing the trend.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. The rich are getting richer right now. Five billion people have become poorer since 2020. And the five richest men in the world have doubled their fortunes. Inequality in society and between societies prevents people from realising their dreams, breaks down the cohesion of society and serves as a breeding ground for extremism. Sometimes it seems that this House forgets that economic and social rights are as much human rights as civil rights. My political convictions are based precisely on this struggle. That's why I'm a social democrat. Watching inequality grow ever stronger in our countries, in our Union and around the world is heartbreaking. This is not a natural phenomenon. We need to step up the fight against inequality, especially at a time when Russia's illegal aggression against international law is throwing back global developments for decades. One of the most important tools is of course the global sustainability goals in Agenda 2030.

Madam President, thank you very much. I would like to begin by thanking the rapporteur, Mrs Loiseau, and the shadow rapporteurs for this important report. Thirteen years have passed since the revolution in Syria began, but demonstrations and demands for democracy and equality were crushed in cold blood by the dictator al-Assad. The dictator al-Assad continues to hold an iron grip on Syria and continues to oppress the people of the country. With both military and financial support from the despots in Iran and Russia, al-Assad is further strengthening its grip. With Iranian, Turkish and Russian bases and militias, terror is further inflicted on the people of the country, and al-Assad poses a threat to all: Syria, the Middle East, Europe and international law. It is important to support the democratic forces in Syria and in particular Kurdish-led rule in the Rojava region. They are fighting the terrorist organization ISIS and are acting as a counter-force against Assad's repressive regime in Damascus. These brave people are sacrificing their lives for our freedom here in Europe as well.

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues! We live in a troubled time with despots and oppressive regimes that dismantle democracy and violate human rights where they are in power. On one side of our continent, Russia and Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine for two years now stand as a threat to the Ukrainian people, but also a threat to all of us. If we listen attentively, we can hear the footsteps of Russian soldiers. At the same time, on the other side of our continent, across the Atlantic, in the United States there is a risk that Trump will make a comeback towards the end of the year. Some might call him crazy, but he's not. He is aware of exactly what he is doing, just as Putin is aware. In addition, the friends of these authoritarians are also on the rise here in the EU. Viktor Orbán, who runs Putin's affairs by consistently being an obstacle to rapid support for Ukraine, or the Swedish far-right Sweden Democrats, who have long had close ties to Trump and are the Kremlin's useful idiots by demanding to review EU membership. What they are actually referring to, but do not want to say, is of course exit. And finally, colleagues, at a time of turmoil when we need a strong Europe... (The President took the floor.)

Thank you very much, colleagues. You are totally right. We need to talk about the Israeli hostages as we need to talk about all the 30 000 innocent Palestinian children, women, people that have been deprived of their lives. I have, though, one question to our colleague from the EPP. The EPP and the conservatives and the far right constantly attacks the Palestinian Authority, attacks UNRWA, attacks those actually that in some way are ensuring to do what they can do to demand a two-state solution and peaceful settlement on this conflict. But where are your evidence when it comes to the accusations toward UNRWA, for example – the 12 UNRWA staff? There are no evidence along with the accusation against the UNRWA staff. Where is the understanding that, for example, the tunnels under the UNRWA headquarters ... (The President cut off the speaker)

Mr President, colleagues, as long as the bombs are falling down on Gaza, of course we need to continue debating it. Even if it is ten, 20, 30, 40, 50 times, the debate needs to continue – and, more than debate, actions must be put on the table. Because I am, to be honest, furious about the lack of action from the side of the European Union! Time is running out and innocent Palestinians are losing their lives – 30 000 people! It is not just a number, but real individuals of flesh and blood. Yes, Israel has the right to protect itself against the terrorist activities of Hamas. However, taking the lives of innocent individuals is not a form of self-defence. More than 70 % of the victims are children and women. Do we in this Parliament and the EU truly believe in upholding humanitarian principles and international law? Or do we only advocate for their application when it suits our agenda, or when the victims are deemed to be the right ones? At this moment in Gaza, newborn babies are being punished simply for being Palestinian. They don’t even have the chance to open their eyes before they are tragically deprived their lives by the Israeli bombings. Our true humanity is being tested right now. If you want to examine your own humanity, especially on the conservative side of the spectrum here, consider reversing their roles and imagine how you would respond if Palestine were the aggressors and 30 000 innocent Israelis were the victims. I consistently advocate for Israeli safety and security every day during the whole year. I also always stand up for the safety and security for the Palestinians. It is unfortunate that not all colleagues in this Parliament are capable to do the same. Colleagues, as ordered by the International Court of Justice, we in the S&D Group urge Israel to refrain from acts under the Genocide Convention, and to prevent and punish direct and public incitement to genocide. We are also grateful for the incredible work UNWRA is doing through ensuring humanitarian aid to civilians. The EU and our Member States must continue supporting UNWRA. Finally, we need an immediate and unconditional ceasefire right now to save lives. We cannot stand by in this Parliament and the European Union and watch. We can’t be implicated in grave humanitarian violations. Silence is compliance! (Applause)

Mr President, thank you very much for making it clear that this is an important discussion that we all should focus on right now. What is wrong? What is wrong with our governments? How is this passivity possible while people in Iran are being killed on the spot or killed after being sentenced to the death penalty? On 23 January, the bloodthirsty regime arbitrarily executed Mohammad Ghobadlou, a young man with a disability that took part in the protest against the regime and for a democratic country. On the same day also the Kurdish Farhad Salimi was arbitrarily executed. The regime sends over and over again a clear signal. It is ruthless. Time is ticking. Executions are irreversible. Many are facing, or are at risk of facing, the death penalty, especially those that are taking part in the democratic revolution. And minority groups such as Kurds, Baloch Baha’is are continuing to be disproportionately affected. Time is ticking. The Swedish citizen Johan Floderus risks being sentenced to the death penalty, and Ahmadreza Djalali is sentenced since 2018. There is no time for if or when ... (The President cut off the speaker)

Madam President, thank you very much. I am literally unhappy to hear the far-right here in the European Parliament, whom I unfortunately have to call colleagues, attacking LGBTIQ people and showing how clearly they hate love. Sometimes I wonder what era we live in. We may call it modern, but how modern is it with hate, threats and violence against LGBTIQ people? How modern is it to not realize that love is beautiful? How modern is it not to understand that LGBTIQ rights are human rights? In many EU countries, LGBTIQ people continue to face discrimination and various forms of repression. Here, too, in this House, there are such abominable opinions. We even have elected representatives from the extreme right such as the Sweden Democrats, whose representatives repeatedly make anti-LGBTIQ statements and claims that Pride would legitimize pedophilia. We need to roll up our sleeves and clearly chant that LGBTIQ rights are human rights and we need to act now.

Charlie Weimers claims that antisemitism is a new phenomenon in Sweden and that it has happened in recent years. How about your colleagues claiming that Jews control the media? What do you think about the fact that your SD colleagues have claimed that Jews are not Swedes? How about your SD colleagues saying that Jews are not a problem because the Jewish group is so small? And how about your colleagues joking about his friend kicking dead lambs and calling them Jews? Who is responsible for anti-Semitism?

Madam President, thank you very much. Muslim hatred and anti-Semitism are spreading like a cancerous growth across our societies. Many of us who are Muslims or are assumed by some to be Muslims, feel – just like our Jewish friends – right down to the bone marrow that something has happened in Europe, even in my country, Sweden. Racism is a cancer that must be combated and prevented. At the beginning of my political engagement in 2006, I used to receive letters home saying ‘You are not Swedish’, ‘Go back to where you come from’ and ‘Fucking Muslim’. The letters have not stopped, but the comments online have increased. These racist manifestations have normalized to the point where some even boast their names and surnames. Already in 2014, ahead of the national elections, the anti-racist magazine Expo made a reportage showing that every third Swedish Democratic candidate with an online account has either shared or expressed sympathy for web pages linked to the ideological environment. The majority of the pages had an anti-Semitic ethos. It has not stopped since then either. It is therefore the same party that is represented here in the European Parliament and part of the ECR Group. Disgusting conspiracy theories and statements such as ‘Jews control the media, Jews are not Swedes’, ‘Jews are not a problem because the Jewish community is so small’. Jokes about their Nazi buddies kicking dead lambs and calling them Jews. ‘Muslims are not fully human’, and now the Sweden Democrats are even trying to equate the Muslim crescent with swastikas. The same disgusting swastikas that their party once embraced. It is scary to see right-wing extremists on the rise, but that it is done with the help of traditional conservative and liberal forces in the EU is unforgivable.

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues! Every day, civilians are killed and displaced in Sudan. whereas conflicts between the Sudanese Army (SAF) and the Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have led to a huge humanitarian crisis, resulting in life-threatening and acute food insecurity; It affects almost half the population, and almost seven million are refugees in their own country. The situation is alarming to the extent that humanitarian aid does not even reach those in conflict zones. As usual, women and children are the most affected. As in many other conflicts, we see how sexual violence against women is used. What is happening right now in Sudan is heartbreaking and totally unacceptable. All those involved must immediately lay down their weapons and allow humanitarian aid to reach the population in all parts of the country. Sanctions must be adopted against those responsible for human rights violations. Never, ever and anywhere can we accept impunity for those who are behind heinous violations of human rights and freedoms.

Mr President, colleagues, where is our credibility to be able to demand respect for international law if this Parliament and our governments cannot stand up for it at every time and everywhere? Let me remind everyone in here about the following facts: Israel has killed over 24 000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women, children, elderly and UN staff, since 7 October, as a response to Hamas’s despicable terrorist attacks. Yes, Hamas should be combated, not innocent civilians. Over 57 000 Palestinians have been injured; more than 85% – that is, 1.9 million – of the population in Gaza are internally displaced. If these atrocities are not sufficient for us to demand: a permanent ceasefire; full support for the ongoing investigation by the International Court of Justice; sanctions against Israeli settlements in Palestine; utilisation of the tools provided in the EU-Israel Association Agreement that require respect for international law, including human rights; and to ensure sufficient support for the important work of UNWRA – then, my colleagues, I question what it will take for the EU to consistently stand up for international law. Furthermore, I wonder about the credibility of our Union. History is being written today and my question is which side do you stand on – international law or not?

Madam President, colleagues, the truth poses the greatest danger to authoritarian regimes. When political opposition, human rights defenders and activists start disappearing, getting arrested and facing harassment indicates that the truth poses a threat to those in power. In 2020, Mikalai Statkevich from Belarus was arrested and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Since March 2023, there has been no information about his well-being. Throughout the over hundreds of days of his unjust detention and shamed trial Statkevich has been deprived of any legal representation of defence. Moreover, the oppressive regime of Alexander Lukashenko has made sure he has had no contact with his family as part of their relentless efforts to suppress democratic forces in the country. Close to 1500 Belarusians are still unjustly and unlawfully imprisoned. Statkevich, and all other truth tellers who are imprisoned in Belarus, must be immediately and unconditionally released. And as my colleague already said, if we really want to go from words to actions, we need to ensure that Belarus is also and Lukashenko is included in the upcoming sanction packages.

Mr President, thank you very much. The EU is not an isolated island. We need to strengthen our strategic autonomy and become independent of repressive regimes in order to take control of development. However, if we are to win the battle for international law and be able to steer development in the right direction, we must also deepen the relationship with like-minded people, such as the United States. We face many challenges: conflicts, democratic backsliding, populists and extremists on the rise, gender equality under attack, climate change and the digital development of AI and other systems, which can be a great asset if it is regulated and shared. Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine under international law is a clear example of how important the joint action of the EU and the US has been, and is. Surely I react with dismay to the way the White House administration has acted in other conflicts – most recently when they blocked the call for a ceasefire in the UN Security Council to end the suffering in Gaza. That is totally unacceptable. I will always criticize when necessary. The fact is, however, that development across the Atlantic plays a role in global development, and it plays a role for the EU. Relations with the United States are therefore important. We know that right now extremists are in danger of taking up more and more space in our Union and in the United States. Together, however, we can act as a counterforce and reverse the trend. Close cooperation with the White House is important, but it is equally important to strengthen our relations between the parliaments of the Member States and the European Parliament, with the US Senate and Congress. Cooperation is the key going forward.

Mr President, I do agree with the colleague that we need to do everything we can to fight antisemitism wherever it appears. It can never, ever be accepted wherever it shows its ugly face. However, the European Union have the Georg Eckert Institute report, which is clear that the Palestinian textbooks adhere to Unesco standards. Would you be prepared also to ask for the same revision of the Israeli textbooks? Because it would be very good to have both the revision of Israeli and the Palestinian textbooks to ensure that we put the same requirements on both.

Mr President, thank you very much. There is no other description of the situation in Gaza than the very incarnation of hell on earth. Violence against Palestinians has also increased in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Hamas's vile terrorist attacks and barbaric actions against Israeli civilians were rightly condemned and must continue to be condemned. At the same time, we should be able to condemn Israel's crimes under international law. Neither Israel nor Hamas are above international law. I am appalled and I must say that I am ashamed of how international law has become cherry picking. How on earth can we have a tone-deaf Commissioner like Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi, who has made it his duty to go after peacemakers in Palestine and who can continue to ravage wildly? Although the latest EU audit has shown that there is no evidence that money has gone to either Hamas or other terrorist organisations. How can we have tone-numbing Member States like the Swedish democratically led, and the moderate foreign minister, who are doing the same thing firmly in Sweden? How can we have tone-deaf institutions and actors in the EU who refuse to understand that we must ensure that a cease fire Comes in place. A ceasefire must be put in place to end the cold-blooded murder of people. For those who truly believe in a two-state solution, it is not difficult to demand that Hamas release all Israeli hostages and stop its vile terrorist attacks and that Israel stop its brutal attacks against the civilian population in Gaza, but also the violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The war criminals on both sides must be brought before the International Criminal Court. Impose sanctions on settlements on illegal land and, finally, recognise Palestine, just as we have long recognised Israel.