Board Chief Executive Gillian Merron has written to Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister Baroness Aneley to call on the UK Governement to vote against giving Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) status to the Palestinan Return Centre in the upcoming vote in the United nations. The PRC is banned in Israel becasue to it is claimed to be linked to Hamas.
We are calling on Deputies and members of the public to email their local MPs about the UN vote. Here is the suggested text:
“Dear XXX
I am writing as one of your constituents to ask you to make representations to Baroness Anelay, Minister of State at the Foreign Office with responsibility for the UN, regarding the forthcoming UN vote on giving recognised NGO status to the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC). This vote will take place between 20 and 22 July at ECOSOC (the UN Economic and Social Council). The UK has a vote at ECOSOC.
PRC is banned by Israel because it is claimed by the Israeli government to be “Hamas’s organisational branch in Europe” whose members are “senior Hamas leaders who promote the movement’s agenda in Europe”. According to the Daily Telegraph “The PRC denies these claims. However, it has regularly hosted Hamas leaders, including [Ismail] Haniyeh, at its annual conferences.”
In light of these claims I do not think it is appropriate for the UK to vote to give official UN recognised NGO status to the PRC and I would ask you to convey this to the FCO.
Yours sincerely,
XXXX”
Please include your full address and postcode so your MP can verify you are a constituent.
You can find your MP’s email address using the postcode search here: https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/
Please send any replies you receive to luke@webelieveinisrael.org.uk