Gaza war about Israeli expansion at expense of Palestinian people: Ex-UK opposition leader Corbyn

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - What is happening in Gaza is simply about “Israeli expansion at the expense of the Palestinian people,” according to Jeremy Corbyn, the former head of the UK’s main opposition Labour Party.

Speaking to Anadolu, Corbyn defined the resumption of Israeli attacks after the end of a series of humanitarian pauses as “abominable and appalling.”

“The bombing has started again. The cease-fire, temporary cease-fire is over. Civilians have been killed … It’s got to stop. That’s why we’re demanding a cease-fire now,” said Corbyn, who is the MP for the constituency of Islington North.

To a question about the objective of Israel’s assault, Corbyn pointed to a larger plan to expel Palestinians entirely from the Gaza Strip.

“I think it is about expelling the entire population of Gaza, away from Gaza through the Rafah crossing in the south into the Sinai,” he said.

He said such a move will “just create another Gaza, another hellhole,” while “settlements will then follow all over Gaza.”

“This is a war about Israeli expansion at the expense of the Palestinian people. And the rest of the world seems blind to the reality of what is happening,” he said.

The Israeli army has resumed its deadly bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip since last Friday, after declaring an end to a week-long humanitarian pause.

More than 15,500 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7, with more than 41,300 others wounded and hundreds of thousands displaced.

The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.

- Government, Labor stance ‘simply appalling’

To a question about the stance of the British government and Labour Party leadership on the ongoing crisis, Corbyn said it is “simply wrong.”

“They opposed a cease-fire and said there should be a pause in the bombardment,” he said.

“A pause to do what? To bury the dead, to give some food and some support to those people that are alive, and then go in tomorrow and start killing them, which is now what is happening. This is simply appalling.”

Addressing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Corbyn questioned whether he wants to “go down in history … as the prime minister that did nothing” when they had the power to save Palestinian lives.

All the British government has done so far is given “complete support to Israel and its bombardment campaign,” he asserted.

Recalling last month’s session in the UK Parliament, where a majority voted against calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, Corbyn said: “Sadly, the opposition in Parliament has (also) refused to speak up for a cease-fire.”

Corbyn, however, vowed to keep up his efforts to push for a cease-fire.

“The campaign around the country carries on. Trade unions, school students and people are all campaigning, and we’re not going to go away,” he said.