Reading West MP Martin Salter continues to be active in support of the plight of Palestinians, lobbying Government ministers for an aid package to assist the humanitarian relief effort in Gaza and becoming one of the founding members of the new group - Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East.

Mr Salter has attended several meetings with Ministers on the Gaza crisis since the Israeli bombardment began on December 27^th and has argued for Britain to play its full part in getting humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

Last week (January 13^th) Mr Salter attended the Parliamentary launch of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East in the House of Commons. He has also signed Early Day Motion 392 which welcomes the establishment of the new group.

Mr Salter said:-

“Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East will provide a useful platform for Labour Party representatives, members and supporters to argue the case for a viable and independent state of Palestine to exist alongside Israel. Sadly, the appalling bombardment of Gaza’s citizens by the Israeli military has made a political solution to the Middle East even less likely in the next few years. It will take a long time for many Palestinians to forget the 1,200 people killed, a third of whom were women and children, and to accept that Israel is serious about its obligations under international law as a member of the United Nations. The use of excessive and disproportionate force has alienated moderate Palestinian opinion and it is at times like these that the Palestinian people need to know that they have supporters across the world.”

With latest reports from the UN claiming that 50,000 Gaza residents are still in temporary shelters and 400,000 have no access to running water, Mr Salter has welcomed the announcement of £20m in humanitarian aid from International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander on Tuesday.

Mr Salter added:-

“Britain was one of the first countries to get aid on the ground to people in Gaza but it will take huge international effort before anything like reasonable living conditions are re-established.”