PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST (29 November 2005)

That this House expresses its concern at the acquittal by an Israeli military court on 18th November of Captain R on all charges relating to the brutal killing of 13-year old Iman al-Hams, who was shot 17 times near an Israeli army post near Rafah refugee camp in Gaza in 2004; notes that the manner of Iman's killing was revealed in a tape recording in which the Watchtower stated `It's a little girl. She's running defensively eastward' and that she is `a girl about ten, she's behind the embankment and scared to death' and to which Captain R replied `We fired and killed her... This is commander. Anything that's mobile, that moves in the zone, even if it's a three year old, needs to be killed.'; believes that Captain R's statement that Iman should have been shot even if she was three years old will horrify all decent people, be they Jewish, Christian, Muslim or of any or no religious faith; believes that the deliberate targeting of innocent life, be it by suicide bombers or Israeli soldiers, can never be justified; further believes that Captain R's acquittal will only increase levels of animosity and foster mistrust in the region; and calls on Israel to hold to account soldiers who kill innocent children.

Sponsored by:
Mr Shahid Malik (Labour)