Labour’s Church Langley candidate holds centre stage at party conference with speech on Palestine
News / Tue 25th Sep 2018 pm30 04:37pm
A HARLOW Labour Party member was centre stage at the Labour Party Conference as he made an emotional speech on the subject of Palestine.
Colin Monehan, who is the candidate for Church Langley in the May local elections next year made the speech whilst scores of Palestinian flags were waved amid emotional scenes on the Labour Party conference floor during a debate on Palestine.
Delegates chanted “Free Palestine” as a motion condemning the Israeli response to protests in the Gaza Strip was moved by Mr Monehan.
While moving the motion, Monehen asked the conference in Liverpool to imagine that there are “two babies being born to Jerusalem: one to Palestinian parents, the other to Israeli parents”.
“I want you to realise that this motion is about wanting those babies to have a better future than the futures filled with pain, suffering and hatred. Let’s put their futures on a different trajectory to the one that has been mapped out for them.”
And he said: “They deserve a better future than the one mapped out for them.
“I want us to say this to every Palestinian: we have heard you calling from the darkness and we cannot and we will not ignore you or your tragedy.”
Mr Monehen said the Palestinian people could not be “left alone in the darkness”, saying their story “must be told”.
“I want us to send a message to Mr Trump that cutting the funding to the UNRWA, the humanitarian agency set up by the UN to assist these people in exile, born homeless, born stateless, in refugee camps will not crush their spirit.
“It will not lessen their resolve to return home.
“Expelling Palestinian diplomats will not make them disappear like a snowflake in the hot
The chair of the conference told Mr Monehan that he had run over time but he was unrepentant telling them that “My times not up, I’m speaking for the Palestinian people..if you want me off the stage call security and you better get an army because I’m an Eastenders and like Palestinians we don’t go down easy”
This was met with loud applause and more flag waving.
A number of his Harlow colleagues praised his speech.
Prospective parliamentary candidate, Laura McAlpine tweeted: “Our very own @CMonehen speaking at conference on behalf of The Harlow Labour Party.’My time’s not up – I’m speaking for the Palestinian people’
Staple Tye councillor, John Strachan tweeted: “Go Col #FreePalestine”
#ColinMonehen @CMonehen for @HYLABOUR. #FreePalestine! 🇵🇸✊ #Lab18#Lab2018#JC4PM pic.twitter.com/s5UbKOb40A
— לילית (@AeonicCurrent) September 25, 2018
MickyB77
2018-09-26 05:42:05
The Jewish questions have been answered by Labour. They appear to side with the Palestinian cause, does that include Hammas ? Let's hope that when voting time comes, local people will remember who he is and what he stands for.
Jake Shepherd
2018-09-26 11:42:33
Sorry Micky, But as long as when criticising the actions of the Israeli government, you aren't bulking your arguments with antisemitic slurs and innuendos, there is nothing antisemitic about advocating for state recognition of Palestine or drawing attention to human rights abuses on the border. The actions of the Israeli government and the Israeli Defense Force are reminiscent of apartheid South Africa, in terms of the legislated segregation of Israelis and Palestinians... That again is not antisemitic. So no, Mr Monehen is not anti-jewish, he like myself, is arguing for a genuine two state solution where both states are recognised as sovereign territories, based on the agreement reached by the UN. And the Labour Party condemns Hammas, as do I, as I'm sure does Mr Monehen.
MickyB77
2018-09-26 13:22:23
The leader of your party has been associated with terrorist factions for years. At present he's being investigated for his visits to the middle east, paid for by, guess who, no it wasn't by the Israeli government. Don't dig too deep, you may get some serious contradictions about who, and what, is very acceptable to your leader. As for Monehen, he's just hanging off Corbyns shirt tails. Eastender, indeed.
Maverick
2018-09-26 20:18:31
I Guess Palestine is a hot topic of conversation on the doorstep in Harlow above Housing and Schools and Healthcare.
PTK
2018-09-28 13:48:00
Palestine was under British rule in the 1940s and the present conflict is rooted in a failure of UK foreign policy. The government of the UK is a major supplier of arms to the State of Israel. Therefore this is a major foreign policy issue. It seems to me that it is a good thing that members of a political party are able to shape its policies on everything, including international relations. If members are not to decide a party’s foreign policy, then who will?
MickyB77
2018-09-30 06:00:07
A member of a party caused a mass exodus from Europe, I seem to re-call, that begat the problems in Palestine, aided and abetted by GB and it's allies, and their interest in oil ?
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