Government MP Scott Simmons described support for aggression in Gaza as “absolutely abhorrent”, saying that condemnation should be placed on both sides of the conflict in the territory.

Referencing comments made by Christopher Famous, a fellow Progressive Labour Party MP, in the previous sitting of Parliament, Mr Simmons said that while Hamas waged its armed incursion on Israel on October 7, the “aggressive” response by Israel cannot be justified.

The PLP central committee recently voted to support the United Nations resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Mr Simmons said during the Motion to Adjourn debate in the House on Friday: “What has taken place outside of the justification for retaliation is too much for any person to fathom.

“We must respond and we cannot allow that level to continue.

“I realise that we are a dependent territory and the UK has a position on this matter.

“They have moved to supply the Israeli government with arms, they have supported the European Community and the US in providing them with munitions to beat back or create aggression in the occupied territories.

“From small Bermuda, I have to rise and express my displeasure and to encourage our British Government, and encourage the US and encourage the European Community, those in our western hemisphere, to make sure that we insist on an immediate ceasefire and that we deliberately condemn both sides — Hamas for the aggression that took place in October and we must condemn the response by the Israeli Government.

“Individuals were annihilated, taken out and stripped of life in the initial attack but to support, through our government, the aggression at this level is absolutely abhorrent.

“I realise that as a government there may be restrictions on us responding. As a Bermuda Government we must recognise the position of the British Government on this matter, they are supporting it.

“They are supporting peace talks, they are supporting the countries through the United Nations, they are at the very minimum joining folks in the UN against this aggression, but you cannot support providing a warring country that is indiscriminately ethnically cleansing and exterminating citizens.

“We cannot support providing those very individuals daily with munitions, with those kinds of weapons, and then saying that we will support the humanitarian effort and the rebuild when that finally takes place after a sustainable ceasefire.

“I would encourage our government to speak boldly on the matter.”

David Burt spoke on the issue in the context of Bermuda’s lack of autonomy as a British overseas territory.

“Colonialism has its costs, it has its impacts, it is a painful situation,” the Premier said.

“We have absolutely no voice in foreign affairs whatsoever being a colony, none. This is a war that is being supplied with arms that are issued by the Government of which we are citizens of.”

He said that he is in discussions with Rena Lalgie, the Governor, about the UK Government going against a Bermuda position in a recent international forum without first consulting the island’s Government.

He did not elaborate on which forum he was referring to.

Mr Burt added: “The challenge is, we want to be good colonial citizens only when it is convenient. We have to decide whether or not we are comfortable.

“Colonialism has its price and the price is that we are voiceless when it comes to matters that are being done in the international forum in our names.”

Earlier this month, a pro-Palestine protest was hosted by The Peace Collective, Social Justice Bermuda, the Muslim Community of Bermuda, Progressive Minds and Bermuda is Love.

The Peace Collective also launched a petition, addressed to Ms Lalgie calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and a British arms embargo to Israel.

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