Lizzie Greenwood, a British activist, has initiated a hunger strike, consuming only 250 calories daily, to highlight the UK's role in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. She criticizes Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's unwavering support for Israel's actions, which she views as genocidal.
She has demonstrated, stood for public office, and rallied with like minded pro-Palestinian voices. But now, peace campaigner, Lizzie Greenwood, is going one step further.
She is risking her life by undertaking a hunger strike to speak out against the British role in the ongoing genocide, limiting her daily intake to a mere 250 calories. It is the equivalent of what the average Gazan is able to consume.
It’s at the point where we really drastically need to make our resistance to that known in a way that can't be ignored.
It's a symbol of the level of sacrifice that is involved in activism and making a significant stand, and also just an acceptance that my life is just not more important than hundreds of thousands of Palestinians or Lebanese people.
Lizzie Greenwood, Activist
In the short time he has been in office, Starmer has already proven himself an ardent supporter of Tel Aviv's genocidal campaign, saying he stood unequivocally with Israel, a position Lizzie finds intolerable, and one that does not reflect wider British public opinion.
We are as directly complicit as you can be in a lot of ways, because this is inherently a British problem.
We installed the Israeli state. We set it up, we fund it, we arm it, we justify its actions, and we defend it from international law and consequences.
We are keeping this going.
Lizzie Greenwood, Activist
Manchester has a long and proud tradition as the home of dissidents and activists, as commemorated by a statue commemorating the work of the suffragettes, but more recently, it's become the home of high profile pro-Palestinian marches and action.
For this proud Manchester activist, who even stood as a Workers Party candidate in the last election, such is her commitment to this cause that she is prepared for the consequences.
I'm just willing to take it as far as I need to, really to make this point known, because I am full of disgust, and full of outrage, and full of resentment about Keir Starmer continuing to support what is a holocaust.
As a former Holocaust Education Ambassador, it's heartbreaking. I'm horrified, and I really want to make that known, and I will use the most important thing to me, which is my life and my body, to make that point, if I really have to.
And that is essentially the situation I feel that he is forcing me into. He is forcing people into desperate acts.
Lizzie Greenwood, Activist
Lizzie hopes her actions will remind the British government that they are on notice and that ordinary people in the country will not have them taking part in a genocide in their name.