Author Archives: Diana Safieh

Human Rights Watch: torture of Palestinians by Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza

Here is a disquieting report by Human Rights Watch and Lawyers for Justice. It examines breaches of Palestinian human rights by Palestinians – those in authority in the West Bank and Gaza. Like all Human Rights Watch reports, it is … Continue reading

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The Human Factor followed by Q&A with the director Dror Moreh

Tuesday 20th September at 6pm. The epic behind-the-scenes story of the United States’ 30-year effort to secure peace in the Middle East. Recounted from the unique perspective of the American mediators on the frontlines. Tickets: £10, Free for Friends of … Continue reading

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Programme Officers

Diana Safieh – Part-time CoordinatorDiana Safieh has managed Operations and Events for companies and charities for over 15 years. Diana has spent much of her life in the charity sector, fundraising for humanitarian and development projects in Palestine. She has … Continue reading

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A Palestinian state now or equal rights until there is a solution

Zoom Webinar, Thursday 15 September 2022 at 3pm UK time. In anticipation of the failure of the Israeli-Palestinian talks convened by the US Secretary of State John Kerry in 2014, Sam Bahour and Dr Tony Klug called for a new … Continue reading

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Education Workshop: Israel-Palestine in secondary schools & having the confidence to teach it

On Saturday, 25 June, the Balfour Project hosted an online workshop to encourage more schools to teach this subject. Ninety attended, of whom 25 were practising teachers, 18 of them currently teaching the subject. Over a hundred have viewed the … Continue reading

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Is Anti-Zionism a Form of Anti- Semitism?

Anti-Zionism as a Jewish Phenomenon Azmi Bishara General Director and Member of the Board of Directors of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. Dr. Bishara is a researcher and writer with numerous books and publications on political thought, … Continue reading

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Report of the UN’s Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Situation of Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel

Announcing Britain’s candidacy for a three-year term on the UN’s Human Rights Council in 2020, the then Minister of State for Human Rights, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, rightly said that respect for human rights sits at the heart of the … Continue reading

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A Palestinian state now or equal rights until there is a solution

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Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza is a fundamental barrier to peace

By Bambos Charalambous, Shadow Minister for the Middle East When it comes to the question of achieving peace in the Middle East, Labour is clear: in government, we would immediately recognise the state of Palestine. We want to see a … Continue reading

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Culture x Conflict Series

All views and resources are those of the Fellows and speakers alone and not necessarily representative of the Balfour Project. Culture x Conflict: Palestinian Cuisine as Anticolonial ResistanceThurs 24th November Culture x Conflict: 100 years of Palestinian Architecture

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From Balfour to Biden: universal values and international law versus national interests

By Sir Vincent Fean, Balfour Project Vice-Chair I was invited on 5 June to contribute virtually to a conference in Palestine to mark the 55th anniversary of the Six- Day War of 1967, leading to the occupation by Israel of … Continue reading

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Cycle of violence moves us further away from a peaceful future for Israelis and Palestinians

UK Government at UN Security Council Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East (delivered on May 26, 2022) Sadly, the world’s attention has been drawn repeatedly to the fragile … Continue reading

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Jerusalem: a Jewish city, a Christian city, a Muslim city

Holy Land Coordination 2022 Final Communiqué ‘If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither’Psalm 137:5 Recalling the Balfour Project statement: “Israel/Palestine: Equal Rights for lasting Peace” at our 2020 conference “Jerusalem: from past divisions to a shared future?”, … Continue reading

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Supporter comments on our conference – Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility

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Book Review: A City in Fragments, Urban Text in Modern Jerusalem, by Yair Wallach

Stanford University Press. Paper. Hard cover. £20.99 Review by Menachem Klein When I walk in London, in particular in the City, I feel somehow disappointed by the ultra-modern architecture of steel and glass buildings next to old, imperial, probably even … Continue reading

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Urgent: halt evictions in Masafer Yatta with and Breaking the Silence’s Becca Strober

Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled that over 1,000 Palestinians can be forcibly evicted from their homes in Masafer Yatta, a community in the South Hebron Hills. Write to the Government to help stop this flagrant eviction of people from their … Continue reading

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Britain’s duty to advance equal rights in Palestine/Israel

BALFOUR PROJECT STATEMENT 18 MAY 2022 Whatever our assessment of Britain’s past role as an imperial power, since the Second World War the United Kingdom has played an important role in establishing a new rules-based order in international affairs, and … Continue reading

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Defenceless: Palestinian children in Israeli military detention

Lana Ramadan is the Advocacy and Campaigns Senior Office at Save the Children International oPt country office. Lana has extensive technical expertise and knowledge on the detention file in the oPt context. She worked for several Palestinian human rights organizations … Continue reading

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Don’t forget Palestine

There is now extensive evidence that the government of Israel is blatantly violating international law in its rule over the occupied Palestinian lands and its oppressive practices against the Palestinian people. As a friend of Israel, I feel obliged to … Continue reading

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Save Masafer Yatta Letter Writing Campaign

Dear [MP Name], I write to express my deep concern over the impending eviction and demolition of Masafer Yatta, a Palestinian community in the West Bank. On March 15th, Israel’s Supreme Court held a hearing to determine the future of … Continue reading

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This is the biggest myth about Israel and the Nakba

Opinion: from the Israeli daily Haaretz It is one of the most enduring myths surrounding the 1948 war: The epic battle between a fearsome Arab Goliath and a new-born Israel to liberate Palestine. And it’s a fable that continues to … Continue reading

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UK calls on all parties to take urgent steps to reduce tensions and avoid further escalation in Jerusalem

Statement by British Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East The UK shares the concerns expressed around this [Security Council] table about the fragile situation in Jerusalem. It is crucial that … Continue reading

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UK trade deal with Israel sends a clear message: apartheid is rewarded

By Sara Husseini and Mazen Masri, from Middle East Eye Without conditionality on human rights or a mechanism for accountability, how can an enhanced trading relationship be understood by Israel as anything other than support for its violations and war … Continue reading

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Court overturns French ban on Palestine solidarity groups

Published by Ali Abunimah on Electronic Intifada, 2 May 2022. Emmanuel Macron’s war against campaigners for Palestinian rights suffered another big setback on Friday. The Conseil d’Etat, which acts as France’s supreme court ruling on government actions, suspended the president’s … Continue reading

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Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility – 17/18 May 2022

The Collapse of the British Mandate & Why it still matters, and what Britain should do now. Welcome – Sir Vincent Fean, Chair of Day 1 and Keynote Speaker Dr Hanan Ashrawi Farewell to Palestine: a personal experience of the … Continue reading

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Is Israel’s rule in the occupied territories apartheid? Yes, finds report by the UN Human Rights Rapporteur

This is the full text of the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Michael Lynk, to the UN Human Rights Council on March 21, 2022. In it, he comes to the … Continue reading

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UK call to prevent escalating tensions in Israel and occupied Palestinian territory as religious holidays approach

Statement by British Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council Delivered, March 22, 2022 Let me start by once again reinforcing the need to prevent a return to the violence we witnessed in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories … Continue reading

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People live here: the 918 firing zone and threat of expulsion with local activist Ali Awad and Breaking the Silence’s Becca Strober

Online talk given in March 2022. Ali Awad is a 22 year-old activist from the village of Tuba in the South Hebron Hills. Becca Strober is a former soldier originally from Philadelphia. She is the Director of Education at Breaking … Continue reading

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Nine Quarters of Jerusalem Book Launch

Online talk given in March 2022 Recording of Matthew Teller’s ‘Nine Quarters of Jerusalem’ book launch live from Jerusalem. This event was jointly organised by the Bethlehem Cultural Festival, Educational Bookshop Jerusalem and Balfour Project. Book Review: Nine Quarters of … Continue reading

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Book Review: Nine Quarters of Jerusalem, a New Biography of the Old City by Matthew Teller

Profile Books. Hard cover. £16.99 Review by Menachem Klein Watch recording of Matthew Teller’s ‘Nine Quarters of Jerusalem’ book launch live from Jerusalem. This event was jointly organised by the Bethlehem Cultural Festival, Educational Bookshop Jerusalem and Balfour Project. ..a … Continue reading

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World Council of Churches Jerusalem Easter Initiative

Recalling our Balfour Project conference on Jerusalem in October 2020… (You can read the Balfour Project Jerusalem statement here.) The World Council of Churches (WCC) has launched this Easter initiative: “The WCC Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Easter seeks … Continue reading

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Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility

Day One: The Collapse of the British Mandate Day Two: Why it still matters, and what Britain should do now.

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Patrons

Rt Hon Tom Brake Tom Brake is Director of Unlock Democracy. Brake became Deputy Leader of the House of Commons in October 2012 and was also appointed as an Assistant Government Whip in November 2014. He was the Liberal Democrat MP … Continue reading

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FAQs: the Balfour Project’s Founding, Mission, and Position

1. Why are you called the Balfour Project? First and foremost, the Balfour Project team are not apologists for or supporters of Arthur Balfour. In 1917 the British Government issued the Balfour Declaration, a short statement pledging its support for … Continue reading

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Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility

Day One: The Collapse of the British Mandate Day Two: Why it still matters, and what Britain should do now.

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Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility

Day One: The Collapse of the British Mandate Day Two: Why it still matters, and what Britain should do now.

Posted in Events, Future, Recordings | Comments Off on Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility

Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility

Day One: The Collapse of the British Mandate Day Two: Why it still matters, and what Britain should do now.

Posted in Events, Future, Recordings | Comments Off on Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility

Abbas Milhem on Palestinian agriculture under occupation

Online talk given in March2022 Abbas Milhem is the current Executive Director (since 2014) of the Palestinian Farmers’ Union, providing technical guidance and full supervision on project development and implementation processes for the 14 branches of the Union across the … Continue reading

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Bashir Bashir on Equal Rights for All in Palestine/Israel

Online talk given in February 2022 Bashir Bashir is associate professor in the department of sociology, political science and communication at the Open University of Israel and a senior research fellow at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. His primary research … Continue reading

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Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility

Day One: The Collapse of the British Mandate Day Two: Why it still matters, and what Britain should do now.

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Al Haq – Under Threat: Palestinian Human Rights Organisations Face Effects of Designations

Online talk given in February 2022 Rula Jamal LLM – Head of Monitoring and Documentation at Al-Haq Dr Susan Power – Head of Legal Research and Advocacy at Al-Haq In 2021, the government of Israel designated al-Haq a ‘terrorist’ organisation, … Continue reading

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Amnesty International Report: Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians

On 1 February Amnesty International published an important report on Israel/Palestine. Here is the link to the text of the report, and here the link to Amnesty’s response to questions.  Here is a Haaretz commentary on Israeli Government handling of … Continue reading

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Apartheid: Israel’s inconvenient truth

By Chris McGreal (This article originally appeared in the February, 2022, edition of The Link, published by Americans for Middle East Understanding. In 2006, Jimmy Carter published his bestselling book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, to wide acclaim and a vicious campaign … Continue reading

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Israel’s ‘Hysterical’ Response to Amnesty’s ‘Apartheid’ Report

By Anshell Pfeffer in Haaretz on 1Feb 2022. This is the third such report in a year to label Israel an apartheid state, but Jerusalem has only succeeded in generating greater interest in Amnesty’s accusations. We may have to wait … Continue reading

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The Guardian view on Amnesty’s Israel report: dominating the discourse

Editorial published in The Guardian on 6 February 2022. The continuing subjugation of Palestinians erodes the country’s stature internationally and damages its democracy Ehud Barak, Israel’s then defence minister and the country’s most decorated soldier, warned in 2010 that “as … Continue reading

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Palestinians Continue to Suffer in Lebanese Refugee Camps

By Elaine Pasquini, reprinted from the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, January 2022. In 1948, some 110,000 Palestinians fled to Lebanon after being violently forced from their homes by Jewish militants seeking to create the State of Israel. With … Continue reading

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Israel will never concede peace: It’s time for Britain to recognise Palestine

By Avi Shlaim. This article is reprinted from Middle East Eye, January, 2022. Boris Johnson once described the Balfour Declaration as ‘tragically incoherent’. With Israel now explicitly saying it will never negotiate peace, the UK must rethink its Palestine policy … Continue reading

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Conversation with Director Dror Moreh about “The Gatekeepers”.

Online talk given in January 2022

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Rohan Talbot & Wafa Dakwar from MAP- The plight of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon

Online talk given in January 2022 Wafa Dakwar – Programme Manager, Beirut, Medical Aid for Palestinians Rohan Talbot – Advocacy and Campaigns Manager, London, Medical Aid for Palestinians Click here to view MAP’s position paper: Systematic Discrimination and Fragmentation Click … Continue reading

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Mass Palestinian grave at popular Israeli beach, Veterans confess

Israeli fighters at the 1948 battle in Tantura, a coastal village, finally come clean about the mass killing of Arabs that took place after the Palestinians’ surrender.  By Adam Raz (this article appeared in the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz on … Continue reading

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