Britain’s current role

UK-European statement condemns Israeli settlements, East Jerusalem evictions

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Diana Safieh

The Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK issued this statement on Israeli settlements on May 6. We urge the Government of Israel to reverse its decision to advance the construction of 540 settlement units in the Har … Read more here ➔

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson Confirms UK Opposition to ICC Investigation into Israel

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Diana Safieh

The Balfour Project read with sadness and dismay the concluding words in the Prime Minister’s letter to the Conservative Friends of Israel of 9 April 2021. These words assert that “Palestine is not a sovereign State” and that the investigation … Read more here ➔

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The British Government position on Jerusalem

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Diana Safieh

The British Government has now replied to the six recommendations in the Balfour Project statement “Israel-Palestine: equal rights for a lasting peace” which concluded our 27 October conference on Jerusalem. We are indebted to our patron, Rt Revd John Pritchard, … Read more here ➔

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Seeking cooperation in order to achieve a two-state solution – Ambassador Barbara Woodward

Posted on January 5, 2021 by Diana Safieh

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East. Published 21 December 2020 Thank you, Mr President, and thank you to Special Coordinator Mladenov for his briefing. As others have done, I’d … Read more here ➔

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Souvenir Booklet from our Jerusalem Conference 2020

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Diana Safieh
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Labour MP Stephen Kinnock initiated debate on the settlement and annexation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Posted on September 28, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Thursday 24 September 2020 Click here to view video. 3.13 pm Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon) (Lab)I beg to move, That this House has considered settlement and annexation of the Occupied Palestinian territories. This country has a unique place in history and … Read more here ➔

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The British Government’s current position on Israel and Palestine: Water

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Question by Baroness Northover (Lib Dem) on 24th September 2020 (HL8468) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made ofreports that the government of Israel is demolishing water, sanitation and hygiene structures used by Palestinians in the West … Read more here ➔

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The British Government’s current position on Israel and Palestine: Recognition of Palestine as a state

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Question by Baroness Tonge (Independent) on 21st September 2020 (HL8342) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent steps they have taken to ensure that the Balfour Declaration is upheld, and in particular, the statement that “nothing shall be done which … Read more here ➔

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The British Government’s current position on Israel and Palestine: Living conditions in Gaza

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Question from Baroness Tonge (Independent) on 3rd November 2020 (HL9964) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the statement by the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the … Read more here ➔

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The British Government’s current position on Israel and Palestine: Elections

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Question by Baroness Tonge (Independent) on 18th january 2021 (HL12261) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all Palestinians are able to vote freely in (1) the elections for the legislature on 22 May, … Read more here ➔

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The British Government’s current position on Israel and Palestine: Environmental issues

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Question by Baroness Tonge (Independent) on 18th January 2021 (HL12260) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the statistics compiled by the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Camping coalition which suggest that over 8,400 olive trees have … Read more here ➔

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British Government’s Current Position: Trade with Israel

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Question by Dr Rupa Huq (Labour) on 21 April 2021 (UIN 185445) To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he will take to tackle the import to the UK of products from illegal … Read more here ➔

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British Government’s Current Position: Restrictions of movement in the West Bank

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Question: by Baroness Tonge (Independent) on 10 June 2019 Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Hebron, (HL16231) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the consequences for Palestinian children in Hebron of the removal of the Temporary International Presence … Read more here ➔

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British Government’s Current Position: Settler violence towards Palestinians

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Question by Baroness Sheehan (Lib Dem) on 12th April 2021 (HL14830) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to protect Palestinians living in the West Bank from violence from Israeli settlers. Answer from Lord Ahmad (Conservative) on … Read more here ➔

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British Government’s Current Position: Prioritising peace and cooperation in the Middle East in the midst of COVID-19

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Diana Safieh

Question by Dame Diana Johnson (Labour) on 1st February 2021 (UIN 146814) To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department will take to ensure that the citizens of Palestine receive the covid-19 … Read more here ➔

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John McHugo on Why Britain has a Special Responsibility to the Palestinian People Today

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Diana Safieh

A talk given online on 30th June 2020. John McHugo is a trustee of the Balfour Project and a board member of CAABU, The Council for Arab British Understanding. This paper is the edited text of a Balfour Project talk … Read more here ➔

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PM Johnson’s appeal to Israel over annexation

Posted on July 2, 2020 by Tim Llewellyn

By Andrew Whitley, Trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the Balfour Project Prime Minister Boris Johnson today published a last-minute appeal to Israel not to proceed with the Netanyahu government’s plans to annex parts of the occupied West … Read more here ➔

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‘Boris Johnson must stand up against an annexation of the West Bank’ – Christian Aid

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Tim Llewellyn

By William Bell, Head of Middle East, Christian Aid UK and Ireland Last June, an 82-year-old Palestinian refugee called Fayza in Lebanon’s Nahr el-Bared camp wept as she told me: “Palestine is in our bones – it is not something … Read more here ➔

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Boris Johnson has to stand up to Netanyahu’s annexation plans – for the sake of the Palestinians and peace – by Donald Macintyre

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Tim Llewellyn

Published in the Independent 30 May 2020 Whatever Boris Johnson’s troubles, he can always comfort himself that unlike the prime minister of a British ally 3,000 miles away, he’s not running the country while simultaneously being tried on corruption charges. But … Read more here ➔

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Podcast: Vincent Fean on the ICC, Trade Agreements and Umbrella Organisations

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Tim Llewellyn

Diana Safieh: A question from Sara Apps, is there an opportunity to unlock the blockage on the ICC application? What best can we do to help? Vincent Fean: Palestine joined the International Criminal Court in 2015 after the UN General … Read more here ➔

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Letter to Boris Johnson on Israeli annexation 1 May 2020

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Tim Llewellyn

Click here to read the Guardian article.

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Letter from Claudia Beamish MSP to Dominic Raab MP

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Tim Llewellyn

This is a letter from Claudia Beamish MSP Member of the Scottish Parliament for South Scotland, to the Rt Hon Dominic Raab, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and First Secretary of State.

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UK Government affirms its position that Israel’s annexation plans of occupied Palestinian territory is contrary to international law

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Tim Llewellyn

In a response to a letter to the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab from Caabu Chair Rt Hon David Jones MP, the Foreign Office and DFID Minister responsible to the Middle East, Rt Hon James Cleverly MP has affired the UK … Read more here ➔

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Remarks by HRH The Prince of Wales at a reception in Bethlehem

Posted on January 25, 2020 by admin

24 January 2020 Throughout my life, I have tried, in whatever very small way I can, to foster greater understanding between people of different faiths, to heal divisions and to remind people of so much that we share in common … Read more here ➔

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The time is right to recognise Palestine

Posted on January 21, 2020 by admin

Text of letter published in The Times, January 20th 2020 THE TIME IS RIGHT TO RECOGNISE PALESTINESir, Today Britain attends her last EU foreign affairs council. On the agenda is the Middle East peace process, which must address recognition of … Read more here ➔

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Holy Land Coordination 2020

Posted on January 16, 2020 by admin

We must not ignore the voice of people in the Holy Land Every year we come to encounter and hear the people of the Holy Land. We are inspired by their enduring resilience and faith in a worsening situation. In … Read more here ➔

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The status of West Bank settlements under international law.

Posted on November 25, 2019 by admin

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cannot rewrite international law. By John McHugo , Balfour Project Trustee and International Lawyer Following the comments by the US Secretary of State on Monday, we have felt it necessary to clarify the legal … Read more here ➔

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Scottish Parliament endorses Balfour Project Call to Action Sept 3rd 2019

Posted on October 4, 2019 by admin

Claudia Beamish MSP (Labour) introduced a members’ business debate on motion S5M-16637, “Towards an independent Palestinian state: a Scottish proposal” calling for action leading to an independent Palestinian state and acknowledging Britain’s historical responsibilities in what was to become Israel … Read more here ➔

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Israel’s election, Palestine, and Britain’s best response: Equal Rights

Posted on September 23, 2019 by admin

This article was first published on the Conservative Middle East Council website Analysis 23 September 2019 Sir Vincent Fean KCVO Sir Vincent Fean is Chair of Trustees of the Balfour Project. Between 2010-14, Sir Vincent was British Consul-General in Jerusalem. … Read more here ➔

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115 British Parliamentarians demand British Prime Minister act robustly to any Israeli annexation of Occupied Palestinian Territory

Posted on September 13, 2019 by admin

115 British Parliamentarians demand British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson act robustly to any Israeli annexation of Occupied Palestinian Territory. In the letter, sent from the Britain-Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group, the Parliamentarians insisted that the British Government and its partners in … Read more here ➔

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Should Britain recognise a sovereign Palestine now? Event report

Posted on July 10, 2019 by admin

Talk by Sir Vincent Fean at recent Meretz UK Event Meretz UK hosted an event on 7th July in London’s Jewish Community centre JW3, to discuss the prospects, advantages and likely outcomes of recognition of the state of Palestine alongside … Read more here ➔

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What is the UK’s role in Israel – Palestine today?

Posted on July 2, 2019 by admin

Speakers: Sir Tom Phillips and Sir Vincent Fean Chairing the debate: Prof. Yossi Mekelberg, Professor of International Relations at Regent’s University, London and senior consulting research fellow for the MENA programme, Chatham House. OneVoice Europe hosted an event on 26th … Read more here ➔

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Is There a Plausible Alternative to The Two-State Solution? By Tony Klug

Posted on June 12, 2019 by admin

  Dr. Tony Klug has written extensively on Israeli-Palestinian issues. He is a special advisor on the Middle East to the Oxford Research Group and a consultant to the Palestine Strategy Group and the Israel Strategic Forum. His Ph.D. thesis … Read more here ➔

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Gaza, one year on

Posted on April 1, 2019 by admin

Letter to the Times 30 March 2019 Sir,A year on from the avoidable deaths of 60 people at the Gaza fence, rockets and reprisals are recurring. This dismal pattern of behaviour must be broken. Two million people are imprisoned in … Read more here ➔

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Towards an independent Palestinian state: a Scottish call to action

Posted on March 27, 2019 by admin

Israel/Palestine: Equal Rights 17 March 2019 From Edinburgh, and the home university of Arthur Balfour,we acknowledge Britain’s historical responsibilities in the Holy Land, from before the Balfour Declaration through the British Mandate to today. Gaza was, is, and always will … Read more here ➔

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