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- Gaza A Story Of Love And War – with Mike Joseph and Sami Abu Salem
- The true story behind the ethnic cleansing of the Nakba
- Violent Israeli settler purges of Palestinians in South Hebron Hills under Gaza war cover
- Open Letter to Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron
- For the love of God, this war must stop… and it must stop now
- ‘Lavender’: The AI machine directing Israel’s bombing spree in Gaza
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Category Archives: News
One on One: Britain, Palestine and a history of broken promises
Video published by The Middle East Eye on 25 September 2023. The United Kingdom played a pivotal role in the dispossession of the Palestinian people and the Zionist takeover of historical Palestine, says Middle Eastern historian Peter Shambrook. Speaking with … Continue reading
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The DOP, Oslo and 1993+: Archetype of a Failure
By Daniel Levy, 13 Sept 2023 September 13, 2023, marks the 30-year anniversary of the signing of the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles (DOP) on the White House South Lawn. What seemed like an auspicious moment in the history of the … Continue reading
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The Boycott bill: Britain’s political gift to Netanyahu
By Peter Oborne From Middle East Eye The anti-BDS Bill trashes the UK’s global reputation, yet Sunak’s morally broken government is pushing it through without serious scrutiny. On 11 and 12 Sept, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly received a hero’s … Continue reading
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Much Ado About What?
Evidence Submitted to House of Commons Committee on the Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Public Bill, 5 September 2023 With a host of other pressing matters, domestic and foreign, already on its plate, puzzlingly the Sunak government has … Continue reading
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US Jews urged to condemn Israeli occupation amid Netanyahu censure
Open letter calls on Jewish leaders to speak out against ‘ultimate purpose’ of PM’s judicial reforms – upholding ‘regime of apartheid’ By Chris McGreal, published in The Guardian on 15 August 2023. Hundreds of Israeli and American public figures have … Continue reading
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Michael Gove’s bad Bill – an update
By Sir Vincent Fean The Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill was heavily mauled in debate in the House of Commons on 3 July, particularly in this excellent speech by Conservative MP Alicia Kearns (Chair of the influential … Continue reading
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Varying degrees of imprisonment in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
Report by Francesca Albanese Sir Vincent Fean, Balfour Project trustee, writes: Francesca Albanese is the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). She studies developments and reports regularly to the UN Human Rights Council, of … Continue reading
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The International Court of Justice should rule on the legality of the 1967 Occupation
Sir Vincent Fean writes: Last year the UN General Assembly voted to request that the International Court of Justice should deliver an advisory opinion which would consider the question of the legality of the Israeli military occupation of East Jerusalem, … Continue reading
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Friendship and twinning between Britain and Palestine: a mark of recognition and solidarity
Sir Vincent Fean writes: There are over forty British volunteer friendship and twinning groups with Palestine, from Dundee to Camden, from Sheffield to Bradford on Avon. To see the full list, please visit www.twinningwithpalestine.net, the attractive website of the Britain … Continue reading
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In the looming civil war, the Israeli right has the upper hand
While the government can rely on national-religious identity to mobilise supporters, the opposition’s counternarrative suffers a serious weakness By Menachem Klein on 24 July 2023. This article originally appeared in the Israeli +972 magazine The brewing “civil war” we are witnessing … Continue reading
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New report from Save the Children: “Injustice: Palestinian children’s experience of the Israeli military detention system”
Sir Vincent Fean writes: The Balfour Project commends a new report by Save the Children on the plight of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention. Please click here to read the report. The report results from sustained, careful research. It … Continue reading
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All Palestinians and Israelis deserve to live in peace: UK statement at the Security Council
Sir Vincent Fean writes: Every month, the UN Security Council discusses developments in the Middle East, including Palestine/Israel. As a permanent member of the Security Council, the UK makes a statement at each session. The latest statement can be found … Continue reading
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Balfour Project hails former world leaders’ honest assessment, compared with UK’s ‘mealy-mouthed platitudes’
By Andrew Whitley Often it requires taking a break away from a situation to be able to observe more distinctly dramatic changes taking place; changes that might otherwise pass unnoticed to a day-to-day observer. That was the case for The … Continue reading
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The German problem with Palestine
By Ian Portman, 22 June, 2023 In May this year, Palestinians were preparing for their 75th commemoration events marking the Nakba (disaster) which overcome their land before and during the 1948 war. Starting in the autumn of 1947, colonial settler … Continue reading
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Letter from Balfour Project Chair to Sir Keir Starmer on the Economic Activities of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill.
30 June 2023 Dear Sir Keir, Economic Activities of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill: If Labour’s “reasoned amendment” is voted down in Parliament on Monday, please vote against the Bill I write on behalf of the trustees of the Balfour … Continue reading
Elders warn of consequences of “one-state reality” in Israel and Palestine
Following their visit to Israel and and Palestine, Mary Robinson and Ban Ki-moon warn that a ‘one-state reality’ is now rapidly extinguishing the prospect of a two-state solution. The Chair and Deputy Chair of The Elders today warned that a ‘one-state reality’ is now rapidly extinguishing the … Continue reading
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New report reveals human rights violations because of IHRA definition of antisemitism
The European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) has launched (June 6. 2023) its new report “Suppressing Palestinian Rights Advocacy through the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism – Violating the Rights to Freedom of Expression and Assembly in the European Union and … Continue reading
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Government’s new Bill drives a coach and horses through the UK’s claim to uphold human rights and international law.
By Richard Burden, Trustee This week, the UK Government has published a Bill that will both jettison Britain’s respect for international laws that ban the acquisition of territory by conquest and ignore UN rules signed by the UK over a … Continue reading
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The Status Quo governing Jerusalem’s holy sites preserves peace: UK statement at the Security Council
5 January 2023 Statement by British Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on situation in the Middle East Firstly, the UK recognises that Jerusalem’s holy sites including Haram al Sharif/Temple Mount hold particular significance for many around … Continue reading
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Football’s coming home…
…for the Palestinians! How the World Cup put Palestine in the international spotlight. Palestine: The Unexpected Star of the 2022 World Cup Joy, faith and Palestine: How Morocco’s team united the Arab world Israel scores own goal with World Cup … Continue reading
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How can Britain Help Right the Historic Wrong that it Committed Against the Palestinian People?
Mark Seddon of Deep Dive Palestine is live with Andrew Whitley, founder & executive director of Geo-Political Advisory Services (GPAS) & Chair of the Balfour Project. Andrew has had an expansive career first as a journalist for the BBC & … Continue reading
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‘Grave concern’ for increasing instability in West Bank and Jerusalem, says UK
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on the Situation in the Middle East, Nov 28, 2022 ‘The UK is gravely concerned by increasing instability in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Since 14 November, four Israelis … Continue reading
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UN committee votes to ask International Court to decide on Israel ‘annexation’ of OPT
The United Nations General Assembly Fourth Committee (on Decolonisation) has voted 98-17 on a resolution to seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on whether Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal on the grounds that its … Continue reading
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Israel Embassy move would ‘breach 1961 Vienna Convention’
Letter to UK Foreign Secretary from 27 international law experts says ‘there is nothing to review’ by Professor Iain GM Scobbie, Chair of Public International Law, and Director of the Manchester International Law Centre, University of Manchester
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Embassy move dropped
Britain’s Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has dropped the idea of “reviewing” the location of the UK Embassy in Israel, as suggested by his predecessor Liz Truss. Her proposal was to consider moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a … Continue reading
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Commission of Inquiry finds Israeli occupation unlawful under international law
Andrew Whitley, Chair of the Balfour Project, writes: A brand-new report from a UN Commission of Inquiry into grave breaches of human rights and international humanitarian law in Palestine and Israel will present a moral (and legal) dilemma for the … Continue reading
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Liz Truss under pressure to drop ‘reckless’ UK Israel embassy move
14 October 2022, Financial Times The Financial Times, with its long record of incisive Middle East reporting and careful editorial judgment, has added its voice to those urging the British Prime Minister to reconsider her stated inclination to review the … Continue reading
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The Balfour Project Origin Story
Roger and Monica Spooner were invited by Jordanian friends for a holiday in 2008 and whilst in Aqaba they visited an exhibition of the McMahon-Hussein correspondence. The text was displayed in Arabic, and the Spooners asked their host to translate. … Continue reading
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Truss and Jerusalem
By William Law Published in the Arab Digest, a subscription newsletter which can be joined here. Arab Digest provides high quality information, a discerning news filter and expert analysis suitable for business leaders, diplomatic strategy, academia and journalism. Summary: the … Continue reading
Prime Minister’s Promise to ‘Review’ Moving the UK Embassy to Jerusalem
Prime Minister Liz Truss has told the Israeli Prime Minister that she will ‘review’ the location of HM Embassy to Israel. Below is a well-argued letter to our Foreign Secretary explaining why this would be wrong. The letter is written … Continue reading
Statement by Daniel Levy, President, US/Middle East Project, to the UN Security Council, Thursday 25 August 2022
I would like to thank the Council and the Chinese presidency in particular for allowing me to share some thoughts with you today. The events of earlier this month covered in detail by Special Envoy Wennesland are as concerning as … Continue reading
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Tory leadership contenders demonstrate alarming bias toward Israel
By Susie Becher in The Times of Israel, published on 29 August 2022 Click here to read this article.
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The situation on the ground demonstrates the urgent need to make progress towards a Two-State Solution
Statement by UK Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East Let me start by welcoming the two-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords this month. The Abraham Accords are a historic milestone that … Continue reading
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Israeli Raids on Palestinian Civil Society Organizations: The Costs of International Inaction
When: Thursday, August 25, 2022 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT Where: Zoom Webinar Join legal and policy experts to hear how Israel’s measures to terminate the work of six prominent civil society organizations engaged in documenting violations of international … Continue reading
Statement on planning application for new settlement in the West Bank
On 12 September a planning committee in the West Bank will consider an application from the Israeli Defence Ministry for a large new settlement project in the E1 area of the West Bank, to the east of Jerusalem. In response … Continue reading
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Israel Raids Outlawed Palestinian Rights Groups’ Offices in West Bank
Defense Minister Benny Gantz declared six Palestinian human rights groups terrorist organizations in 2021, however, several European countries claim Israel had failed to prove these allegations. By Hagar Shezaf, Jack Khoury and The Associated Press on Aug 18, 2022 in … Continue reading
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Episcopal Church in Ramallah raided by Israeli military
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WATCH ONLINE: Raja Shehadeh: To Absent Fathers
In 1985, Raja Shehadeh’s father Aziz was murdered in a pre-meditated knife attack. The circumstances of the crime are the subject of his Strangers in the House. Today, through his new memoir, Shehadeh sheds a different light on the father-son relationship … Continue reading
‘Strangers in My House’: Letters an Expelled Palestinian Sent David Ben-Gurion in 1948, Revealed
Sami Saada was expelled from his apartment in Haifa and in an attempt to reclaim the property sent letters to Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. The letters went unanswered, but found their way into a new book. By Sheren … Continue reading
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Urging all parties to ensure the ceasefire in Gaza is durable and prevents further violence: UK statement to UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on the situation in Gaza The United Kingdom joins fellow Council Members in welcoming the ceasefire in Gaza announced last night (August 8, 2022). We express our thanks to Egypt, … Continue reading
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UNRWA struggles to meet $100m funding shortfall amid UK budget cuts
Severe cuts to Britain’s aid budget leave the agency that provides relief to Palestinian refugees struggling to carry out basic services From the i July 31, 2022 Palestinian refugees are facing three-minute doctor consultations and classes of up to 50 children … Continue reading
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Palestinians and Israelis deserve equal measures of peace, security and prosperity
Statement by British Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council open debate on the situation in the Middle East, July 26, 2022 Thank you, President. And, I thank also Deputy Special Coordinator Hastings for her briefing. I’d also like … Continue reading
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‘Apartheid’ is not sufficient: an interview with UN Human Rights Commissioner Miloon Kothari
UN Human Rights Commissioner Miloon Kothari explains why Apartheid is not enough to explain the root causes of the Palestinian crisis. By David Kattenburg, first published on Mondoweiss on 25 July 2022. Joe Biden’s trip to Israel, occupied Palestine and … Continue reading
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Informing and influencing the Westminster Parliament
The Balfour Project and CAABU (Council for Arab British Understanding) co-sponsored an event in the House of Commons on 13 July, hosted by David Jones MP (Conservative). Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, spelt out what the UN Agency does to … Continue reading
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The relentless theft of Occupied Territory
How the Bennett-Lapid Government ruled over the West Bank The presence of left-wing parties in the coalition did little to hinder the ‘change government’ from continuing construction in the West Bank and destroying Palestinian residences By Hagar Shezaf, published in … Continue reading
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UK charities call for immediate end to closure of Gaza after 15 years of collective punishment and imposed fragmentation
Caabu is among 16 organisations to have signed onto this statement, calling for an immediate end to the closure of Gaza after 15 years of collective punishment and imposed fragmentation. 20th July 2022 Since June 2007, consecutive Israeli governments have … Continue reading
The follies of Biden’s Middle East trip
The president’s July visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia picked up where his predecessor’s regional policies left off. By Daniel Levy, published on Responsible Statecraft on 12 July 2022. President Biden’s trip to the Middle East is in danger of … Continue reading
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Children in Gaza need hope
“Gaza is hell on earth for children.” Those are the words of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres. This report from Save the Children explains why.In Gaza, as elsewhere in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the abnormal has … Continue reading
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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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