Palestine must push back against loss of traditional allies

First published by the Middle East Monitor on 4/8/2017Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the 29th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 3 July, 2017 [Minasse Wondimu Hailu/Anadolu Agency] When the PLO asked the United Nations General Assembly for an upgrade in Palestine’s status to “non-member observer state” on …

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The UK should put Israel on notice, not the UN Human Rights Council

First published by the Middle East Eye on 28/3/2017 After supporting the UN resolution against Israeli settlements, the UK's attack against the council is illogical - unless this is all about trade deals In a surprise move, the UK representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council made a scathing attack against the council at …

Continue reading The UK should put Israel on notice, not the UN Human Rights Council

Richard Falk: People must shame UN for quashing ‘apartheid Israel’ report

First published by the Middle East Monitor on 20/3/2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=fX1ESZYQ8Cc Professor Richard Falk, former UN special rapporteur for Palestine, was hosted in London by the Middle East Monitor yesterday as part of his book launch tour. He introduced his book “Palestine’s Horizon Toward a Just Peace” eloquently to a packed hall. He had earlier been …

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Palestinian Bedouins face Israeli discrimination from the river to the sea

First published by the Middle East Monitor on 5/12/2016 Image from Middle EST mONITOR: Palestinians transfer the rubbles of their housing tins after it was dismantled by Israeli bulldozers on 19th August 2013 [Saeed Qaq/Apaimages] Will they or won’t they and when? This has been the question being raised constantly over the past few weeks …

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East Jerusalem is occupied but the hearts and minds of the children are not

This column first appeared in the Middle East Eye on 6/10/2016 Jerusalem has a special place in the hearts of people all over the world. I was fortunate to visit it again recently, or rather “return”, as my parents were both born in this great city. My first sighting of the Dome of the Rock …

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Israel’s ‘apartheid wall’ inspires more violence than it deters

This first appeared on the Middle East Eye on 12/9/2016 For more than a decade, Israel has been building a wall which it claims provides security for its citizens. The wall, which the Israeli cabinet decided to build in 2002 with the declared objective of "regulating the entry of Palestinians from the West Bank into …

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Conference: Holding Palestine in the light

Lichfield is holding a conference entitled Holding Palestine in the Light 7-9 October. This promises to be an excellent event and I am privileged to be contributing to it. Details here

TV interview about house demolitions near Hebron

I was interviewed by Press Tv on 16/8/2016  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iax8PEeso8M

Interview: EU concerned by the resumption of Israeli wall construction

I was interviewed by Press TV on 15/4/2016 about Israel's construction of the wall in the Bit Jala area. Watch here      

Westminster Hall debate about local democracy & UK Government bypassing Parliamentary scrutiny 

Birmingham Northfield MP Richard Burden secured a parliamentary debate to challenge the Government on bypassing parliamentary scrutiny before announcing in Israel its commitment to reduce local Goverment's ability to exercise ethical procurement. This was clearly done to appease Israel and to protect illegal settlements. In other words it was done to protect Israel's illegal occupation …

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