First published by the Middle East Eye on 1/11/2017 #Balfour One hundred years ago, the Balfour Declaration backed Palestine as a Jewish homeland. Imagining if history had taken another turn offers a fresh perspective. On 2 November 1917, British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour sent a letter to Lord Walter Rothschild, a prominent zionist, which …
Continue reading What if Wales had been offered to the Jews as a homeland?
مشاركتي في برنامج الحصاد على قناة الجزيرة بتاريخ ٢٢/٤/٢٠١٧ https://youtu.be/k9w8Mf6k-C0
First published by the Middle East Eye on 13/4/2017 On 7 April, I travelled with my wife, Lina, and my five-year-old son, Adam, to Palestine to spend Easter with family and friends, mainly in Attur, East Jerusalem. In the late afternoon, we arrived at Tel Aviv airport and made our way to passport control. I …
First published by the Middle East Monitor on 5/4/2017 Palestinians were delighted to see 2016 end with the UN Security Council passing resolution 2334 which reaffirmed the illegality of Israel’s settlement enterprise. The passing of the resolution was facilitated by the US abstention in the dying days of Obama’s administration. The UK played a key …
Continue reading The UK is quietly changing its policy on Israel and Palestine
First published by the Arab Weekly on 19/2/2017 Israel continues to violate UN resolutions with impunity and Palestinians can expect more bad anniversaries to mark. A 2016 picture shows a Palestinian youth waving the national flag on the 68th anniversary of the Nakba (AFP) 2017 is the year of anniversaries for Palestinians. Sadly, none can …
Continue reading 2017 is the year of sad anniversaries for Palestinians
First published in the Middle East Eye on 19/10/2016 The UK home affairs select committee has fallen for the Israeli lobby's attempt to conflate criticising Israel with anti-Semitism I would not be writing this column in this way if the UK Parliament’s home affairs select committee had not dragged my homeland, Palestine, into the controversy surrounding …
Continue reading Redefining anti-Semitism will not silence Palestinians’ struggle for justice
First published by the Middle East Eye on 13/10/2016 The foreign secretary's candid speech reveals an opportunity to influence UK policy in the Middle East - Arab ambassadors should seize it Away from the endless discussions on Brexit at this year’s Conservative party conference in Birmingham, there were the usual fringe meetings and receptions that complement …
Continue reading Rolls Royce, pants and sand: What Boris Johnson said to the Arab ambassadors
First published by the Middle East Eye on 26/9/2016 The 2016 annual pilgrimage of world leaders to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York was dominated by the Syria crisis. While many speakers ramble on to a half empty hall, others try to get important messages across to the assembly of world nations. …
Continue reading While Netanyahu lectures, Abbas pleads – but who is listening?
Published by the Middle East Monitor 6/8/2016 Image from Middle East Monitor The Balfour Declaration is a letter from the then British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Walter Rothschild, for transmission to the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland. The critical part of this short letter said: “His Majesty’s government view with favour the …
Continue reading Britain should apologise for the Balfour Declaration, not ‘celebrate’ it
As Philip Hamnond moves into the Foreign Office, my message to him is simple. Britain has for decades, supported the occupier over the occupied and conducted business as usual with Israel. It is time Britain reversed this shameful policy. Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, British Foreign Secretary Dear Secretary Hammond Congratulations on your appointment as …
Continue reading Welcome Foreign Secretary Hammond, support the occupied not the occupier
Brum2Jerusalem Blog 