Double Film Screening: Britain in Palestine & From the Nakba to Camp David with Afif Safieh
️ 25th August 2025
University Chapel, University Avenue, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ
Doors at 6:00pm | Screenings start at 6:30pm
Free entry — donations welcome. Please register in advance to guarantee your place.
Join us for a powerful evening of historical reflection and critical dialogue, featuring two compelling documentary films that trace Britain’s complex legacy in Palestine and the wider Middle East.
The evening opens with the screening of:
️ Britain in Palestine (18 mins)
This original documentary investigates the contradictory promises and actions of British Mandatory rule in Palestine (1917–1948), examining how imperial policies laid the foundations for the 1948 Nakba—the mass displacement of Palestinians—and the creation of the state of Israel. It offers vital context for understanding Britain’s role in shaping the social, political, and environmental landscape of the region.
️ From the Nakba to Camp David (30 mins)
Our latest production delves deeper into the legacy of the Mandate through to the Camp David Accords, using rare archival footage, expert insights, and firsthand accounts. From the partition plan and Deir Yassin massacre to the Suez Crisis, refugee crises, and pivotal wars of 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973, this film sheds light on major geopolitical shifts and enduring human suffering. It explores key international interventions, the evolving role of the UN, and the diplomatic complexities that continue to resonate today.
Following the screenings, we’ll host a live panel discussion and audience Q&A, featuring:
Afif Safieh, born in Jerusalem in 1950, is a prominent Palestinian diplomat with a distinguished career in international relations. He is the son of Emile Safieh, a member of the Jordanian Parliament and a founding member of the Palestinian National Council. Safieh’s diplomatic career spans several decades, beginning in 1976 when he served as Deputy Director of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Observer Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. He later worked in President Arafat’s office in Beirut, handling European Affairs and UN Institutions. Between 1987 and 1990, he represented the PLO in the Netherlands, followed by his appointment as Palestinian General Delegate to the United Kingdom in 1990.
In 1995, Safieh was appointed as the Palestinian General Delegate to the Holy See, presenting his credentials to Pope John II. His diplomatic roles expanded further with his appointment as Head of the PLO Mission in Washington in 2005 and Palestinian Ambassador to Russia from 2008 to 2009. From 2009, he served as Roving Ambassador for Special Missions, based in London, continuing his pivotal role in Palestinian diplomacy.
A key figure in Palestinian international relations, Safieh was involved in the Stockholm negotiations of 1988, which led to direct American-Palestinian dialogue. He has been a member of the Fateh Revolutionary Council since 2009 and currently serves as the Deputy Commissioner for International Relations. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his contributions to Palestinian diplomacy and the peace process. Compilations of his articles have appeared in two books:
‘Self determination’, published by Al-Fajr printing press, Jerusalem, 1986 (jointly with his wife Christ’l Leclercq) and more recently ‘The Peace Process: from Breakthrough to Breakdown’, Saqi books, London 2010.
Dr Brian Brivati, Executive Director, Britain Palestine Project
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana