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 the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. In that context,…

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Palestine/Israel/UK: prospects for 2023 and launch of Balfour Project “Abandoning Palestine” conference booklet with Layla Moran MP

9th January 2023 Please join us for a 45 minute recording of our webinar with Layla Moran MP. Layla, our chair Andrew Whitley and trustee John McHugo launched the Balfour Project booklet recording our 2022 conference “Abandoning Palestine: the end of the British Mandate and our continuing responsibility”. The booklet is available to download here.…

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Palestine’s World Cup triumph

20th December 2022 Omar Karmi, a Palestinian-British journalist, and Tamir Sorek, an expert on football in Palestine-Israel, discuss the Palestinian phenomenon at the 2022 World Cup, the reactions worldwide, and the game and players in Israel-Palestine. Video Audio Transcript Omar Karmi: Good afternoon, everyone. Let me please first thank you for the opportunity to speak…

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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 charm offensive WEBINAR: Palestine’s World Cup triumph

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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 & Financial Times, before serving as the New York Director of UNRWA & then as Policy…

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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 move that would have recognised Israel’s claim that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. A spirited campaign…

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“Oh little town of Bethlehem” – Palestinian Christians, Reality, Challenges and Prospects – Revd Dr Munther Isaac

The world turns to Bethlehem during Christmas, but they have a fairytale image of the little town. However, this is a real community with real challenges. This webinar gives an insight into the reality and challenges of Palestinians and Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land. Revd Dr Munther Isaac is a Palestinian Christian pastor and…

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Will Sunak persevere with the Boycott Bill to outlaw local councils’ ethical investment decisions?

By Richard Burden, Balfour Project Trustee Britain has a new Prime Minister and at least some different faces in Cabinet from those who were there a few weeks ago. Although headlines are understandably dominated by questions about the approach the Sunak Government will take on the massive economic challenges facing the country, it also remains…

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Danielle Bett (Yachad): Five elections in three years, is Israel moving backwards or forward?

26 October 2022 Danielle Bett is Yachad’s Director of Communications. Prior to joining Yachad, Danielle worked as the Jewish Leadership Council’s Scotland Manager. She has worked on several interfaith and antiracism initiatives. She’s also worked closely with the Israeli community in Scotland, having founded the Scottish Israeli Cultural Association – a non-political non-religious initiative for…

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The Balfour Project Origin Story

The Balfour Project was established by Roger and Monica Spooner following a visit to Jordan in 2008. They visited an exhibition of the McMahon-Hussein correspondence in Aqaba and learned that in 1915 Britain had promised the Arabs a state which would stretch across the Near East including Palestine, in return for a military alliance against…

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UK apology sought for British war crimes in Palestine

The Balfour Project comments that Israel inherited, deployed after 1948 and still deploys, in the occupied Palestinian territory. many of the British defence emergency regulations, including arrest without trial, military courts  house demolitions, armed attacks against civilian targets and the use of Palestinians as human shields. The Balfour Project welcomes the report by Tom Bateman…

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Embassy move to Jerusalem

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 move that would have recognised Israel’s claim that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. A spirited campaign…

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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 prime minister has told her Israeli counterpart that she is reviewing the UK’s position on…

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On Impunity and Exceptionalism: Will Israel Be Held Accountable to International Law? – Dr Ramzy Baroud

November 2022 Palestinian author and journalist Dr. Ramzy Baroud discusses the reasons behind Israel’s lack of accountability to international law. While many countries, especially in the Global South, are held accountable to United Nations resolutions and to international humanitarian laws, Israel remains untouched. The role of the UK, past and present. What will it take…

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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 they are predictable. To be very clear, Israelis deserve security; Palestinians deserve security. Mr President,…

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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 bring us closer to the goal of shared prosperity and peace throughout the region. As…

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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 law and supporting the International Criminal Court investigation of Israeli officials is harming defense of…

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#StandWithThe6

by Jonathan Kuttab 18 Aug 2022 on Friends of Sabeel North America. Last night, Israeli forces raided the offices of all six civil society organizations that it previously labelled as “terrorist organizations,” including Al Haq. Israel ransacked the offices and then sealed the doors by welding them shut. While Al Haq said nothing of theirs was…

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Unlawful Israeli army assault on Palestinian human rights organisations in Ramallah, 18 August – proposed action

Dear Supporter, Early on 18 August the Israeli army raided the offices of seven Palestinian human rights and humanitarian organisations in Ramallah. The army also broke into a church. The Israeli Government seeks to suppress the Palestinian right to peaceful protest, threatening to imprison the staff if they return to their offices. Our Foreign Office…

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