The shocking events of this summer, with the civilian population of Gaza once again finding themselves attacked with no chance of finding a place of safety, shows how tragically little 20 years of peace process have achieved. There has been much process, but precious little peace. The tragedies that have affected all of Jerusalem’s communities […]
Posts under ‘Middle East/North Africa’
Jerusalem: the unholy city
Nov 28th, 2014 by Uri Avnery.In its long and chequered history, Jerusalem has been occupied by dozens of conquerors. Babylonians and Persians, Greeks and Romans, Mamluks and Turks, Britons and Jordanians – to mention just a few. The latest occupier is Israel, which conquered and annexed Jerusalem in 1967. (I could have written “East Jerusalem” – but all of historical Jerusalem […]
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Israel/Palestine: UK MPs may seek 2 states but history seems to be leading elsewhere
Oct 23rd, 2014 by Antony Lerman.On Monday 13 October, MPs voted by 274 to 12 in support of the following motion: That this House believes that the Government should recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel, as a contribution to securing a negotiated two state solution.” The vote has symbolic significance, but does it amount to anything more […]
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It is vital that the House of Commons today recognises the Palestinian state
Oct 13th, 2014 by Michael Meacher.It is significant that today’s vote in the Commons for Britain to recognise the Palestinian state alongside the Israeli state comes not at the behest of the government, but on the initiative of an MP (the redoubtable and resourceful Labour MP, Grahame Morris) under the relatively new procedure that allows backbenchers to choose the issue […]
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Labour and Palestine – when is a whip not a whip
Oct 12th, 2014 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Picking a fight with one of your party’s most powerful lobbies is a risky affair. When so doing having a clear objective in mind helps, as well as a strategy that shows off your leadership virtues. Think Tony Blair and the unions. Think – yes – Dave and equal marriage. Which brings us to the […]
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Weasel words from Douglas Alexander on recognising Palestine
Oct 10th, 2014 by Jon Lansman.The good news is that shadow foreign secretary, Douglas Alexander, says at LabourList that “Labour’s consistent support for the principle of recognising Palestinian statehood, as part of continuing steps to achieve a comprehensive negotiated two state solution, is why we will be voting to support the principle of Palestinian statehood when the House of Commons […]
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Is your MP voting to recognise Palestine? Here are 17 reasons why they should
Oct 8th, 2014 by Jon Lansman.MPs will have a once-in-five-years chance of voting on a vital issue for Palestinians. Easington MP Grahame Morris has secured a full-day debate next Monday (13 October) ending with a vote at 10pm on a motion for the UK to recognise Palestine. No party has whipped its MPs to attend, or back the motion (despite Labour’s declared […]
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Stop foul play in Qatar
Oct 8th, 2014 by Newsdesk.The TUC has launched the campaign – Playfair Qatar – to draw football fans into the protests against Qatar’s treatment of the workforce building the infrastructure for its 2022 World Cup. The campaign will complement other campaigns already running by bringing in new allies. Fans – many of whom are also trade unionists – are as […]
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Bombing Iraq: just the start?
Oct 7th, 2014 by Mike Phipps.Barely a week after Parliament voted for air strikes on Iraq, Isis are on the outskirts of Baghdad and there is a growing call from military hawks for the deployment of western ground troops. Belgium and Denmark are the latest countries to join the coalition of western military action against Iraq, but in practice it […]
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‘You killed a million people in Iraq’ George Galloway tells Jacqui Smith
Oct 1st, 2014 by Jon Lansman.George has his faults but lacking the ability to demolish people in debate is certainly not one of them. Jacqui Smith justifies intervention on the basis of preventing murders and massacres and George’s comeback is swift. He thendelivers his solution calmly in answer to Andrew Neil, though some will object to including the requirement to strengthen […]
