Sowing regional seeds of hope Eli Bar-On, Dr Najah Al Otaibi and Ghanem Nuseiben In May, at the historic Château d’Ermenonville outside Paris, something remarkable happened. Dozens of leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa – Israelis, Palestinians, Moroccans, Egyptians, Bahrainis, Jordanians and many others – gathered not Read more…
A voice for the region’s concerned mothers by Naama Barak Wolfman Since 7 October 2023, our lives have been marked by fear, grief and pain. Recent days have seen anger and frustration added to this unfortunate list. But, at Women Wage Peace, we refuse to let despair shape the future. Read more…
Pursuing equality and democracy for all Israel’s citizens By Shahira Shalabi The concept of democracy faces a profound challenge in today’s Israel. The definition of the state as both “Jewish and democratic” creates an inherent tension in relation to its Palestinian citizens. Also referred to, especially internationally, as Arab citizens Read more…
A new generation of Bedouin leaders building a shared future by Menucha Saitowitz At Desert Stars, we are building a new generation of Bedouin leaders – young people with the skills, vision and courage to shape not only the future of their own communities, but of Israeli society as a Read more…
LFI’s new Voices for Change project gives those in Israel striving for democratic values, social justice and peace the opportunity to share their challenges, hopes and achievements. Spanning six key areas – strengthening democracy, shared society, gender and sexual equality, Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding, regional peacebuilding, and social justice – we are Read more…
At today’s statement in the House of Commons on the Middle East, Labour MPs asked the Foreign Secretary about UK policy towards the 50 remaining Israeli hostages and support for civil society peacebuilding. LFI chair Jon Pearce MP asked: “I recently met the mother of Oz Daniel, a 19-year-old who Read more…
At this evening’s statement from the Middle East Minister in the House of Commons, several Labour MPs asked questions regarding government policy towards supporting moderates and pragmatists in the region, and the need to free the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. LFI chair Jon Pearce MP asked: “I very much Read more…
At today’s statement on the Middle East in the House of Lords, Baroness Berger urged the FCDO Minister, Lord Collins of Highbury, about how the government plans to support moderates and pragmatics in Israel and Palestine in order to further the cause of peace. She asked: “My Lords, I draw Read more…
An LFI delegation of Labour parliamentarians visited Israel and the Palestinian Territories as the region marked 600 days since the 7 October attacks which sparked the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The delegation, led by LFI chair Jon Pearce MP, included Labour Members of Parliament Cat Eccles, Kevin McKenna, Peter Prinsley and Mark Sewards, all Read more…
At today’s repeat statement on the Middle East in the House of Lords, Labour peers asked a number of questions of the minister, Lord Collins. Lord Turnberg asked: “My Lords, the situation in Gaza is truly horrendous, but Hamas must bear some responsibility for that. Indeed, the Gazan population is Read more…
LFI chair Jon Pearce MP has written the below article for Jewish News. Click here to read the original. As chair of Labour Friends of Israel, last week I became the first British MP to travel between Israel and the UAE – an unimaginable reality before the historic Abraham Accords in 2020. Read more…
At today’s Urgent Question on the Israeli Government’s announcement that they are expanding their military operations in Gaza, Labour MPs Jon Pearce and Blair McDougall asked what steps the government was taking to strengthen moderate voices for peace in Israel and Palestine. LFI chair Jon Pearce asked: “The resumption of Read more…