Iran has embarked on a campaign to establish itself as Lebanon’s primary fuel supplier, in order to empower its local proxy: the terrorist group Hezbollah. A recent report by Iran’s state Tasnim media, titled ‘The Iranian ships, the triangle of resistance that shattered the American hegemony’, laid out the Iranian Read more…
Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy has said that Labour will “always believe that Israel has the right to defend itself” against attacks. Speaking at an event in Manchester, Nandy also voiced her opposition to a complete ban on weapons sales from the UK to Israel. She said both herself and Read more…
The highest-level meeting between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in over a decade took place last week, and was followed by the announcement of a series of confidence-building measures. What happened Israel’s defence minister, Benny Gantz, met the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, in Ramallah last Sunday. “I came to the meeting Read more…
Join us for a discussion event on the Middle East’s changing political landscape, organised in collaboration with Chatham House. You can sign up for this fascinating discussion here ahead of the event itself on Tuesday 14th September at 2pm. Over the last decade, Middle Eastern countries have experienced significant changes in Read more…
Israel’s neglect of public advocacy and diplomacy in recent years led to a rise in antisemitism and support for Palestinian terrorist organisations, Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid said on Sunday, in a strong rebuke of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “They are doing this because no one explains to them Read more…
Palestinian activists and human rights organisations have called on Hamas and other terror groups to stop storing weapons in residential areas of Gaza following an explosion on Thursday. The explosion, which killed 1 person and injured 14 others, took place in a warehouse used by Hamas for storing weapons. Activists Read more…
The terrorist group Hamas, which has governed the Gaza Strip since it seized power in 2007, has this week threatened Israel over the supply of aid into Gaza. Incendiary The threats come in the context of incendiary balloon arson attacks, a Hamas practice since 2018. Terrorists in Gaza launched several incendiary Read more…
Labour Friends of Israel director Michael Rubin has written the below article for LabourList. Click here to read the original. For those of us on the left who support Israel and want to see the forces of peace, progress and moderation advance in the Middle East, the last decade was without Read more…
LFI vice chair Cat McKinnell MP today pushed Middle East Minister James Cleverly about why the UK government isn’t showing more initiative to support the creation of the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, as envisioned by ALLMEP. Her question came following a written parliamentary question, in which the FCDO claimed Read more…
Iran’s deputy foreign minister said at the weekend that ongoing negotiations in Vienna to restore the 2015 nuclear deal will not resume until president-elect Ebrahim Raisi is sworn in next month. “We’re in a transition period as a democratic transfer of power is underway in our capital”, Abbas Araghchi tweeted. Read more…
The new Israeli coalition government, led by prime minister Naftali Bennett, voted against a bill which would have annexed the West Bank in the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Monday. Likud MK Miki Zohar dared Bennett’s right-wing Yamina party and their New Hope coalition partners, to support the legislation, despite Read more…
LFI last week launched a major new publication examining the changing shape of the Middle East. From the growing threat posed by Iranian expansionism to diplomatic shifting sands and demographic changes, The New Middle East: A Progressive Approach is an important contribution to Labour’s foreign policy development. Launch event The pamphlet was Read more…