14 jan 2017
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AIPAC is hoping to turn UK politics into a carbon copy of the US Congress, where the powerful lobby group has long quashed virtually all open criticism of Israel’s violent suppression of Palestinian rights.
The final episode of The Lobby, Al Jazeera’s groundbreaking investigation of the Israel lobby’s activities in the UK, casts light on the extent of AIPAC’s transatlantic ambitions. Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the UK’s main opposition Labour Party, has called on the government to investigate Israeli interference in the British political system. Though AIPAC’s influence is increasingly under challenge, it remains one of the best organized and effective players in US politics. Episode four of The Lobby, which can be viewed above, shows Al Jazeera’s undercover reporter attending a meeting of City Friends of Israel, a group established with the help of Israeli embassy agent Shai Masot to build support for Israel within London’s financial district. The meeting was coordinated with AIPAC and is addressed by Joe Richards, the lobby group’s “Wall Street director,” who explains how it focuses on building relationships with lawmakers. “The real strategic goal is to get the UK to behave more like the US than Europe, when it comes to Israel, pull them, tug them into the US sphere,” another of the US attendees at the meeting explains to Al Jazeera’s undercover reporter. |
The embassy’s Shai Masot also tells the undercover reporter that he took a delegation of dozens of donors from “rich families” in the UK to AIPAC’s conference in Washington, DC.
The donors to Conservative Friends of Israel and Labour Friends of Israel met with AIPAC’s head of strategy to glean “ideas for Britain.”
Zionism on campus
Adam Schapira and Elliott Miller, two pro-Israel activists, reveal in the first episode of The Lobby that AIPAC provided them with funding to set up the Pinsker Centre, an advocacy group to promote Zionism on UK campuses.
Schapira made an unsuccessful bid to be elected president of the Union of Jewish Students, which has received funding from the Israeli embassy.
Miller spent a year working at the Israeli foreign ministry’s division that handles relations with the US Congress, which put him in close contact with AIPAC.
In October, Miller was filmed being violent and abusive during student protests against a speech by a former Israeli army officer at University College London.
Videos online show Miller using Islamophobic abuse against students. “It’s a violent religion,” he shouts at one protester.
When the Pinsker Centre was launched last March, Miller marketed it as “vibrant and grassroots.”
One of its first activities was hosting a talk on the theme of “libelous myths of Israeli war crimes.”
It also led a delegation to AIPAC’s annual conference in Washington, and plans more such trips in the future.
Corbyn demands inquiry
The revelations in The Lobby have roiled pro-Israel advocates in the UK, who have gone into damage control mode.
The Israeli ambassador has apologized for Masot’s role in the plot revealed in The Lobby to “take down” UK lawmakers, including a deputy foreign minister deemed too critical of Israel.
The Israeli government has also made implausible claims distancing itself from Masot and attempting to portray his activities, clearly coordinated with his colleagues, as those of a loose cannon.
Masot was particularly focused on trying to engineer “grassroots” support for Israel within the main opposition Labour Party, while encouraging pro-Israel activists to lodge complaints against supporters of Palestinian rights who have been falsely accused of anti-Semitism.
The UK government has tried to downplay the revelations in The Lobby by accepting the ambassador’s apology and declaring the matter “closed.”
But on Friday, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to Prime Minister Theresa May to call for a full investigation.
“Many members of Parliament and the public will be extremely concerned at this evidence of attempts to undermine the integrity of our democracy,” Corbyn says in a letter to May released to the media.
“This is clearly a national security issue,” Corbyn adds. “I would therefore ask that you treat the matter as such and launch an inquiry into the extent of this improper interference.”
All four parts of The Lobby can now be viewed online.
The donors to Conservative Friends of Israel and Labour Friends of Israel met with AIPAC’s head of strategy to glean “ideas for Britain.”
Zionism on campus
Adam Schapira and Elliott Miller, two pro-Israel activists, reveal in the first episode of The Lobby that AIPAC provided them with funding to set up the Pinsker Centre, an advocacy group to promote Zionism on UK campuses.
Schapira made an unsuccessful bid to be elected president of the Union of Jewish Students, which has received funding from the Israeli embassy.
Miller spent a year working at the Israeli foreign ministry’s division that handles relations with the US Congress, which put him in close contact with AIPAC.
In October, Miller was filmed being violent and abusive during student protests against a speech by a former Israeli army officer at University College London.
Videos online show Miller using Islamophobic abuse against students. “It’s a violent religion,” he shouts at one protester.
When the Pinsker Centre was launched last March, Miller marketed it as “vibrant and grassroots.”
One of its first activities was hosting a talk on the theme of “libelous myths of Israeli war crimes.”
It also led a delegation to AIPAC’s annual conference in Washington, and plans more such trips in the future.
Corbyn demands inquiry
The revelations in The Lobby have roiled pro-Israel advocates in the UK, who have gone into damage control mode.
The Israeli ambassador has apologized for Masot’s role in the plot revealed in The Lobby to “take down” UK lawmakers, including a deputy foreign minister deemed too critical of Israel.
The Israeli government has also made implausible claims distancing itself from Masot and attempting to portray his activities, clearly coordinated with his colleagues, as those of a loose cannon.
Masot was particularly focused on trying to engineer “grassroots” support for Israel within the main opposition Labour Party, while encouraging pro-Israel activists to lodge complaints against supporters of Palestinian rights who have been falsely accused of anti-Semitism.
The UK government has tried to downplay the revelations in The Lobby by accepting the ambassador’s apology and declaring the matter “closed.”
But on Friday, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to Prime Minister Theresa May to call for a full investigation.
“Many members of Parliament and the public will be extremely concerned at this evidence of attempts to undermine the integrity of our democracy,” Corbyn says in a letter to May released to the media.
“This is clearly a national security issue,” Corbyn adds. “I would therefore ask that you treat the matter as such and launch an inquiry into the extent of this improper interference.”
All four parts of The Lobby can now be viewed online.
13 jan 2017
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Ella Rose told Al Jazeera’s undercover reporter she was incensed The Electronic Intifada had revealed her work at the Israeli embassy.
The director of the Jewish Labour Movement has been caught on camera expressing a wish for violent revenge against her enemies. “I saw Jackie Walker on Saturday and thought, you know what, I could take her, she’s like 5’2 and tiny,” Ella Rose unwittingly told an undercover reporter working for Al Jazeera in September. “That’s why I can take Jackie Walker. Krav Maga training,” she said, referring to the Israeli army hand-to-hand fighting technique. |
“Yeah. I’m not bad at it. If it came to it I would win, that’s all I really care about.”
Her comments can be seen in episode two of Al Jazeera’s film The Lobby which was broadcast on Thursday evening and can be watched above.
Walker is a long-time anti-Zionist Jewish activist in the UK’s main opposition Labour Party.
The conversation took place only a month after Rose had become director of the Jewish Labour Movement.
The JLM functions as a pro-Israel lobby within the Labour Party; it has promoted a discredited definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel’s state ideology Zionism.
As The Electronic Intifada revealed in September, immediately prior to Rose taking the JLM job, she had worked as an officer at the Israeli embassy.
The Al Jazeera film shows Rose reacting angrily to The Electronic Intifada’s exposure of her embassy employment. Using expletives, she refers to her critics as “anti-Semites, the lot of them.”
Speaking to the undercover reporter, who she knew as pro-Israel activist “Robin,” Rose lashes out in vulgar terms at Asa Winstanley, the author of the article that exposed her embassy role.
“Look, at the end of the day these people are sad, sad tossers,” Rose says. “They’re completely pathetic, and leave them in their corner where they belong. I’m very over them and their existence. As far as I’m concerned they can go die in a hole.”
In the film, Rose also reveals that during her time at the embassy she worked directly with Shai Masot, the senior political officer at the center of the embassy’s covert efforts to influence British politics in an even more pro-Israel direction.
“Do not let it go”
In the film, Masot is heard calling Jackie Walker “problematic,” indicating she was on the Israeli government’s radar. Asked by the reporter Robin what can be done about Walker, Masot responds, “Do not let it go.”
Walker is a long-time anti-racism activist who has been hounded – and has had her membership suspended – in the context of the baseless charges of pervasive anti-Semitism in the party leveled by pro-Israel groups.
The campaign to falsely tar the party as rife with anti-Semitism – based on fabricated charges and exaggeration of a handful of incidents – was part of an effort to discredit its left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights.
Walker tells Al Jazeera that she would be making a formal complaint in the Labour Party against Rose and the JLM, and says: “she is speaking about another Jewish Labour member in this way. I think that’s breathtaking. It is absolutely breathtaking. I am just stunned.”
Winstanley responds in the film: “They know they can’t win when the debates are open, so they have to do these things behind closed doors. So when I’m outing her as an officer at the Israeli embassy and she didn’t want that to be publicly known, yeah she’s not gonna like that, she’s gonna lash out.”
“She’s worked for the Israeli state. The Israeli state talks about a war against organizations like us … it is a threatening thing to hear about, absolutely,” Winstanley adds.
Damage control
Not surprisingly, Israel lobby advocates have gone into damage control mode, attempting to portray the journalistic exposure of Rose’s work with the Israeli government as “harassment.”
In one such effort, The Jewish Chronicle’s Marcus Dysch refers to The Electronic Intifada as an “anti-Israel hate site,” and accuses Al Jazeera of a “disgraceful set-up” with an “Orwellian nature.” But Dysch fails to show any inaccuracy in the reporting.
Al Jazeera’s six-month undercover investigation of the influence of the UK’s Israel lobby has brought to light a number of highly damaging revelations. Among them are an Israeli embassy plot to “take down” UK lawmakers, including a deputy foreign minister, deemed hostile to Israel.
In response, the Israeli government has attempted – implausibly – to distance itself from Masot and his activities.
The Lobby has also laid bare the extent to which nominally independent pro-Israel organizations such as Labour Friends of Israel are operated in effect as extensions of the Israeli embassy.
It has exposed the fact that the Union of Jewish Students has received Israeli government funding.
Ella Rose was a former president of UJS before she took a job at the embassy and then went on to her current role as director of the Jewish Labour Movement.
The JLM has been actively promoting Rose. For example, it has celebrated her involvement in a program that aims to get more women elected to Parliament – an indication that ambitions for her political future are high.
The third episode of The Lobby has just been released online and will be broadcast Friday evening. It offers startling evidence of how the Israel lobby is making false allegations of anti-Semitism.
Her comments can be seen in episode two of Al Jazeera’s film The Lobby which was broadcast on Thursday evening and can be watched above.
Walker is a long-time anti-Zionist Jewish activist in the UK’s main opposition Labour Party.
The conversation took place only a month after Rose had become director of the Jewish Labour Movement.
The JLM functions as a pro-Israel lobby within the Labour Party; it has promoted a discredited definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel’s state ideology Zionism.
As The Electronic Intifada revealed in September, immediately prior to Rose taking the JLM job, she had worked as an officer at the Israeli embassy.
The Al Jazeera film shows Rose reacting angrily to The Electronic Intifada’s exposure of her embassy employment. Using expletives, she refers to her critics as “anti-Semites, the lot of them.”
Speaking to the undercover reporter, who she knew as pro-Israel activist “Robin,” Rose lashes out in vulgar terms at Asa Winstanley, the author of the article that exposed her embassy role.
“Look, at the end of the day these people are sad, sad tossers,” Rose says. “They’re completely pathetic, and leave them in their corner where they belong. I’m very over them and their existence. As far as I’m concerned they can go die in a hole.”
In the film, Rose also reveals that during her time at the embassy she worked directly with Shai Masot, the senior political officer at the center of the embassy’s covert efforts to influence British politics in an even more pro-Israel direction.
“Do not let it go”
In the film, Masot is heard calling Jackie Walker “problematic,” indicating she was on the Israeli government’s radar. Asked by the reporter Robin what can be done about Walker, Masot responds, “Do not let it go.”
Walker is a long-time anti-racism activist who has been hounded – and has had her membership suspended – in the context of the baseless charges of pervasive anti-Semitism in the party leveled by pro-Israel groups.
The campaign to falsely tar the party as rife with anti-Semitism – based on fabricated charges and exaggeration of a handful of incidents – was part of an effort to discredit its left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights.
Walker tells Al Jazeera that she would be making a formal complaint in the Labour Party against Rose and the JLM, and says: “she is speaking about another Jewish Labour member in this way. I think that’s breathtaking. It is absolutely breathtaking. I am just stunned.”
Winstanley responds in the film: “They know they can’t win when the debates are open, so they have to do these things behind closed doors. So when I’m outing her as an officer at the Israeli embassy and she didn’t want that to be publicly known, yeah she’s not gonna like that, she’s gonna lash out.”
“She’s worked for the Israeli state. The Israeli state talks about a war against organizations like us … it is a threatening thing to hear about, absolutely,” Winstanley adds.
Damage control
Not surprisingly, Israel lobby advocates have gone into damage control mode, attempting to portray the journalistic exposure of Rose’s work with the Israeli government as “harassment.”
In one such effort, The Jewish Chronicle’s Marcus Dysch refers to The Electronic Intifada as an “anti-Israel hate site,” and accuses Al Jazeera of a “disgraceful set-up” with an “Orwellian nature.” But Dysch fails to show any inaccuracy in the reporting.
Al Jazeera’s six-month undercover investigation of the influence of the UK’s Israel lobby has brought to light a number of highly damaging revelations. Among them are an Israeli embassy plot to “take down” UK lawmakers, including a deputy foreign minister, deemed hostile to Israel.
In response, the Israeli government has attempted – implausibly – to distance itself from Masot and his activities.
The Lobby has also laid bare the extent to which nominally independent pro-Israel organizations such as Labour Friends of Israel are operated in effect as extensions of the Israeli embassy.
It has exposed the fact that the Union of Jewish Students has received Israeli government funding.
Ella Rose was a former president of UJS before she took a job at the embassy and then went on to her current role as director of the Jewish Labour Movement.
The JLM has been actively promoting Rose. For example, it has celebrated her involvement in a program that aims to get more women elected to Parliament – an indication that ambitions for her political future are high.
The third episode of The Lobby has just been released online and will be broadcast Friday evening. It offers startling evidence of how the Israel lobby is making false allegations of anti-Semitism.
12 jan 2017
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Israeli strategic affairs minister Gilad Erdan’s denial that an Israeli embassy agent caught plotting to “take down” British politicians works for his ministry is contradicted by undercover footage.
Israel’s strategic affairs minister Gilad Erdan has denied outright that an official at Israel’s London embassy exposed plotting to “take down” UK lawmakers deemed hostile to Israel works for his ministry. But the embassy official, Shai Masot, revealed to an undercover reporter working for Al Jazeera that he was indeed working on a secret project for Israel’s ministry of strategic affairs. |
In the fourth and final part of Al Jazeera’s groundbreaking film The Lobby, to be broadcast on Saturday, Masot will be seen telling the reporter that he is involved in a project to set up a front company run by the strategic affairs ministry to help fight the BDS – boycott, divestment and sanctions – movement.
Erdan tweeted: “Shai Masot does not work in my ministry. My ministry has no employees abroad. There is no connection to my ministry.”
Erdan was responding to a column by Israeli journalist Gideon Eshet in the mass circulation daily Yediot Ahronot which identified Masot as a likely employee of Erdan’s ministry.
The indignant Erdan tweeted that Eshet’s claims were “lies” and a “disgrace.”
Hours after Erdan’s denial, news broke confirming that Masot had resigned from his post as a senior political officer at the London embassy.
An Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson told Middle East Eye that “Masot resigned three days ago and I want to emphasize that Masot will not have any contact with the Ministry for Strategic Affairs in the near future.”
The foreign ministry official’s reference to the strategic affairs ministry casts even more doubt on Erdan’s denial. It also comes in the context of a long-running turf war between the two ministries over who should receive the biggest budget and powers to combat BDS.
Turf war
Last year, Israeli diplomats even accused the strategic affairs ministry of “operating” UK Jewish organizations in a manner that could potentially breach UK law.
Veteran Israeli journalist Yossi Melman has described the secret efforts of Erdan’s strategic affairs ministry to thwart the BDS movement as “black ops.”
The strategic affairs ministry has stressed that most of its anti-BDS activities would remain secret.
In recent days, the Israeli embassy in London, which answers to the foreign ministry, has also sought to distance itself from Masot.
Despite the fact that Masot is seen in Al Jazeera’s film working in close concert with his embassy colleagues, the embassy has tried to portray him as a junior staffer and a loose cannon.
Calls for investigation
If both the foreign and strategic affairs ministries are to be believed, then Masot was somehow able to operate in plain sight of senior officials of the Israeli embassy, the UK Israel lobby and members of Parliament, without anyone really knowing what he was doing.
That is clearly absurd on its face – and the evidence, including Masot’s own secretly recorded admission, shows otherwise. The obvious explanation is that Israel is deeply embarrassed by the exposure of the activities of its London embassy.
One of the senior British politicians on the “hit list” of officials Masot aimed to “take down” is deputy foreign minister Alan Duncan, who has criticized Israel’s illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.
The Labour Party, the Scottish National Party, as well as senior figures in the governing Conservative Party, have expressed outrage at Israel’s interference in the UK’s political process and have called for investigations.
Asked about Masot in Parliament on Tuesday, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that “The Israeli ambassador made a very full apology for what had taken place and the diplomat in question seems no longer to be a functionary of the embassy in London – so whatever he may exactly have been doing here his cover may well be said to have been and well truly blown – so the matter can be considered closed.”
Erdan tweeted: “Shai Masot does not work in my ministry. My ministry has no employees abroad. There is no connection to my ministry.”
Erdan was responding to a column by Israeli journalist Gideon Eshet in the mass circulation daily Yediot Ahronot which identified Masot as a likely employee of Erdan’s ministry.
The indignant Erdan tweeted that Eshet’s claims were “lies” and a “disgrace.”
Hours after Erdan’s denial, news broke confirming that Masot had resigned from his post as a senior political officer at the London embassy.
An Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson told Middle East Eye that “Masot resigned three days ago and I want to emphasize that Masot will not have any contact with the Ministry for Strategic Affairs in the near future.”
The foreign ministry official’s reference to the strategic affairs ministry casts even more doubt on Erdan’s denial. It also comes in the context of a long-running turf war between the two ministries over who should receive the biggest budget and powers to combat BDS.
Turf war
Last year, Israeli diplomats even accused the strategic affairs ministry of “operating” UK Jewish organizations in a manner that could potentially breach UK law.
Veteran Israeli journalist Yossi Melman has described the secret efforts of Erdan’s strategic affairs ministry to thwart the BDS movement as “black ops.”
The strategic affairs ministry has stressed that most of its anti-BDS activities would remain secret.
In recent days, the Israeli embassy in London, which answers to the foreign ministry, has also sought to distance itself from Masot.
Despite the fact that Masot is seen in Al Jazeera’s film working in close concert with his embassy colleagues, the embassy has tried to portray him as a junior staffer and a loose cannon.
Calls for investigation
If both the foreign and strategic affairs ministries are to be believed, then Masot was somehow able to operate in plain sight of senior officials of the Israeli embassy, the UK Israel lobby and members of Parliament, without anyone really knowing what he was doing.
That is clearly absurd on its face – and the evidence, including Masot’s own secretly recorded admission, shows otherwise. The obvious explanation is that Israel is deeply embarrassed by the exposure of the activities of its London embassy.
One of the senior British politicians on the “hit list” of officials Masot aimed to “take down” is deputy foreign minister Alan Duncan, who has criticized Israel’s illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.
The Labour Party, the Scottish National Party, as well as senior figures in the governing Conservative Party, have expressed outrage at Israel’s interference in the UK’s political process and have called for investigations.
Asked about Masot in Parliament on Tuesday, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that “The Israeli ambassador made a very full apology for what had taken place and the diplomat in question seems no longer to be a functionary of the embassy in London – so whatever he may exactly have been doing here his cover may well be said to have been and well truly blown – so the matter can be considered closed.”
Israeli diplomat caught on Al-Jazeera hidden camera
Shai Masot, who worked at Israel's embassy to the Court of St. James and who was covertly filmed calling Boris Johnson 'an idiot' and discussing MPs he would like to 'take down,' resigns, says Foreign Ministry.
Shai Masot, the Israeli diplomat who was covertly filmed by Al Jazeera saying that he wanted to "take down" various British parliamentarians, resigned, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday.
On Sunday, Al Jazeera released footage gathered by one of their reporters who was posing as a pro-Israel advocate that shows Masot speaking to Maria Strizzolo, a civil servant who was formerly an aide to Conservative Minister Robert Halfon. In the video, the former embassy employee asks, "Can I give you some MPs that I would suggest you would take down?" he asks, without elaborating what that entailed. He also calls British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson "an idiot" in the recording.
The Israeli Embassy in the UK was quick to issue an apology, with Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev personally apologizing to Deputy Foreign Minister Alan Duncan, who was one of the parliamentarians "targeted" by the employee.
Masot's business card says he is a "Senior Political Officer" at the embassy who, according to his LinkedIn page, has worked there since November 2014. He describes his role at the embassy as being the chief point of contact between the embassy and MPs and liaising with ministers and officials at the Foreign Office. He was also a major in the IDF between 2004 and 2011.
Shai Masot, who worked at Israel's embassy to the Court of St. James and who was covertly filmed calling Boris Johnson 'an idiot' and discussing MPs he would like to 'take down,' resigns, says Foreign Ministry.
Shai Masot, the Israeli diplomat who was covertly filmed by Al Jazeera saying that he wanted to "take down" various British parliamentarians, resigned, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday.
On Sunday, Al Jazeera released footage gathered by one of their reporters who was posing as a pro-Israel advocate that shows Masot speaking to Maria Strizzolo, a civil servant who was formerly an aide to Conservative Minister Robert Halfon. In the video, the former embassy employee asks, "Can I give you some MPs that I would suggest you would take down?" he asks, without elaborating what that entailed. He also calls British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson "an idiot" in the recording.
The Israeli Embassy in the UK was quick to issue an apology, with Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev personally apologizing to Deputy Foreign Minister Alan Duncan, who was one of the parliamentarians "targeted" by the employee.
Masot's business card says he is a "Senior Political Officer" at the embassy who, according to his LinkedIn page, has worked there since November 2014. He describes his role at the embassy as being the chief point of contact between the embassy and MPs and liaising with ministers and officials at the Foreign Office. He was also a major in the IDF between 2004 and 2011.
8 jan 2017
Undercover Al-Jazeera reporter unveiled attempts of an Israeli Embassy official by capturing him on camera discussing taking down British lawmakers including a Foreign Office Minister who is well-known for his opposition to Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
In an investigative report, the Al-Jazeera reporter filmed the British official apparently discussing his wishes to engineer the downfall of several British Members of Parliament, including Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan, a supporter of a Palestinian state and outspoken critic of the Israeli settlements.
The footage was part of a wider project recording conversations with Israeli embassy staff, British politicians and pro-Israel activists, which is set to air in documentaries that Al-Jazeera will broadcast starting January 15.
In an investigative report, the Al-Jazeera reporter filmed the British official apparently discussing his wishes to engineer the downfall of several British Members of Parliament, including Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan, a supporter of a Palestinian state and outspoken critic of the Israeli settlements.
The footage was part of a wider project recording conversations with Israeli embassy staff, British politicians and pro-Israel activists, which is set to air in documentaries that Al-Jazeera will broadcast starting January 15.
6 jan 2017
A number of pro-Palestinian Chilean MPs are preparing for an international campaign starting from the Chilean capital, Santiago that calls on the United Kingdom to apologize to the Palestinian people for the Balfour Declaration, which paved the way for the establishment of Israel on the land of Palestine in 1948.
Chilean deputies from the parliament affirmed that the vast majority of the political spectrum in Chile advocates the Palestinian cause.
The deputy of the Christian Democratic party, Fuad Shahin, said in an interview with the Quds Press news agency that half of the deputies of the Chilean parliament support the Palestinian issue and back the UN anti-settlement resolution. They also push to stop importing goods form the Israeli settlements, and expedite the approval of the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 territories.
George Sbakh, MP of the Christian Democratic party, told the Quds Press that the supporters of Palestine are not only in the parliament, but also in all Chilean official institutions, and they don't face major challenges since supporting Palestine is common among Chilean people. Besides, pro-Israel activists in the Chilean parliament and government don't pose any danger, he added.
A number of pro-Palestinian Chilean MPs received on Thursday a delegate of Palestinian notables in Europe accompanied by Palestinian journalists. Their visit to Chile comes as a part of activities seeking to shed light on the Palestinians of Chile who make up the largest percentage of Palestinian refugees in Latin American countries.
A group of Chilean MPs are preparing to launch a campaign demanding Britain to apologize to the Palestinian people for the Balfour Declaration on its centennial anniversary. They are also working to unify the endeavors of the pro-Palestinian parliamentarians in Latin America.
Chilean deputies from the parliament affirmed that the vast majority of the political spectrum in Chile advocates the Palestinian cause.
The deputy of the Christian Democratic party, Fuad Shahin, said in an interview with the Quds Press news agency that half of the deputies of the Chilean parliament support the Palestinian issue and back the UN anti-settlement resolution. They also push to stop importing goods form the Israeli settlements, and expedite the approval of the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 territories.
George Sbakh, MP of the Christian Democratic party, told the Quds Press that the supporters of Palestine are not only in the parliament, but also in all Chilean official institutions, and they don't face major challenges since supporting Palestine is common among Chilean people. Besides, pro-Israel activists in the Chilean parliament and government don't pose any danger, he added.
A number of pro-Palestinian Chilean MPs received on Thursday a delegate of Palestinian notables in Europe accompanied by Palestinian journalists. Their visit to Chile comes as a part of activities seeking to shed light on the Palestinians of Chile who make up the largest percentage of Palestinian refugees in Latin American countries.
A group of Chilean MPs are preparing to launch a campaign demanding Britain to apologize to the Palestinian people for the Balfour Declaration on its centennial anniversary. They are also working to unify the endeavors of the pro-Palestinian parliamentarians in Latin America.
