Israeli and Palestinian leaders reacted to Trump’s victory with the procedural congratulations offered to an American President-elect. Prime Minister Netanyahu called the Republican ‘a true friend of the State of Israel’, whilst President Rivlin, addressing Trump, said Israel ‘stands by you as your friend and partner’. Isaac Herzog, leader of Read more…
Russia waded into the dense diplomatic waters of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process this week. Moscow’s intervention came in the form of a proposed meeting between Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The move sought to reignite the dormant peace process by bringing the two leaders Read more…
General Secretary of the Israeli Labor Party and Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, MK Hilik Bar, has sent his condolences to the UK Labour Party and to the British people on the brutal murder of Jo Cox MP. Jo’s friends and family have set-up a memorial fund which you can Read more…
LFI chair Joan Ryan was in Israel this week, reaffirming Labour’s strong ties to its sister party. Meeting Labor chairman Isaac Herzog at the Knesset, she expressed her intention to bring more Labour MPs to Israel over the next year. “In my experience, it is the way to ensure MPs Read more…
Published by Progress on 19 March In its early days, many people on the British left offered the young, embattled state of Israel their staunch support: Harold Wilson, Ian Mikado, Barbara Castle, Richard Crossman and Eric Heffer were all early supporters of Labour Friends of Israel. That support stemmed not Read more…
Published by Labourlist on 18 March Yesterday millions of Israelis voted in the country’s general election. It followed a closely fought campaign, covered by a media which pulls no punches and contested by parties representing leftwing secularists, rightwing Haredim, Islamist Arabs and every point in between. Sadly, that election appears Read more…
Dame Anne McGuire MP, Chair of LFI writes why the Israeli Labor party is back in the game. Article published by Left Foot Forward on 20 January 2015 Isaac Herzog has made two important shifts which may boost Labor’s chances of forming the next government. It has been a difficult 10 Read more…
Labour Friends of Israel have just returned from a very successful four day-long visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories with four Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidates and two Labour Members of Parliament. Dame Tessa Jowell MP, who held several senior ministerial positions under PM Tony Blair and PM Gordon Brown, Read more…
Ed Miliband showed strong solidarity with Israel and highlighted his personal connection to the country on his first visit as Leader of the Labour Party. The Labour Leader was joined by his wife Justine, Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander, political advisors and LFI director Jennifer Gerber. Ed Miliband met with Read more…
Shadow International Development Secretary Ivan Lewis MP led, last week, a delegation to Israel and the Palestinian territories. Ivan Lewis was joined by Derek Twigg MP and LFI Vice Chair and International Development Committee member Michael McCann MP on the visit. The delegates explored Israel’s development projects overseas, and held Read more…
Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday (22 January) to elect their new Knesset, Israel’s 120 seat parliament. The elections brought about a significant shift to the centre, with the centre/centre-left and right-wing blocs more or less tied.
Good luck Ha’avoda by Ben Garratt:
Israel goes to the polls today for its general election. At Labour Friends of Israel, we make the progressive case for Israel, drawing attention to the country’s vibrant democracy, civil society and economic sphere in all its varied guises.