CategoryMiddle East

Let us be clear. There was no justification for Hamas’ military takeover in Gaza last week. Reports of summary executions and of those considered to be rivals being thrown from rooftops were nothing short of horrific. It opens up yet another chapter in the ongoing tragedy of Palestine. And once again, it will be ordinary Palestinians who will suffer the most.

A British MP who met one of the Palestinian Ministers seized by Israeli forces in the West Bank overnight says that Israel’s action are illegal and are directed against people who have a key role to play in promoting peace. Richard Burden MP and four other Parliamentary colleagues travelled to the West Bank in January on a visit organised by the UK charity, Forward Thinking, to help promote...

The number of MPs who signed Early Day Motion 1181 calling for the immediate and unconditional safe relaese of Alan Johnston, the BBC journalist kidnapped in Gaza over a month ago, has now reached 100.

Richard Burden, MP for Birmingham Northfield and Chair of the Britain-Palestine All Party Parliamentary Group today (9 February 07) welcomed the announcement that a Saudi brokered accord has been signed between Fateh and Hamas to form a national unity government.

Richard Burden MP (Labour, Birmingham Northfield) has welcomed the publication today of the House of Commons International Development Committee Report on Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Mr Burden is a Member of the Committee which carried out the Inquiry, which included a fact finding visit to Israel and Palestine in November. He also chairs the Britain-Palestine...

Before Parliament rose for the summer, a Labour colleague and I were sitting on the Commons benches listening to a Minister trying to explain why the Government did not feel it was appropriate to call on Israel to cease its bombing of South Lebanon immediately. We were told not to forget that it was Hezbollah, not Israel, that had kicked off hostilities “Isn’t it amazing?” observed my...