From Labour Friends of Israel:

Labour Friends of Israel mourns the loss of David Cairns, Member of Parliament for Inverclyde and Chair of LFI; many pay tribute to a remarkable man.

David Cairns, Member of Parliament for Inverclyde and Chair of Labour Friends of Israel, died on Monday night (9 May) following a short illness. David Cairns, who was 44, was taken ill in March suffering from severe acute pancreatitis. A former Scotland and Northern Ireland minister, David was serving as LFI chair for the second time, having previously led the organisation in 2005. Prior to being elected in 2001, David served as a Catholic Priest. David is survived by his partner, Dermot, his father, John, and brother, Billy.

David was an incredibly decent, kind and genuine man who will be hugely missed. He was, from the moment he got elected in 2001, an incredibly passionate LFI voice in parliament, and was a friend to Israel in good times and bad. David had an extraordinary intellect, which he combined with a terrific sense of humour. David wanted to see Israel safe and secure in her borders, alongside a viable and democratic Palestinian state, and did all he could to build links between progressives in Israel and the UK. He also cared deeply about the detrimental effect the constant demonising of Israel was having on elements of the left and he was always willing to take on people in his own party who were not committed to a two state solution.

David was a very supportive and hands on chair, and it was his idea to launch the ‘making the progressive case for Israel’ project, which aims to galvanise support for Israel on the left. His speech on this matter was the last thing he wrote before he suddenly became ill in March of this year.
Continue reading Labour Friends of Israel mourns the loss of David Cairns MP →

Petition Currently Has 7,000 Signatures

We usually refrain from direct party political issues but this resolution by the Green Party in the United States is clearly of concern to many supporters of Israel.

(LOS ANGELES, CA) – A coalition of Jewish and Jewish/environmental organizations is urging people to sign a petition against a Green Party resolution to boycott Israel. With a goal of 10,000, the petition already has 7,000 signatures. It was e-mailed to Green Party representatives nationwide to urge their members to sign. It can be accessed at: www.standwithus.com/sign/default.asp

At the November, 2005 annual convention of the Green Party of the United States, delegates passed a resolution (190) calling for, “divestment from and boycott of the State of Israel until such time as the full individual and collective rights of the Palestinian people are realized.” Only a narrow quorum of delegates voted and most of those did not consult their membership regarding views of their respective state membership. No dissenting arguments were presented.

The petition calls upon the Green Party, “to replace their resolution against Israel with one that advocates the cessation of terror and the resumption of peaceful negotiations. Reducing the conflict to a simplistic accusation against one side only serves to confuse people and demonize one side in the conflict. More in keeping with the Green Party’s mission would be support for a peacefully negotiated settlement without preconditions and after the cessation of terrorist activities.”
Continue reading Petition to Oppose Green Party Anti-Israeli Resolution →

For all the bluster from the EU, here is the reality: it is giving money to the Palestinian Authority regardless for now, with the suggestion that the PA’s “commitment’s and deeds” will be taken into account in the future. Don’t hold your breath waiting for sanctions though. Jacques Chirac, for one, is opposed, and the rest will probably find a way to weasel out. From The Media Line, with thanks to Gabrielle Goldwater:

The Palestinian Authority has received an emergency infusion of $78 million from the European Union. As the check was being presented to the P.A. on Monday, European Union foreign ministers were meeting in Brussels to discuss future aid to the Palestinians. Foreign Minister Ursual Plasnik of Austria, which currently holds the EU presidency, said the new Hamas-led government is at a crossroads and “will have to decide which road to take.” The ministers were clear that any future aid to the Palestinians will depend on the P.A.’s “commitments and its deeds.” French President Jacques Chirac disagreed with the consensus of Europeans demanding that Hamas renounce violence and recognize Israel. Speaking in Paris, Chirac urged his European colleagues to avoid sanctions on the P.A. even if Hamas does not respond positively to the demands of the international community.