A CMEC delegation travelled to Israel and the West Bank on 10th-14th May 2012 in order to gain a detailed understanding of the Israel-Palestine issue. They met with a cross section of political figures including H.E. Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority Salam Fayyad and the Deputy Prime Minister of Israel Moshe Ya’alon. The delegates visited Jerusalem, Hebron, Ramallah and Tel Aviv and in addition to meeting senior political figures met with a wide range of international organisations and NGOs. The delegation was led by The Baroness Morris of Bolton, OBE and the delegates included The Lord Edmiston, Helen Grant MP, Andrew Stephenson MP, Philip Hollobone MP and Charlotte Leslie MP.
One of the delegates, Andrew Stephenson, said:
“I was delighted to participate in the CMEC delegation to Israel & Occupied West Bank on 10th-14th May 2012. Having never visited the region before, the delegation gave me a real insight to the region, the conflict and associated issues. Being able to look at the Israeli separation barrier, meeting both the Israeli official who planned it and getting to see its real impact on the ground with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), gave a real insight and provided me with the knowledge to speak out on this issue. It was also a privilege to meet the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority to discuss the next steps in the peace process, the hunger strikes and other issues. Overall I felt this was an incredibly well organised trip that provided a real insight to an often misunderstood and misrepresented part of the world. If only all Conservative Parliamentarians could take part in such delegations – we would certainly see a more informed debate in the UK!”
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