Many of you will know that although the majority of my blog-posts are about Harlow and my work as Parliamentary Candidate for the Constituency. However, I sometimes post on matters related to the Middle East, a subject close to my heart. As Parliamentary Candidate, I don't get paid - or expenses, so I earn my wages as a consultant. Part of the work I do is for an organisation called Conservative Friends of Israel, which has around 2,000 thousands members as well as the vast majority of Conservative MPs as registered members or supporters.
Contrary to what some people think, CFI is not a 'Jewish organisation' and the majority of members are from all persuasions or none - and based all over England. The only criteria for joining is to have Conservative leanings - the primary role of CFI is to make the case for Israel inside the Conservative Party. That doesn't mean CFI supports one Israeli government or another. The organisation just plays a role in presenting the arguments in a balanced way to Conservatives. There is also Labour Friends of Israel, which undertakes a similar role inside the Labour Party.
As well as providing briefings to Conservatives, CFI also takes senior party members on visits to Israel, primarily funded from voluntary donations. The trips are wide-ranging, informative, exhausting and include meetings with Israeli politicians, academics and journalists and Palestinians on the West Bank. Where possible, the visits include seeing important cultural sites such as the Holocaust Museum the Old City of Jersualem and holy shrines to Christians and Muslims alike.
I go on a number of these CFI visits to Israel and help host the Conservative delegation with my colleagues. What usually happens is that everyone arrives with a host of questions, and leaves without answers - but with more informed questions instead.
So here I am, in Israel waiting for a new Conservative delegation to arrive. This visit comprises some Tory Shadow Ministers, and Parliamentary Candidates. I look forward to posting some of what we get up to, on my blog, during the few days ahead that we are here.
Arriving a few days early, I have been really pleased to visit members of my family, some of whom are on holiday and a few who live here. My family is dotted around the globe. Jewish, many had to flee persecution of one sort or another. My Father's family came to England, where he met my Mother. The rest is history!
It has been good to have some family time, especially accompanied by Vanda, who is making her first trip to Israel. We visited the Old City in Jerusalem, and the remains of the holy temple, first built by King Solomon (commonly known as the Western Wall). Yesterday we drove with my Dad to the Galilee for a wonderful meal, literally on the shore front of the Lake itself. Whatever one's feelings about the conflict, Israel is a beautiful country and her beauty makes the ravages of 60 years of conflict with her neighbours all the more tragic.
Contrary to what some people think, CFI is not a 'Jewish organisation' and the majority of members are from all persuasions or none - and based all over England. The only criteria for joining is to have Conservative leanings - the primary role of CFI is to make the case for Israel inside the Conservative Party. That doesn't mean CFI supports one Israeli government or another. The organisation just plays a role in presenting the arguments in a balanced way to Conservatives. There is also Labour Friends of Israel, which undertakes a similar role inside the Labour Party.
As well as providing briefings to Conservatives, CFI also takes senior party members on visits to Israel, primarily funded from voluntary donations. The trips are wide-ranging, informative, exhausting and include meetings with Israeli politicians, academics and journalists and Palestinians on the West Bank. Where possible, the visits include seeing important cultural sites such as the Holocaust Museum the Old City of Jersualem and holy shrines to Christians and Muslims alike.
I go on a number of these CFI visits to Israel and help host the Conservative delegation with my colleagues. What usually happens is that everyone arrives with a host of questions, and leaves without answers - but with more informed questions instead.
So here I am, in Israel waiting for a new Conservative delegation to arrive. This visit comprises some Tory Shadow Ministers, and Parliamentary Candidates. I look forward to posting some of what we get up to, on my blog, during the few days ahead that we are here.
Arriving a few days early, I have been really pleased to visit members of my family, some of whom are on holiday and a few who live here. My family is dotted around the globe. Jewish, many had to flee persecution of one sort or another. My Father's family came to England, where he met my Mother. The rest is history!
It has been good to have some family time, especially accompanied by Vanda, who is making her first trip to Israel. We visited the Old City in Jerusalem, and the remains of the holy temple, first built by King Solomon (commonly known as the Western Wall). Yesterday we drove with my Dad to the Galilee for a wonderful meal, literally on the shore front of the Lake itself. Whatever one's feelings about the conflict, Israel is a beautiful country and her beauty makes the ravages of 60 years of conflict with her neighbours all the more tragic.
