Conservative Friends of Israel

Supporting Israel and Promoting Conservatism

Delegations

Recent Delegations
 

February 2013: Delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Authority

Participants: Nick de Bois MP, Mike Freer MP, Paul Maynard MP, Martin Vickers MP, John Lamont MSP, Mohammad Asghar AM, Keith Prince

In February, CFI led a security orientated delegation of 4 Conservative MPs to Israel and the West Bank.

Mike Freer MP, Nick de Bois MP, Paul Maynard MP and Martin Vickers MP were joined by a number of Conservative’s from regional and local level.

These included, John Lamont MSP, the chief of the Conservative group in the Scottish Parliament, Mohammad Asghar AM, Conservative Shadow Minister for Culture in the Welsh Assembly and Keith Prince, the leader of Redbridge Council.

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CFI Delegation at the Western Wall, Old City, Jerusalem

The group had a first-hand opportunity to learn about and discuss Israel’s new political landscape following the previous month’s General Election.

This included a cross-party round-table visit with newly elected MKs in the Knesset, a dinner with Dore Gold, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, and former Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon.

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CFI Delegation with Dannay Ayalon, former Deputy Foreign Minister

The group also heard a political briefing from David Horowitz, the founding editor of the Time of Israel current-affairs website.

The delegation visited Sderot near the Gaza border, where they met with the Deputy Mayor to see the remains of rockets fired from Gaza, before receiving a briefing from the IDF at the Erez Crossing and a lookout over Gaza.

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Mike Freer MP with rocket remains in Sderot


The delegation also featured a visit to the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim and the E1 area of East Jerusalem to receive a briefing on settlement activity from a planning expert.

The group also visited a football project in southern Israeli run by the Peres Center for Peace, which brings together young Arab and Jewish Israelis, as well as Palestinians.

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Nick de Bois MP with Peres Center for Peace football project

On a visit to the West Bank, the parliamentarians met with Palestinian business people for lunch and were given a tour of Rawabi, the first Palestinian-planed city in the West Bank.

The itinerary also included a number of fact-finding visits, to the security barrier in Jerusalem to hear a briefing from its architect Danny Tirza, Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and the Old City of Jerusalem.

 

November 2012: Delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Authority

Participants: Stuart Andrew MP, John Howell MP, Jessica Lee MP, Paul Uppal MP

In November 2012, CFI led a security and business orientated delegation to Israel and the West Bank for four Conservative MPs.

The trip coincided with an escalation of rocket fire from Gaza into southern Israel and Operation Pillar of Defence, giving the participants an immediate insight into the many security threats facing Israel. The realities of this were dramatically brought home when the group heard the air-raid sirens across Jerusalem, warning of incoming rocket fire. The group were further affected by the firing of long-range rockets into Tel Aviv; air-raid sirens prompted the bus taking them to the British Ambassador’s Residence to turn back to Jerusalem.

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CFI delegation looking into Syria from Golan Heights

During a day-long visit to the north of Israel, the group travelled to the Lebanese and Syrian borders for security briefings with the IDF spokespersons unit which covered recent incidents of Syrian artillery fire into Israel.

“Experiencing the geography and being able to see for myself the close proximity of all the borders and the UN bases within was extremely valuable. I was also reassured to hear the account from the IDF commander regarding the measured response from Israel following the Syrian missile attacks. In light of the ever-changing situation across the whole region, I do think it is important for parliamentarians to be better informed as to the continued threats and vulnerabilities surrounding Israel”. Jessica Lee MP, November 2012
 
“Being an MP means you need to understand a variety of issues and I've always found that there is no better way of doing that than being there to see it for yourself. The visit today has been invaluable and provided an insight to the complexities and the significance of the geography. Seeing the borders of Lebanon and Syria has really helped me to understand the challenges that are faced in the region”. Stuart Andrew MP, November 2011

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CFI Delegation in northern Israel

Whilst in Jerusalem, the MPs had the opportunity to explore the historic Old City, were given a tour of the security barrier by the architect of the barrier, Danny Tirza, and met with Benny Begin MK, the son of former Israeli PM Menachem Begin. The group also visited a Teva Pharmaceuticals factory to see first-hand some of Israel’s ground-breaking medical research.

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CFI Delegation holds memorail service at Yad Vashem

On their visit to the Palestinian Authority, the delegation visited Rawabi, the first Palestinian-planned town, which is developing at an impressive rate. The group had lunch with leading Palestinian politicians and businessmen, including Bashar Masri, the Palestinian-American entrepreneur behind the Rawabi project.

Paul Uppal, MP for Wolverhampton South West, described his experience of hearing the air raid sirens in Jerusalem in a Conservative Home article, in which he welcomed the Government’s stance that Hamas “bears principal responsibility” for the recent conflict.

John Howell, MP for Henley, wrote on The Commentator that “Israel’s right to defend itself should remain of primary concern for Israel”, citing security threats on Israel’s borders with Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza.

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CFI delegation looking into Syria from Golan Heights

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CFI Delegation at Yad Vashem

 

October 2012: Lords and Commons Cricket Club Tour to Israel

Participants: Nigel Adams MP, Bob Blackman MP, Crispin Blunt MP, Richard Graham MP, Graham Jones MP, Mark Lancaster MP, Karl McCartney MP, James Morris MP, Guy Opperman MP, John Emburey (former England cricket captain)


The Lords and Commons Cricket Club visited Israel in October 2012 for a landmark cricket tour, in co-ordination with CFI. 

The extremely successful trip, which offered a completely different way of introducing cross-party parliamentarians to Israel, combined an original mix of cricket and political fact-finding.

The trip was the brainchild of team captain Conservative MP for Selby and Ainsty, Nigel Adams MP, who came up with the idea during a CFI trip to Israel in May 2011.

We were delighted to be joined by former England cricket captain John Emburey, who proved a real hit with Israel’s cricket fans. 
 

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Lords and Commons Cricket Club in Tel Aviv

The tour, which sought to highlight co-existence within Israeli society, was organised with the assistance of the Israel Cricket Association (ICA), which was awarded the Spirit of Cricket Award for their Cricket4Peace project at International Cricket Council (ICC) Development Programme Awards in 2011.

The MPs visited Be’er Sheva to see the excellent work of the Cricket4Peace project, run by the ICA and the Peres Center for Peace, which is the first cross-border peace building project to use cricket to bring together Israeli and Palestinian children from disadvantaged communities.
 

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Nigel Adams MP giving cricket advice in Be’er Sheva

The group also visited the Bedouin town of Hura in the Negev to see the ICA’s Cross-Border Cricket Project which has proven extremely popular amongst local Bedouin children. In Hura, the group received a warm welcome in a traditional Bedouin tent and took the opportunity to visit a local school, before a series of training sessions with local students from the Hura Youth Cricket Club.
 

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Nigel Adams MP and Guy Opperman MP with children in Hura

The Lords and Commons Cricket Club (LCCC) played a number of cricket games during the visit; against reigning national champions, Young Ashdod CC and against an invitational XI assembled by the Chairman of the ICA, Stanley Perlman, which included a number of former international Israeli cricket captains.

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Lords and Commons CC with Young Ashdod CC

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Richard Graham MP and James Morris MP preparing to bat against Young Ashdod CC
 

During the visit, the group were pleased to be able to donate cricket equipment and clothing provided by the England Cricket Board to the Hura Youth Cricket Club, the ICA and the Peres Center for Peace to help them continue their work.

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Nigel Adams MP donating cricket equipment to the Israel Cricket Association

The trip also included a number of fact-finding visits, with the group visiting Sderot to hear about the effects of on-going rocket fire from Gaza, Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and the Old City of Jerusalem. 

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Western Wall, Old City, Jerusalem

British Ambassador to Israel, H.E. Matthew Gould, also hosted the group for a briefing, during which the group heard about the UK-Israel Tech Hub.

“Hopefully our visit helped to promote the peace initiative, which shows that sport can bring communities together. To see Israelis and Palestinians playing together was very inspiring. The ICA has some very fine cricketers and the hospitality was first-class. We hope to visit again in the future”. Nigel Adams MP
 
“The MPs were the most wonderful visitors we’ve had since my involvement with Israeli cricket began. They were exemplary ambassadors for their country and are welcome back any time. It was great to see the youngsters listening to John Emburey. I know the group had an unbelievable time and I’m sure it won’t be long before they return”. Stanley Perlman, Chairman of the Israel Cricket Association

The cricket tour received a very positive response in the Israeli press with Haaretz and The Times of Israel publishing a number of stories.

Visit CFI’s Facebook page to see all of the photos from the tour!

 

28-31 May 2012: Delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Authority

Participants: Nadine Dorries MP, Rob Halfon MP, Stephen Hammond MP, Rebecca Harris MP, Phillip Hollobone MP, Sajid Javid MP, Mark Menzies MP, Sheryll Murray MP, Amber Rudd MP


In May 2012, CFI led a business and security orientated delegation to Israel and the West Bank for nine Conservative MPs, two conservative commentators and three political advisors.

The busy itinerary included a briefing with Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon and an insightful cross-party meeting with Israeli MK’s. 

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Delegation with Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, at the Knesset

During a day-long visit to the south, the group travelled to the town of Sderot near the Gaza border to meet with the town’s Deputy Mayor, see the different type of rockets launched from Gaza and sample the local cuisine. 

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IDF Briefing at Israel-Gaza border

The group also had the opportunity to visit the Erez crossing point at the Gaza border where they received security and humanitarian aid briefings.

Whilst in Jerusalem, the MPs had the opportunity to explore the historic Old City and were given a tour of the security barrier by the architect of the barrier, Danny Tirza.
 

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MPs following the route of the security barrier and visiting a section of the barrier constructed as concrete wall (only 5%)

On their visit to the Palestinian Authority, the delegation visited the Rawabi development, which is fast taking shape and is set to become the first Palestinian-planned town; before meeting with Palestinian businessmen and politicians. 

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CFI Delegation at Rawabi, West Bank 

Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould, hosted a briefing about the recently established UK/Israel Tech Hub and a private dinner during which he spoke warmly about the strengthening of the UK-Israel bilateral relationship, with record levels of trade and scientific exchange.

Other events on the visit included a tour around Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, a visit to electric vehicle company Better Place, a briefing session on Palestinian hate education and incitement with Palestinian Media Watch and dinner with renowned Israeli academic Asher Susser.

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CFI Delegation holds memorail service at Yad Vashem 
 

"My recent visit to Israel was fascinating, stimulating, informative and enjoyable. I have always believed that to really understand issues a visit or a meeting is invaluable. And what makes the CFI trip so special is the ability to meet politicians, businessmen and academics as well as ordinary people.
Our trip allowed us the varying experiences of visiting the Knesset and have discussions with Ministers, meeting businessmen in the West Bank, and experiencing Israeli high-tech. The complexities and challenges of the politics of the Middle East and their geopolitical repercussions become real through experiences like this trip". Stephen Hammond MP
 
 
"The visit to Israel and the West Bank with CFI was a winning combination of being informative, educational and enjoyable. Having set myself the goal of really getting to grips with understanding the Israel/Palestine issue over the course of a year, I found that the places we went to, the people we met and the issues we discussed on the CFI visit were all exactly the right ones and I am struggling to think how the trip might have been improved.

The packed agenda was clearly the result of careful thought and masses of effort beforehand to getting the visit exactly right and it certainly paid off. We met all sorts of people from leading Palestinian businessmen to senior Israeli politicians, from the man who designed the security barrier to experts in cutting edge Israeli high-tech, from hostage negotiators to thoughtful academics.

To my mind, the CFI visit was a perfect introduction to understanding the hugely complicated issues that surround Israel and its neighbours". Philip Hollobone MP
 
 
Prior to the CFI trip, I had been to Israel as a businessman and as a tourist - but I had never previously had the opportunity to focus on the political and security issues that face all Israelis and Palestinians.  The visit was extremely well organised and, significantly, included discussions with people from all sides of the political spectrum. It convinced me that the desire for peace in the region is very strong, despite the obvious challenges. I was also particularly moved by our visit to the Jewish people's living memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem. It was a very emotional and sobering experience that helped me appreciate the importance of the State of Israel". Sajid Javid MP
  

 

18-23 September 2011: Delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Authority

Participants: Nadhim Zahawi MP, Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Graham Evans MP, Jessica Lee MP, Angie Bray MP, Chris Kelly MP

CFI led a delegation of six Conservative MPs to Israel for a business and security orientated trip in September. During the visit, the group met with Members of the Knesset and Foreign Ministry officials, with a packed itinerary that included a briefing with Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor, and leader of the opposition Tzipi Livni.


The MPs learned of the closeness of UK-Israel business ties at a business reception hosted by Her Majesty’s Deputy Ambassador to Israel, Mel McNulty, during which he spoke warmly about UK-Israel bilateral relations.

Rawabi

The visit to Sderot included a whistle-stop visit to a school, during which the MPs spoke with older students about everyday life in the town.

Whilst in Jerusalem, the MPs had the opportunity to explore the historic Old City and were given a tour of the security barrier by the architect of the barrier, Danny Tirza.


On their visit to the Palestinian Authority, the delegation met with Samir Abdullah, from the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute and Samir Hulileh, Chairman of the Portand Trust, before visiting Rawabi in the West Bank, which is set to become the first new Palestinian town.


Other events on the visit included a tour around Israel’s renowned Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, a visit to Better Place the electric vehicle provider and dinner with Israeli journalist, Alon Ben David.

Livni Meridor

“The trip to Israel is something that every parliamentarian must do. I have been a friend of the Weizmann institute for many years, I was very excited about our visit there. The scientific work undertaken at Weizmann is quite remarkable. The world has benefited directly from breakthroughs in medicine from this remarkable institute and I am confident will benefit many times over again.
The Israeli people are innovative with an incredible work ethic. We saw extraordinary businesses that are growing and investing in a UK manufacturing base. Israeli companies feel confident about investing in the UK when looking at exporting into the EU. This is a nation that is continuing a journey of recovery from the trauma of the Holocaust. Six million people perished at the hands of the Nazis. All six billion human beings must visit and experience Yad Vashem. I come away feeling that there is great hope for peace with the Palestinians. Both sides know what is needed to make peace a reality, it will require leadership and bravery on both sides to get back to the negotiating table and deliver for their peoples. I absolutely believe that the intellectual powerhouse that is Israel can be a real force for good across the whole region". Nadhim Zahawi MP
 
"My trip to Israel left me with a distinct impression of a modern secular democratic country that makes a significant contribution to the world’s economy through science and technology based high value manufacturing organisations". Graham Evans MP
 
"The four day visit was time very well spent -- I would recommend to all new colleagues to go. The schedule couldn't have been better or more tightly organised by CFI. We met with representatives of all strands of opinion and were able to make up our own minds on visits to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ramallah & locations close to Gaza. We saw evidence of Israel's specialisation in high tech and a fast growing private sector underpinned by advanced education & skills provision with several institutes engaged in high-end R&D. I left feeling that the great hope for Israel & the region in terms of peace & stability is economic activity & interdependence based around trade and also the younger generation rejecting violence. As Stuart [CFI Director] always says, we arrived with many questions. We left Israel with well-informed questions!". Chris Kelly MP, September 2011

 

 

29 May-3 June 2011: Delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Authority

 

Participants: Chloe Smith MP, Nigel Adams MP, Aidan Burley MP, James Morris MP, Neil Parish MP and Heather Wheeler MP

CFI led a delegation of six Conservative MPs to Israel for a business and security orientated trip during the recent Whitsun recess.

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During the visit, the group met with Members of the Knesset and Foreign Ministry officials, with a packed itinerary that included a briefing with Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, leading Israeli spokesman Mark Regev, in addition to a round-table meeting with MK’s Nachman Shai, Daniel Ben-Simon, Yoel Hasson, Yariv Levin, Anastasia Michaeli, and Majalli Wahabi.

Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould, hosted a private dinner for the delegation during which he spoke warmly about UK-Israel bilateral relations.

The visit to Sderot included a whistle-stop visit to a school, during which the MPs spoke with older students about everyday life in the town and handed out toys and learning materials to younger children.
 
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Whilst in Jerusalem, the MPs had the opportunity to explore the historic Old City and were given a tour of the security barrier. 
 
On their visit to the Palestinian Authority, the delegation met with Samir Abdullah, previous Minister of Housing, and had lunch with a group of leading Palestinian businessmen, before visiting Rawabi in the West Bank, which is set to become the first new Palestinian town.
 
Other events on the visit included a tour around Israel’s renowned Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, a business visit to Israel HealthCare Ventures to learn about Israel’s high-tech medical industry, and dinner with Israeli journalists, Alon Ben David and Yaron Deckel.  

“Our recent visit to Israel was an amazing visit to the country and extremely well organised! We visited the Gaza Strip and saw the border post between Gaza and Israel, the equipment and technology provided at the border post is second to none in the world. We also visited a police station where we saw evidence of the rockets that are being fired into Israel from Gaza, some homemade from ‘lampposts’, some custom built in Iran. When we visited Jerusalem we met with the man who designed and produced the fence and wall through Jerusalem that has reduced the amount of terrorist violence perpetrated against Israel by 99%. We also met with Palestinian businessmen in Ramallah so as to get a very balanced view of what is happening throughout the region. Our meeting with Israeli Members of Parliament in the Knesset from political parties representing both the left and the right of Israeli politics was extremely interesting and informative. I would thoroughly recommend to all of my Parliamentary colleagues if they have not visited Israel that they should do so in the very near future”. Neil Parish MP
 
“The CFI trip to Israel was without doubt the best organised study trip I have ever been on; it was jam packed from start to finish, full of well organised and interesting visits and meetings, from senior Israeli politicians to Palestinian businessmen, Police Chiefs to Ambassadors, journalists and commentators. I learnt a huge amount in a short space of time, and could not have asked for a more varied and fascinating few days. My main take away will be the widespread desire for peace, Israel’s need for security, and the prosperity of the West Bank – which must be the model for Gaza to follow. I sincerely hope our generation of politicians can help to finally bring peace to this region of the world, and would recommend the CFI trip to anyone interested in Israel, from the casual observer to the Middle East expert”. Aidan Burley MP
 
“The trip was packed to the minute, with no time wasted at all. We were given every opportunity to learn about the situation on the ground. No question was off-limits and the openness of all the people we met gave me hope for the future for peaceful recognition and continued economic growth. I am so impressed with the sheer ‘get up and go’ of the people and companies we met. I expect living under such a constant fear really concentrates the mind to live every moment to the full”. Heather Wheeler MP
 
“It was a huge eye opener and having come away I feel far better informed about the current situation. It is clear there is so much misinformation being pedalled around so such trips are hugely worthwhile”.  Nigel Adams MP
 
To view all the photos from our recent delegation please add James Cfi on Facebook.

 

20-25 February 2011: Delegation led by CFI Parliamentary Chairman Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP

Participants: Guto Bebb MP; Bob Blackman MP;  Phillip Lee MP; Jack LoPresti MP; Andrew Percy MP; James Wharton MP; Chris White MP


CFI’s Parliamentary Chairman, Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP, recently led a delegation of seven newly elected MPs to Israel for a business and security orientated trip. The delegation, our first since last year’s General Election, had a schedule as fully packed as ever.

Whilst in Israel the group met with Members of the Knesset and Foreign Ministry officials. The itinerary included a briefing with Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, in addition to a round-table meeting with MK’s Daniel Ben-Simon, Danny Danon, Yoel Hasson and Anastasia Michaeli, which provided the MPs with a fascinating insight into the nature of coalition politics!

The group also spent a day exploring the north of Israel, visiting the Golan Heights and Galilee, and receiving fascinating IDF briefings on the situation inside Lebanon and Syria. Whilst in Jerusalem, the MPs had the opportunity to explore the historic Old City and were given a tour of the security barrier. 
 

On their visit to the Palestinian Authority, the delegation met with Dr. Ghassan Khatib, Director of the Government Media Centre, and had lunch with a group of leading Palestinian businessmen. The delegation was also given a tour around Rawabi in the West Bank, which is set to become the first new Palestinian town.

"Every time I come to Israel with the CFI I see something new and completely different. It's always an interesting time to go to Israel and this visit was no exception. Visiting Ramallah shortly after we had had a meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel, showed the contrasting difficulties that both the Israelis and the Palestinians had to contend with. We also had a fascinating overview of some of the Israeli hi-tech business opportunities. I came away with the feeling that while politics is so difficult, maybe better trading links between Israelis and Palestinians and between Israel and the United Kingdom may be one extremely helpful way to try to bring prosperity and peace to the region". Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP, Parliamentary Chairman of CFI, February 2011