18.1.2015 - Ramallah, Palestine - A delegation of senior British Labour Members of Parliament met with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah on the last day of three-day visit to Palestine.
The Prime Minister praised the British Parliament for its historic vote to call on the British government to recognise the state of Palestine in October 2014. He told the delegation that "We count on you to take a lead, Britain has an historic responsibility”. He briefed the MPs on Palestine’s plans regarding the International Criminal Court and the United Nations Security Council. He stressed that it was now "time for all the international community to be involved not just the Americans."
The Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, the shadow Secretary of State of Universities and Gavin Shuker MP, the shadow minister for international development were on a fact-finding visit organised by Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu). Both MPs recently voted in favour of Palestinian Statehood in the British Parliament.
Liam Byrne MP said: “There is a shared determination to speak out on the injustices in Palestine. We need to be better at building bridges, not building walls. The conflict in Gaza has given this issue a new profile in Europe and particularly in Britain, over the next few years it will only get bigger and bigger.
Gavin Shuker MP said: “Travelling to the West Bank secured in me a sense that this is the right time to go further in terms of recognition and supporting the two-state solution, the key moment is now"
The delegation has had meetings with diplomats, UN agencies, local and international Non-Government Organisations. They visit Palestinian communities under threat of displacement and home demolition in the Jordan Valley and also at the village of Al Walajeh.
Notes for Editors://
-The delegation also met with the Assistant Minister on European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Amal Jadou.
-Photos of the visit are available - see below -
-For additional comment please contact - Chris Doyle +447968040281 .