Jerusalem: From Past Divisions to a Shared Future? Online Conference Tuesday 27th October 2020 Balfour Project 10.00—18.00 GMT Follow link to reserve your free place Welcome From Jerusalem : the heart of the matter Sir Vincent Fean Why Jerusalem ? It matters so much to the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, to all Jews, Christians and Muslims, and to peoples the world over. Jerusalem must be part of the solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, or there will be no solution. It matters to us, the British people, whose Government contributed in large measure to the indefensible status quo. Britain ruled in Jerusalem for 31 years until 1948– and now has more influence than she cares to admit. Britain should work for inclusion – equal rights. My wife Anne and I spent three years in Jerusalem : spiritually uplifting, politically head-banging. Today there is a Jewish settlement built 50 yards from the British Consulate-General in HOW YOU occupied East Jerusalem. In a microcosm of what is happening CAN HELP elsewhere in the Holy Land, we witnessed two peoples in one APPLICATIONcity growing MANAGEMENTin separation, knowing each other less and less, despite the inevitable mingling as Jews go to pray at the The conference is free, but please Western Wall, Christians at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, consider a donation to help us keep and Muslims at al Aqsa Mosque, all in the narrow confines of going the Old City. www.peoplesfundraising.com/balfour VulputateThis conference iaceo, volutpat will eum shed mara light ut accumsan on Britain nut.’s Aliquip role in exputo the history abluo, aliquam of -project suscipitthe city euismod ; its legalte tristique status volutpat contrasted immitto with voco the abbas legal minim realities olim eros. its Ibidem molior,people facilisi, face; qui, why fere, it paratus matters foras to tation the tepeople neo eu, ofusitas. the Book ; the We also seek sponsors for our Peace harsh realities of life for Palestinians in East Jerusalem today, Advocacy Fellowship Programme and what Britain – Government and civil society, which means us – can do for all those who call Jerusalem their home or wish to visit regularly. Sadly, the systematic forced divorce of Palestinian Jerusalemites from their kith and kin in the surrounding West Bank only serves to deepen divisions. I hope that, together, we will put Jerusalem front and centre in the effort to attain equality in place of exclusion. That matters most of all: growing together as equals, not growing apart. The conference is free, but please consider a donation to help us keep going www.peoplesfundraising.com/balfour-project Balfour Project is a Scottish Registered Charity (SC 047090) 10.00 – 10.10: Introduction Welcome: Sir Vincent Fean (BP Chair of Trustees) Video message from HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan 10.10 – 11.20: Session I: History Chair: Andrew Whitley (BP Trustee) Keynote Speaker: Avi Shlaim Panellists: Mick Dumper, Menachem Klein, Salim Tamari Conference 11.25 – 12.35: Session II: International Law & Human Rights Chair: John McHugo (BP Trustee) Schedule Keynote Speaker: Baroness Helena Kennedy QC Panellists: Victor Kattan, Iain Scobbie, Daniel Seidemann Follow this link to reserve your free place www.tinyurl.com/jerusalemconference 13.30 – 14.45: Session III: Religion & the Holy Sites Chair: Bishop Michael Doe (BP Executive Committee) Keynote Speaker: Daniel Seidemann Panellists: The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, Rabbi Jeremy Gordon, Imam TRUSTEES Monawar Hussain Sir Vincent Fean, KCVO – Chair 14.50 – 16.05: Session IV: Contemporary Realities & Plans to Share the The Very Revd Nicholas Frayling City Dr Imad Karam Chair: Dr Imad Karam (BP Trustee) Keynote Speaker: Daniel Levy John McHugo Panellists: Ariel Caine, Yudith Oppenheimer, Rula Salameh Dr Peter Shambrook Magan Singodia – Secretary 16.10 – 17.15: Session V: Britain’s Role in the Coming Years Dr Monica Spooner Chair: Sir Vincent Fean (BP Chair of Trustees) Keynote Speaker: Rt Hon Alistair Burt Professor Roger Spooner OBE Panellists: Julie Elliott MP, (Labour), Rt Hon Baroness Lindsay Northover Alison Waugh – Treasurer (LibDems), Tommy Sheppard MP (SNP) Andrew Whitley 17.20 – 17.55: Session VI: Questions & Answers Moderated by Ian Black Panellists: Sir Vincent Fean, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Rula Salameh, Daniel Seidemann 17.55 – 18.05: Closing Remarks & Statement HE Khaled Al-Duwaisan -Kuwaiti Ambassador to the UK & Sir Vincent Fean About the Monica Spooner Balfour Project MISSION STATEMENT Acknowledging Britain’s historical and continuing responsibilities, through popular education and advocacy to uphold equal rights for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. To persuade the British Government to recognise the WHAT IS THE BALFOUR PROJECT state of Palestine alongside the state The Balfour Project was born when Monica Spooner, a retired of Israel. doctor in Edinburgh, visited Israel and Palestine in 2008 with her husband, Roger. PATRONS Rt Hon Tom Brake ‘I saw the achievement of a Jewish homeland, but discerned great Richard Burden anxiety and fear,’ she recalls. ‘I saw the pain of the Palestinians, and Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, Bishop discovered their anger towards Britain. They felt betrayed by the of Southwark 1917 Balfour Declaration, in which the British Government Rt Revd Declan Lang, Bishop of Clifton promised support for a homeland for Jews in Palestine so long as Rt Revd John Pritchard former Bishop this did not prejudice the rights of the existing inhabitants, 90% of of Oxford whom were Arab at that time. Very Revd Dr Andrew McLellan CBE Baroness Morris of Bolton ‘Now that homeland is a reality. But the Palestinians have no Rabbi Danny Rich freedom. ‘Studying this history, I realised that we British acted with Rt Hon Sir Nicholas Soames duplicity, making several contradictory promises, and finally Dr Philippa Whitford MP washed our hands of Palestine, leaving the Jews and the Palestinians to an undeclared war for domination. We in Britain are not taught these shameful episodes. I met others who felt similarly, and together we launched the Balfour Project. We have been joined by academics, politicians, clergy and citizens from all parts of the UK. ‘We are discovering a vast network of people throughout the country who are equally committed to peace and justice for both Palestine and Israel.’ HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan Bin Talal was born in Amman, on 20th March 1947, to a branch of the Hashemite family directly descended from the Prophet Muhammad, in the forty-second gen- eration of descendants. His Royal Highness is the youngest son of Their late Majesties King Talal and Queen Zein El Sharaf, and is the brother of His late Majesty King Hussein. 10.00 – 10.10 His Royal Highness maintains a constant, profound interest and concern for the future of Jerusalem. Introduction Logistics To register for this online conference, please visit Welcome: Sir Vincent Fean, www.tinyurl.com/jerusalemconference Chair of Trustees You will then receive an email with your personal joining link. The same link can be used to attend any or all of the sessions during this all-day Video message from HRH Prince conference. You are free to log in and out as you please using your per- El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan sonal link. Please type any questions you have to the speakers in the chat box. The speakers are not monitoring this, but some questions will be taken for- ward to the Q&A session at the end of the day. Recordings of the sessions will later be available on the Balfour Project website. 10.10 – 11.20 PANELLISTS Session I: History Michael Dumper is Professor in Middle East Politics, University of Exeter. Menachem Klein is Professor in the Department of Political Science at Bar-Ilan University. PANELLISTS KEYNOTE SPEAKER: PROFESSOR Salim Tamari is Editor of The AVI SHLAIM FBA Jerusalem Quarterly, and former Director, Institute of Avi Shlaim is an Emeritus Professor Jerusalem Studies. of International Relations at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of the British Academy. His books include War and Peace in the Middle East: A Concise History Chair: Andrew Whitley, (1995); The Iron Wall: Israel and the Trustee, is founder and Arab World (2014); Lion of Jordan: executive director ofGeo - The Life of King Hussein in War and Political Advisory Services. Peace (2007); and Israel and Palestine: Reappraisals, Revisions, Refutations (2009). Biographies can be found at the back of this brochure. PANELLISTS 11.25 – 12.35 Session II: Victor Kattan is a senior International Law & research fellow at the School of Law at Nottingham University. Human Rights Iain Scobbie is Professor of Public International Law and Co- KEYNOTE SPEAKER: BARONESS Director of the Manchester HELENA KENNEDY QC International Law Centre, University of Manchester. A British barrister, broadcaster, member of the House of Lords and founding force behind the creation of the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights at Oxford University, Baroness Kennedy Daniel Seidemann has been a QC has previously held the following prominent positions: Principal of member of the Israeli Bar Mansfield College, Oxford (2011–2018); Association since 1987, co- Chair of Justice, the British arm of the founded Terrestrial Jerusalem. International Commission of Jurists; bencher of Gray’s Inn; President of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; Chair of Charter 88 (1992–1997) a British pressure group that advocated constitutional Chair: John McHugo, Trustee, is and electoral reform; Chair of the the author of A Concise History Human Genetics Commission (1998– of the Arabs, Syria: A Recent 2007); and Chair of the British Council (1998–2004). She chaired the Power History, and A Concise History of Inquiry, which reported on the state of Sunnis and Shi'is. British democracy and produced the Power Report in 2006. She has also Biographies can be found at the written several books on how the back of this brochure.