INFORMED Magazine
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INFORMED magazine www.cfoi.co.uk INFORMED magazine @CFoI Conservative Friends of Israel 2013/2014 Contents Introducing CFI 2 In Conversation with Rt Hon 16 James Arbuthnot MP Foreword 3 James Gurd CFI and Israel According To… 4 Parliamentary Cricket Tour Diary 18 Nigel Adams MP A Message from the Prime Minister, 6 David Cameron Iran: A New Hope? 20 Alec Shelbrooke MP A Message from His Excellency 7 Israel and the Council of Europe 21 Daniel Taub, Ambassador of Israel to James Clappison MP the Court of St James’s Fact File: Operation Pillar of Defence 22 Visiting the Start-Up Nation 8 Rt Hon Francis Maude MP Israel’s Balancing Act 24 Tanyah Murkes CFI Delegations to Israel 10 Paul Uppal MP and Nick de Bois MP In Conversation with Jonathan Medved 26 Leetal Stark PA Incitement: Prisoner Salaries 12 Britain, Israel and the Global Race 28 Guto Bebb MP, Gordon Henderson MP, Jessica Lee MP Philip Hollobone MP, and Andrew Percy MP Israel-Turkey: Restoring an Old Friendship 29 Blacklisting Hezbollah: A False Distinction 14 Sedef Akademir James Gurd CFI’s Calendar: 2012/2013 30 Coalition Government: Israel’s PR Problem 15 WITH BEST WISHES Nathalie Tamam Baroness Thatcher and Israel 32 FROM BDO For general enquiries or advice on how we can help you grow your business, please call 0870 567 5678 or visit our web site www.bdo.co.uk BDO LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to conduct investment business. INFORMEDmagazine 1 Introducing CFI Foreword Andrew Heller Stuart Polak Chairman, CFI Director, CFI The past year was incredibly busy and with Government have speaker at our Annual Business Parliamentary Group and productive for the Conservative continued with success. CFI has Lunch in December 2012. The Prime Friends of Israel. campaigned hard to increase Minister praised CFI’s “important Acting Chairman: James Clappison MP We are delighted to report that awareness of Palestinian Authority- work” before an audience of 140 Officers: David Amess MP; David Burrowes MP; CFI has expanded its programme sanctioned incitement against Israel Conservative MPs, Peers and MEPs, Robert Halfon MP; Priti Patel MP; Lee Scott MP of parliamentary delegations to and the PA’s rewarding of terrorism and 550 businesspeople. Chairman, CFI Europe: Timothy Kirkhope MEP via its policy of paying salaries to Israel and the Palestinian Authority; CFI also coordinated the second Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails with as many as 20 Conservative annual Australia Israel UK parliamentarians visiting. convicted of terror offences. Directors of CFI Ltd Leadership Dialogue in London, in In October 2012, the Lords and The Conservative-led Government December 2012. We were joined Chairman: Andrew Heller Commons Cricket Club visited has continued to strengthen its by over 80 senior parliamentarians Deputy Chairman: Hilda Worth Israel for a landmark cricket tour, bilateral relationship with Israel. and decision makers from the Throughout Operation Pillar of Treasurer: Stephen Massey in coordination with CFI. The cross- participating countries. party trip offered a completely Defence the Government asserted Directors: David Meller; Stuart Polak We would like to take this opportunity different way of introducing MPs to that Hamas bore “principal to thank our outgoing Parliamentary Israel, combining an original mix of responsibility” for the violence and Chairman, Rt Hon James Arbuthnot Professional Team sport and political fact-finding. strongly condemned rocket fire into Israel from Gaza. The focal MP, for his steadfast support and CFI’s delegation in November 2012 Director: Stuart Polak point of the bolstered for playing such a pivotal role in coincided with Operation Pillar of Deputy Director: Nathalie Tamam Defence, giving four Conservative CFI remain convinced that delegations Parliamentary Manager: James Gurd MPs an immediate insight into the Projects Manager: Leetal Stark security threats facing Israel. In are the best way for parliamentarians to Research and Events Officer: Sedef Akademir the aftermath of Israel’s General gain a better insight and understanding of Israel Liaison: Tanyah Murkes Election in February 2013, CFI led a delegation of four Conservative the issues facing Israel. MPs, one Member of the Scottish relationship has been record- leading CFI’s efforts in Parliament Conservative Friends of Israel Parliament and one Welsh Assembly breaking levels of UK-Israel trade. over the last seven years. James will Member. 45B Westbourne Terrace, London, W2 3UR be leaving Parliament at the end T: 020 7262 2493 In July 2013, CFI were joined by At Conservative Party Conference of this term and we wish him every 2012, 400 delegates packed into F: 020 7224 8941 former Secretary of State for Defence, success for the future. Rt Hon Liam Fox MP, for a short the CFI Reception with the Foreign E: [email protected] delegation that included meetings Secretary, Rt Hon William Hague MP. We must also thank the professional W: www.cfoi.co.uk with high-level Israeli officials. The year’s bumper events schedule staff at CFI for their hard work, also included a fascinating Q&A alongside our Parliamentary Group, CFI remain convinced that @CFoI with Stanley Fischer, outgoing Bank who will be led by our new Acting delegations are the best way for of Israel Director. With the 2015 Chairman, James Clappison MP. parliamentarians to gain a better General Election on the horizon, Conservative Friends of Israel insight and understanding of the If you would like further information CFI is preparing an exciting series issues facing Israel. As the Prime about any of CFI’s activities please of events in support of the Party’s © Conservative Friends of Israel Ltd, Company no. 8114952 Minister, Rt Hon David Cameron MP, visit our website (www.cfoi.co.uk). 40/40 campaign. Registered Office: C/O Shelley Stock Hutter, 7-10 Chandos Street, London, W1G 9DG observed in his keynote address to Thank you for your interest in CFI. the CFI Annual Business Lunch 2012: CFI were pleased to welcome Editor of Informed Magazine - James Gurd, CFI “seeing really is believing”. the Prime Minister, Rt Hon David We do hope we can count on your support. Designed and Printed by FT Solutions - 01992 501 500 - www.ftsolutions.co.uk Our major campaigns in Parliament Cameron MP, as the keynote 2 INFORMEDmagazine INFORMEDmagazine 3 CFI and Israel According To... Rt Hon William Hague MP, Rt Hon George Osborne Foreign Secretary: MP, Chancellor of the “We understand the pressures and Exchequer: difficulties faced by Israel. We know “The British people support the right that…Israel’s neighbourhood today of the people of Israel to live in peace looks more uncertain and even and in security alongside a state for more fraught with difficulty. We never the Palestinian people. And that will lose sight of those, we will never be the policy of any Government of waver in our support for peace and which I am a member”. CST Annual security for Israel and we will have Dinner, March 2012 no truck ever with those seeking to delegitimise Israel”. CFI Party Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude and British officials with Conference Reception, October British Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould and President of the Prime Minister David Cameron at CFI Annual Business Lunch 2012 Technion Peretz Lavie “The UK and Israel are close Rt Hon David Cameron MP, the future not with uncertainty but Rt Hon Liam Fox MP: Sajid Javid MP: friends and allies and I attach Prime Minister: with real hope, and as a friend of “My trip to Israel, organised by the “I am a proud, British-born Muslim, great importance to our bilateral Israel I will work with you till that day fantastic team at CFI, came at a and I love my country more than “It is a fantastic job that you [CFI] relationship. Our collaboration on comes”. CFI Annual Business Lunch, particularly important time. A tour any other place on earth. But, if for do in getting people out to Israel – high-tech and science is second to December 2012 by the architect of the security some reason I had to leave with my because seeing really is believing. none and we [have] affirmed the UK barrier reminded us of the threats young family, and I was told that It’s only when you visit the Lebanese “With me, you have a Prime Minister and Israel’s cooperation on security faced by Israel in a geographical I must go and live in the Middle border as I have done, when you whose belief in Israel is unbreakable issues, including Iran. As a friend Chancellor of the Exchequer neighbourhood currently beset East, where would I decide to go? look through binoculars and see and whose commitment to Israel’s and ally, Britain is fully committed George Osborne at CFI by conflict, violence and strife. … There is only one place I could the Hezbollah flags just hundreds security is non-negotiable”. UJIA to Israel’s security needs”. FCO Annual Business Lunch Meetings with senior government possibly go: Israel. The only nation of yards away, that you can really Annual Dinner, October 2012 Statement, May 2013 representatives highlighted the in the Middle East that shares the understand the fear that so many fact that Israel has an opportunity same democratic values as Britain. Israelis live with day in, day out. It is Rt Hon Francis Maude MP, to steer the political process The only nation in the Middle East vital, important work that CFI does in Minister for the Cabinet towards a two-state solution. It where my family would feel the getting MPs out there on the ground Office: is vital for Israel’s friends to voice warm embrace of freedom and in Israel and I think everyone wants “I came to Israel because I had both their support and to discuss liberty”.