Labour Friends of Israel
Encyclopedia
Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) is a lobby group promoting support within the British Labour Party
for a strong bilateral relationship between Britain
and Israel
. It also seeks to strengthen ties between the British and the Israeli Labour party
. Labour Friends of Israel supports a two-state solution
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
, with Israel recognised and secure within its borders and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. Jonathan Mendelsohn
the former chairman of the LFI was quoted in the Jerusalem Post saying "Zionism is pervasive in New Labour. It is automatic that Blair will come to Labour Friends of Israel meetings."
Founded in October 1957 at a public rally at the Labour Party Conference, it has developed into one of the largest special interest groups in the Labour Party, drawing wide support from Members of Parliament
and Government Minister
s. Labour Friends of Israel has a large membership, organised into local branches. Seeking to strengthen the bond between the British Labour Party and the Israeli Labor Party, it organises meetings in both the UK and Israel between senior figures. In 2003 it described itself as "a Westminster
based lobby group working within the British Labour Party to promote the State of Israel".
In 2011 Labour Friends of Israel adopted a new strategy of becoming a wider membership organisation and operating under the slogan "Working Towards a Two-State Solution". In 2010 Jennifer Gerber, previously director of Progress
, had been appointed Director, and in 2011 John Woodcock
was appointed Chair.
The Labour Friends of Israel is a distinct organisation to the Jewish Labour Movement
, the affiliated socialist society and successor to the UK's Poale Zion
.
They have been described as "less unquestioning in its support of the Israeli government than the Conservative Friends of Israel
". Between 2001 and 2009 they paid for more than 60 MPs to visit Israel, more than any other group.
The charitable Yigal Allon Educational Trust, founded in 1985 by former Prime Minister Harold Wilson
, Ian Mikardo
MP, Lord Glenamara and others, has supported Labour Friends of Israel.
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
for a strong bilateral relationship between Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. It also seeks to strengthen ties between the British and the Israeli Labour party
Labor (Israel)
The Israeli Labor Party , commonly known as HaAvoda , is a social-democratic and labour Zionist political party in Israel. The party is an observer member of both Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists. The Israeli Labor Party was established in 1968 by a merger of Mapai,...
. Labour Friends of Israel supports a two-state solution
Two-state solution
The two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the consensus solution that is currently under discussion by the key parties to the conflict, most recently at the Annapolis Conference in November 2007...
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
, with Israel recognised and secure within its borders and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. Jonathan Mendelsohn
Jonathan Mendelsohn
Jonathan Mendelsohn is the director of general election resources for the British Labour Party. He had previously been a spokesman and lobbyist for the gambling company PartyGaming...
the former chairman of the LFI was quoted in the Jerusalem Post saying "Zionism is pervasive in New Labour. It is automatic that Blair will come to Labour Friends of Israel meetings."
Founded in October 1957 at a public rally at the Labour Party Conference, it has developed into one of the largest special interest groups in the Labour Party, drawing wide support from Members of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
and Government Minister
Departments of the United Kingdom Government
Her Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom contains a number of Cabinet ministers who are usually called secretaries of state when they are in charge of Government departments called ministerial departments...
s. Labour Friends of Israel has a large membership, organised into local branches. Seeking to strengthen the bond between the British Labour Party and the Israeli Labor Party, it organises meetings in both the UK and Israel between senior figures. In 2003 it described itself as "a Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
based lobby group working within the British Labour Party to promote the State of Israel".
In 2011 Labour Friends of Israel adopted a new strategy of becoming a wider membership organisation and operating under the slogan "Working Towards a Two-State Solution". In 2010 Jennifer Gerber, previously director of Progress
Progress (organisation)
Progress is a political organisation linked to the Labour Party in the United Kingdom, founded in 1996. It is broadly viewed as supportive of the leadership of the party, being pro-former leader Tony Blair...
, had been appointed Director, and in 2011 John Woodcock
John Woodcock
John Woodcock may refer to:*John A. Woodcock Jr. , United States federal judge*John Woodcock , American football player*John Woodcock , British cricket writer and journalist...
was appointed Chair.
The Labour Friends of Israel is a distinct organisation to the Jewish Labour Movement
Jewish Labour Movement
The Jewish Labour Movement , founded in 2004, is the successor organisation to Poale Zion. It is affiliated with the Labour Party in the UK as a Socialist society....
, the affiliated socialist society and successor to the UK's Poale Zion
Poale Zion
Poale Zion was a Movement of Marxist Zionist Jewish workers circles founded in various cities of the Russian Empire about the turn of the century after the Bund rejected Zionism in 1901.-Formation and early years:Poale Zion parties and organisations were started across the Jewish diaspora in the...
.
They have been described as "less unquestioning in its support of the Israeli government than the Conservative Friends of Israel
Conservative Friends of Israel
Conservative Friends of Israel, abbreviated to CFI, is a British parliamentary group affiliated to the Conservative Party and dedicated to strengthening business, cultural and political ties between the United Kingdom and Israel. CFI is an unincorporated associationIt was founded by the late...
". Between 2001 and 2009 they paid for more than 60 MPs to visit Israel, more than any other group.
The charitable Yigal Allon Educational Trust, founded in 1985 by former Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
, Ian Mikardo
Ian Mikardo
Ian Mikardo , commonly known as Mik, was a British Labour and Co-operative politician. An ardent socialist and a Zionist, he remained a backbencher throughout his four decades in the House of Commons...
MP, Lord Glenamara and others, has supported Labour Friends of Israel.
Members of LFI
In alphabetical order, members of Labour Friends of Israel include:- David Abrahams - former Treasurer
- Lord Archer of Sandwell
- Sir Stuart BellStuart BellSir Stuart Bell is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough since 1983.-Early life:...
MP - Luciana BergerLuciana BergerLuciana Clare Berger is a British Labour Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree since 2010...
MP, Former Director of LFI - Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
former MP and Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... - Lord Janner of Braunstone Q.C. Former MP for Leicester West, Former President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews & Current Chair of the British Israel Parliamentary Group.
- David BlunkettDavid BlunkettDavid Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...
MP and former Home SecretaryHome SecretaryThe Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State... - Gordon BrownGordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
MP and former Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... - Chris BryantChris BryantChristopher John Bryant is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Rhondda since 2001...
MP and former Minister for Europe - Stephen ByersStephen ByersStephen John Byers is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for North Tyneside from 1997 to 2010; in the previous parliament, from 1992, he represented Wallsend...
former MP and Secretary of State for Trade and IndustrySecretary of State for Trade and IndustryThe Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. Its secondary title is the President of the Board of Trade... - Wayne DavidWayne DavidWayne David is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Caerphilly since 2001. He was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Wales Office from 2008 to 2010...
MP - Andrew DismoreAndrew DismoreAndrew Hartley Dismore is a British Labour Party politician and a Vice-Chair of the Labour Friends of Israel group who was the Member of Parliament for Hendon from 1997 until 2010 when he was beaten by Conservative Party candidate Matthew Offord.-Early life:Dismore was born in Bridlington,...
- Louise EllmanLouise EllmanLouise Joyce Ellman is a British Labour Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Riverside since 1997. In parliament she is Chair of the Transport Select Committee and a member of the Liaison Committee.-Early life:Ellman was born in Manchester to a British...
MP, Vice Chair of LFI - Derek Foster MP
- Lord Foulkes MSP and former MP
- Mike GapesMike GapesMichael John "Mike" Gapes is a British Labour Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Ilford South since 1992....
MP - former Vice Chair of LFI (2004) - Anthony Greenwood MP, first Chair of LFI (1957)
- Andrew GwynneAndrew GwynneAndrew John Gwynne is a British Labour Party politician and has been the Member of Parliament for Denton and Reddish since 2005, replacing the retiring Andrew Bennett.-Early life:...
MP, Chair of LFI (2010) - Fabian HamiltonFabian HamiltonFabian Uziell-Hamilton is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Leeds North East since 1997.- Education and professional career :...
MP - Joan HumbleJoan HumbleJovanka Humble is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Blackpool North and Fleetwood from 1997 to 2010.-Early life:...
MP - Baroness Hayman
- Barbara KeeleyBarbara KeeleyBarbara Mary Keeley is a British Labour Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for Worsley and Eccles South. She represented the predecessor constituency of Worsley from 2005 to 2010, after the retirement of Terry Lewis...
MP - Jane KennedyJane Kennedy (politician)Jane Elizabeth Kennedy is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree from 1992 until she stood down in 2010...
MP - Chair (2007) - Ivan LewisIvan LewisIvan Lewis is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Bury South since 1997. Lewis served in a variety of junior ministerial positions, including as Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.-Personal life:Lewis was born to a British Jewish...
MP, former Vice Chair of LFI - Lord Macdonald of Tradeston
- Denis MacShaneDenis MacShaneDenis MacShane is a British politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Rotherham since the 1994 by-election and served as the Minister for Europe from 2002 until 2005, as well as being a current Policy Council member for Labour Friends of Israel.On 14 October 2010, it was announced...
MP - Jonathan MendelsohnJonathan MendelsohnJonathan Mendelsohn is the director of general election resources for the British Labour Party. He had previously been a spokesman and lobbyist for the gambling company PartyGaming...
- former Chair of LFI (2002) - Alun MichaelAlun MichaelAlun Edward Michael is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was formerly First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party from 1999 to 2000.-Education:Michael was born at Bryngwran Anglesey, son of...
MP, former Leader of the Welsh Labour Party - Andrew MillerAndrew Miller (politician)Andrew Peter Miller is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Ellesmere Port and Neston since 1992.-Early life:...
MP - Jim MurphyJim MurphyJames Francis "Jim" Murphy is a British Labour Party politician and is the Member of Parliament for East Renfrewshire....
MP - former Chair of LFI (2001), former Secretary of State for ScotlandSecretary of State for ScotlandThe Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was... - Dan NorrisDan NorrisDan Norris is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Wansdyke from 1997 until 2010. He was also a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs....
former MP - Nick PalmerNick PalmerNicholas Douglas Palmer is a British Labour Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire from 1997 until he lost the seat at the 2010 general election to Conservative Anna Soubry, by 390 votes.Described by Andrew Roth as "quietly effective", he was...
MP - James PurnellJames PurnellJames Mark Dakin Purnell is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde from 2001 to 2010. He is currently the Head of the Open Left project at the left leaning think tank Demos...
former Chair of LFI, MP and Secretary of State for Work and PensionsSecretary of State for Work and PensionsThe Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is a post in the British Cabinet, responsible for the Department for Work and Pensions. It was created on 8 June 2001 by the merger of the Employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security.The Ministry... - Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale
- John ReidJohn Reid (politician)John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, PC is a British politician, who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament and cabinet minister under Tony Blair, most notably as Defence Secretary and then Home Secretary...
former MP and Home SecretaryHome SecretaryThe Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
(2007) - Terry RooneyTerry RooneyTerence Henry Rooney is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Bradford North from 1990 to 2010. His constituency was abolished in boundary changes for the 2010 general election, when he was defeated in the new Bradford East seat by the Liberal Democrat candidate...
MP - Siôn SimonSiôn SimonSiôn Llewelyn Simon is a British Labour politician, who served as the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington from 2001 to 2010. Simon was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Creative Industries...
MP - Dari TaylorDari TaylorDari Jean Taylor is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Stockton South between the 1997 and 2010 general elections.-Biography:...
MP - Gary TitleyGary TitleyGary Titley is a British politician and Labour Party Member of the European Parliament for the North West of England....
MP - John WoodcockJohn WoodcockJohn Woodcock may refer to:*John A. Woodcock Jr. , United States federal judge*John Woodcock , American football player*John Woodcock , British cricket writer and journalist...
MP, Chair of LFI (2011) - Glenis WillmottGlenis WillmottGlenis Willmott is a British politician, currently leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party and Labour member of the European Parliament for East Midlands....
MEP, Vice Chair of LFI - Lord Winston
- Iain WrightIain WrightIain David Wright is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool since 2004, and was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for apprenticeships and 14-19 reform in the Department for Children, Schools and Families until 11 May...
MP, former Chair of LFI (2006) - Lord Young of Norwood GreenAnthony Young, Baron Young of Norwood GreenAnthony Ian Young, Baron Young of Norwood Green is a British politician and Labour Party life peer in the House of Lords....
See also
- Conservative Friends of IsraelConservative Friends of IsraelConservative Friends of Israel, abbreviated to CFI, is a British parliamentary group affiliated to the Conservative Party and dedicated to strengthening business, cultural and political ties between the United Kingdom and Israel. CFI is an unincorporated associationIt was founded by the late...
- Liberal Democrat Friends of IsraelLiberal Democrat Friends of IsraelLiberal Democrat Friends of Israel is a group whose stated objective is to 'maximise support for the State of Israel within the British Liberal Democrat Party', and to 'promote policies which lead to peace and security for Israel within a Middle East peace settlement'.President of Liberal Democrat...
- Northern Ireland Friends of IsraelNorthern Ireland Friends of IsraelNorthern Ireland Friends of Israel is a group dedicated to fostering better relations between Northern Ireland and the State of Israel. It was launched by the deputy ambassador of Israel, Talya Lador-Fresher, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews Henry Grunwald and former First...
- European Friends of IsraelEuropean Friends of IsraelEuropean Friends of Israel is a European lobby organization for Israel. It was established in September 2006, where 300 MEPs and national MPs took part in an opening ceremony...
- Friends of Israel InitiativeFriends of Israel InitiativeThe Friends of Israel Initiative is an international effort, to "seek to counter the attempts to delegitimize the State of Israel and its right to live in peace within safe and defensible borders", initiated and led by former Prime Minister of Spain and People's Party leader José María Aznar in...
External links
- Official website
- Labour Friends of Israel, 1997 General Election information, 1 May 1997
- Speech by PM Tony Blair to LFI Annual Reception, Prime Minister Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, 26 September 2006 - Speech by Gordon Brown to the LFI Annual Reception, Prime Minister Gordon BrownGordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
, 25 September 2007