Long-time chair of Conservative Friends of Israel is to retire

The long-time chair of Conservative Frends of Israel is to retire from the post this spring to .

Andrew Heller, who has served in the post for 13 years Chairman of Conservative Friends of Israel, will be succeeded by current CFI treasurer and former Hampstead constituency chair Stephen Massey.

During Heller’s tenure, hundreds of parliamentarians visited Israe and CFI’s annual lunches and party conference receptions have become some of the biggest events in the political calendar.

He said: “Israel has changed beyond recognition during my time as chairman and the support of the Conservative Party for Israel has grown ever stronger. There is so much of which I am proud and it has been a privilege to work with some extraordinarily talented people, both in Parliament and within the CFI offices. I know that I am leaving the organisation in the best position it has ever been and I very much look forward to watching Stephen and the team continuing its success”.

Saying he was “honoured” to be taking on the post, Massey – patron of the Hampstead and Kilburn Conservative Association – said: “ Israel and the Party are deeply important to me and I relish the opportunity to expand the fantastic relationship between these two great countries. Anyone present at CFI’s Business Lunch in November will have seen the incredible strength of support Israel has within the Party and I am looking forward to shortly resuming our important Israel delegation programme.”

Lord Polak, CFI Honorary President, said: “Andrew has made an enormous contribution. He leaves CFI in rude health and the UK-Israel relationship stronger than it has ever been.”