OPINION: It’s hard to think of a country more miscast than Israel

A little over a week ago I was walking around the beautiful, bustling and winding streets of Jerusalem’s Old City. It was the offer of such unforgettable moments that led me to joining Conservative Friends of Israel on its much-anticipated first parliamentary delegation since February 2020.

The programme was the most incredible way for our group of nine Conservative MPs to learn about Israel and better understand the many security challenges it faces and its conflict with the Palestinians.

The political backdrop for the trip was fascinating. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s fragile coalition dramatically unravelled after a senior member said they would be withdrawing support. The current volatility of Israeli politics means that any issue at any point can unexpectedly become a major political crisis.

The mathematics of Israeli politics are mind-boggling. The country’s pure PR system creates a full spectrum of parties and it is perhaps little surprise it has such a boisterous and thriving democracy, albeit a nightmare for coalition chairmen to keep it all together.

The current volatility of Israeli politics means that any issue at any point can unexpectedly become a major political crisis.

The trip was packed with memorable moments. We had a fascinating meeting with Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah. An excellent communicator, he had passionately put forward his case but a nonchalant observation that his government proudly provides financial support to ‘martyrs’ was a shocking moment.

In a subsequent meeting, an esteemed Palestinian pollster laid bare the depths of the problems with the PA being almost universally disliked by Palestinians for its corruption and failure to hold elections for nearly two decades. The preparedness for younger Palestinians – the overwhelming majority of the population – to favour the likes of Hamas was deeply troubling and presents a major long-term problem.

In the week before the group’s visit, Israel had been rocked by a series of shocking terror attacks. It was hard to escape the powerful sense that Israel’s citizenry was collectively hurting, but this was underpinned by a determination to get on with life and celebrate the many freedoms Israelis enjoy. It was a strong reminder of how us Brits respond in such difficult circumstances.

The preparedness for younger Palestinians – the overwhelming majority of the population – to favour the likes of Hamas was deeply troubling and presents a major long-term problem.

While we had a peaceful and safe week experiencing the many beautiful sights and sounds of the region, last Thursday’s violent attack in Tel Aviv was a painful moment. Three people were killed for simply enjoying themselves at a bar. A bar much like the dozens of others we had seen full of young revellers earlier that week. To learn it had been celebrated by many in the West Bank was hard to process.

Earlier that day, we had toured the security barrier, which had been constructed to prevent Palestinian terror attacks. It has undoubtedly been effective as a security measure, but the threat from terrorism remains all too real for ordinary Israelis.

The challenges are many. The level of distrust is deep. And yet, expressions of hope for a better tomorrow were a common theme. Talk, though, of a one-state solution strikes me as deeply problematic, as it is crucial Israel is secure as a democratic, Jewish state.

The threat from terrorism remains all too real for ordinary Israelis.

It is difficult to think of a country that is more misunderstood and miscast than Israel. There is no resemblance to how the country is so routinely misrepresented – and I suspect many of those who misrepresent it have never experienced it first-hand for themselves.

Time and again we heard Israelis sincerely thanking the UK for its support and the two nations are working more closely than ever. It’s exciting to think that the new UK-Israel free trade deal will elevate this ever further.