Liam Fox, former British Defence Secretary, gave the keynote address to this year’s prestigious Herzliya conference, the principle forum for discussing Israel’s military and security interests. His views on Iran and Palestine were contentious though in line with Conservative party policy. Whether he stayed within the Ministry of Defence’s remit is less clear

Regular visitors to this website may have noticed the regular appearances of BICOM – and of Liam Fox at their We Believe in Israel conference last June. Why Liam Fox and his side-kick Werritty should have needed extra funding to promote the interests of Israel and military effectiveness is mysterious – except that (item 6) Mr. Fox supported a 2-state solution and criticised the settlements and supported peace with the Palestinians, see post above

The announcement on Tuesday that Netanyahu had done a deal with Hamas in which Gilad Shalit, held for 5 years by Hamas, would be exchanged for 1000 of the Palestinians held by Israel led to rejoicing in Israel and mixed feelings in Palestine. Doing the calculations are Maan News (1 ,2) Dimi Reider (3) Larry Derfner (4) Ebaa Rezeq (5) and BICOM (6)

Former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband observes the stunted children, overcrowded schools, power cuts and wrecked buildings in Gaza, and deplores the irrationality of the inertia of all political agencies

Since his capture in 2006, Gilad Shalit has been an emblem of the impotence of Israel and intransigence of Hamas. Now the prisoner swap will bring rewards for many of the players (including Egypt) – but not Abbas or high-profile Palestinians whom Israel wants to hang on to. Reports from Al Arabiya and Haaretz

Obama is condemned by the tea party and Israel for appeasing Palestinians – and by everyone else for doing Israel’s bidding. The shift of Israel from left-leaning to right-wing ethnic nationalist has made it the darling of the US right – and ‘Islamo-fascist’ the name of all its critics. Ian Buruma, Erasmus prize winner, pinpoints the realignment

The Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike continues. Please consider signing the petition of support, disseminating information about the strike and sending messages to the the Israeli embassy, the International Committee of the Red Cross and to other human-rights organisations asking them to act swiftly to demand that all Palestinian political prisoners and detainees are freed from punitive isolation

Not content with changing the law under which citizens could get warrants for the arrest of suspected war criminals the British government also awarded Tzipi Livni instant above-the-law Special Mission status. Lawyers who presented the case to the DPP charge both the DPP and FCO for unaccountable blocking of due process. (1 and 2) BICOM was happy to report that Foreign Secretary WIlliam Hague then reaffirmed the strength of UK-Israel relations (3).

The mainstream American-Jewish idea that Israel must be supported at all costs and anti-semitism is everywhere is no longer holding younger Jews in the customs of their forebears. Mitchell Plitnick’s blog on one such clash in Jewish heroes’ poll and Richard Silverstein on how success has done away with customs born of persecution

A visitor from Abahlali, the Durban shack-dwellers’ movement,, witnesses a house demolition in Palestine, and makes connections with what oppresion means, from Palestine to South Africa and on….

The Levant Basic Province is one of the largest deposits of natural gas in the world. While Israel hopes to be the main beneficiary of this bonanza, maritime borders are disputed by Lebanon, and Turkish-controlled North Cyprus

‘Price-tag’ thugs – whose violent assaults on Palestinians is the price the settlers exact for any infringment of settlers’ ‘right’ to occupy what land they want – have increased their reach- more Palestinian homes, mosques, people and now an IDF base. Netanyahu wonders how to control the monster he has nurtured

Writer and war veteran Yoram Kaniuk, Jewish but not religious, has finally won a court ruling that his Jewish desigation in the Interior Ministry registration can be deleted. Many others wish to follow him. What does this mean for the insistence on Jewish marriage and a ‘Jewish state’?

Uri Avnery, familiar with accusations of treachery in his own life, looks back to the founding myths of Israel and finds that many accused as traitors are the peace-makers who build societies while the heroes may have been crazy zealots

There is no intrinsic connection between Jews and the occupywallstreet movement But the large Jewish presence sparked Occupy Yom Kippur, drawing 1000 in which atonement for failing to act on the occupation of Palestine played a large part.. 2 pieces on this, and Ezra Klein/David Graeber and Naomi Klein on the character and aims of this protest

Many Bedouin have lived in the Negev for centuries, with clear ownership rights. But these are not recognised by Israel which wants the land as an agricultural resource. The Bedouin are thus being evicted and deported to towns, with predictable consequences. Dr. Awad Abu Freih of ‘Recognition Now’ and others speak at venues across Britain

The two assaults by Anatot settlers on protesters last Friday (see ‘Phone record’ this page) have had wide repercussions because these settlers had been seen as peaceful, non-ideological types. 4 reports of the attack, from eye-witnesses and journalists, and an account of how those just wanting a home end up at Atantot – with an aggressive attitude. Link to the revealing video in item 5.

Asa Winstanley attends Salah’s appeal against his banning order, hearing that the evidence for Theresa May’s actions relied on the Community Security Trust, the CST standing for ‘the Jewish Community’ and Israel’s critics for anti-semites. 2, A letter of support for Salah to the Home Office from JfJfP gives the lie to both those assumptions. 3, Tony Greenstein, quoted at the hearing, on why he finds the CST disreputable, 4, the CST rebuts the charge that it either doctored, or passed on doctored, quotations

It has been a long-running scandal that young Palestinians over age 15 are tried in military courts. After extensive lobbying, formal complaints and reports – such as that from Defence for Children International, from which there is an extract 2nd- Israel has agreed to bring its law into line with other developed countries This move is welcomed by Caabu, 1st post, and by JfJfP.

Israel/ Palestine featured in the speeches of Ed Miliband (1 and 2) Douglas Alexander (3) Richard Burnside MP(4) John McCarthy (5) at Labour conference or fringe debates and but only at MAP/NS fringe meetings for the Conservatives (6) and Lib Dems (7).