December 4th - 9th European Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI) group visit to Israel and Palestinian Territories. This programme seeks to show a range of opinions from both sides of the Israeli and Palestinian conflict and to promote the positive efforts of NGOs who are working for peace in the region.
We visited Bethlehem on December 5th to see the Church of Nativity and then the Bethlehem Peace Centre. Later we walked through, and talked with, residents of the Daehashie Refugee Camp where there was a fundraising craft event for those Palestinians who have a disability.
We spoke with Dr. Emil Jarjoui, the Mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarset and the Mayor of Beit Sahour, Mr. Hani Al-Hayek. They expressed the difficulty of living under occupation and the problems of financial sanctions. The Mayor of Beit Sahour told the group that there are now 70% below the poverty line in his municipality.
A partnership of Saving Lives and MEPI (Middle East Peace Initiative)
The Holy Land Medical Project is a partnership of the Rotarian Medical Aid Charity, Saving Lives, founded by Dr. Peter Patel and the Universal Peace Federation’s Middle East Peace Initiative. The Holy Land Medical Project aims to involve both communities in planning and working for their health care together. This was well received by the Palestinian Health Ministry and by significant Israeli Doctors some of whom are promoting similar ideas.
Former Bishop of Jerusalem visits Birmingham to promote a Holy Land medical project
By Admin *
Tuesday, 11 September 2007
Former Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal, who is a founding patron of a collaborative Israeli and Palestinian health care project known as ‘Saving Lives’ today visited Birmingham at the invitation of Dr Peter Patel who chairs the project. He was accompanied by the Head of Policy for Conflict Resolution of Human City Institute, Ingrid Stellmacher, and Robin Marsh of the Universal Peace Federation’s Middle East Peace Initiative.
Three Faiths, Two Communities and a need for Reconciliation in the Middle East
By Admin *
Monday, 10 September 2007
Following a Global Peace Festival held throughout the previous day at Imperial College in London, a meeting in the House of Commons discussed the Middle East Peace Initiative, a major project of the Universal Peace Federation. It was chaired by Dave Anderson MP, who had recently returned from a fact-finding tour of the region and met with local politicians and religious leaders.
Middle East Peace Initiative report Aug 24-29 2007
By Robin Marsh
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
In a session in the House of Commons, Committee Room 9 on Wednesday October 24th two MPs, Dave Anderson and David Borrow and Hanif Adeel, the Parliamentary Advisor to Khalid Mahmood MP, spoke about their experience on the 24-29th August 2007 MEPI Fact Finding Visit. The meeting was chaired at first by Khalid Mahmood MP and then by Brian Iddon MP.
Middle East Peace Initiative Conference in Tel Aviv
By Admin *
Sunday, 26 August 2007
A number of distinguished Israeli speakers addressed a conference held by the Middle East Peace Initiative at the Renaissance Hotel in Tel Aviv. These included Knesset member General Dani Yatom, Dr. Shlomo Ben Ami, former Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Channel 10 News Commentator, Zvi Yehezkeli and Ms. Shapira Avital, Foreign Relations Officer of the Israeli Trade Union Movement. Former Israel Defence Minister Amir Peretz, who is also the Chairman of the Histradut Labour Federation, joined the MEPI conference delegates over lunch.
Activities 
A partnership of Saving Lives and MEPI (Middle East Peace Initiative)
Former Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal, who is a founding patron of a collaborative Israeli and Palestinian health care project known as ‘Saving Lives’ today visited Birmingham at the invitation of Dr Peter Patel who chairs the project. He was accompanied by the Head of Policy for Conflict Resolution of Human City Institute, Ingrid Stellmacher, and Robin Marsh of the Universal Peace Federation’s Middle East Peace Initiative.
A number of distinguished Israeli speakers addressed a conference held by the Middle East Peace Initiative at the Renaissance Hotel in Tel Aviv. These included Knesset member General Dani Yatom, Dr. Shlomo Ben Ami, former Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Channel 10 News Commentator, Zvi Yehezkeli and Ms. Shapira Avital, Foreign Relations Officer of the Israeli Trade Union Movement. Former Israel Defence Minister Amir Peretz, who is also the Chairman of the Histradut Labour Federation, joined the MEPI conference delegates over lunch.