Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sources to Al Mayadeen: The news regarding a press conference tonight by the head of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, Khalil Al-Hayya, is false.
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was martyred in an Israeli drone strike on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The death toll in the al-Bureij camp massacre has risen to 19
Nicolas Maduro: Maria Corina Machado and imperialism wanted to spread violence and chaos so there would be no elections.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: We were able to neutralize 60 attacks on oil refineries and oil facilities and arrest more than 70 individuals involved.
CNN citing sources: Talks between Washington and Tehran are close to reaching a comprehensive agreement that could be concluded during the next meeting.
US Secretary of State: Washington will begin revoking visas for Chinese students affiliated with the Communist Party or studying in sensitive fields.
Israeli media: Western diplomats: There is a possibility that the US administration will sign an interim agreement or understanding with Iran.
Hamas: We affirm that we are making great efforts to stop the barbaric war on the Gaza Strip.
Hamas: We reached an agreement with Witkoff that includes the flow of aid and a professional committee taking over the management of the Gaza Strip's affairs immediately after the deal is announced.

UK pro-Israeli lobby group is top funder of free MP travels - reports

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: OpenDemocracy
  • 12 Dec 2022 20:23
  • 3 Shares
4 Min Read

openDemocracy investigation reveals that 2 Israeli lobby groups have been the largest "doners" of free MP overseas travels in the last ten years.

  • x
  • UK Israeli lobby group is top funder of free MP travels: openDemocracy
    CFI's Honorary President Lord Pickles speaking at a "Conservative Friends of Israel" parliamentary reception

According to an investigation carried out by openDemocracy, British MPs have taken over the past 10 years 155 free overseas trips funded by a pro-"Israel" Torry lobby group in the UK, marking an "unprecedented charm offensive to promote" the Israeli occupation in the British government.

The investigation report revealed that the lobby group 'Conservative Friends of Israel' (CFI) was the number one "donor" in funding trips for MPs compared to other lobby groups.

"The Records show the group fully or partially funded trips with an overall value of £367,000 since 2012," the investigation showed.

CFI funded trips for lawmakers to travel to occupied Palestine and was created “to ensure that Israel’s case is fairly represented in Parliament”.

Read more: Schism in 'Israel' grows over who will occupy Palestine 'better

The lobby group was earlier labeled as “the most well-connected and probably the best funded of all Westminster lobbying groups”.

According to the report, dozens of meetings for the UK's Secretary of State for International Development in 2017 Priti Patel were arranged by CFI’s honorary president Lord Polak, including a meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

The report added that "It later emerged that Patel had failed to inform the prime minister about the trips, and was she forced to step down."

Three groups of MPs traveled to "Israel" in 2022 at the expense of CFI, "with 24 Conservative MPs declaring the visits in the registers of interests," according to the investigation.

CFI's website said that the delegations are an “integral part of CFI’s work” to let Conservative MPs “see the facts on the ground in the region”.

Read more: Protests in Jordan against water-for-electricity deal with "Israel"

However, Conservatives are not the only ones with an Israeli-affiliated lobby group paying for their trips to leverage influence.

Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) has paid, partially or fully, for 62 visits to "Israel" for labour MPs over the span of the last 10 years.

“CFI is a not-for-profit organisation that relies upon the generosity of its supporters. The organisation receives no funding from the state of Israel,” a spokesperson for the CFI told openDemocracy.

Foreign governments have funded, in full or partially, over a quarter of all British MP's travels, including countries with bad human rights records, the report added.

Read more: 'Israel' divided, near point of no return: Officials

In the past 10 years, the United Arab Emirates has paid a total of £251,000 in expenses for 63 trips for UK MPs, while the Saudi government funded 62 trips for £393,000 and the Bahraini government 57 trips at a cost of around £195,000.

According to the report, this transaction happened while Amnesty International accuses the UAE of “serious human rights violations”, and “arbitrary detention, cruel and inhuman treatment of detainees, suppression of freedom of expression, and violation of the right to privacy”.

MPs also took 60 trips that were fully or partially funded by branches of the Israeli government, including the country’s embassy in the UK.

Read more: Israeli media from Qatar cry out rejection despite normalization

Institutions of the Israeli government, including its embassy in the United Kingdom, covered fully or partially 60 trips for British MPs, the report continues.

All-Party Parliamentary Groups

According to UK laws, lawmakers are allowed to take trips covered by any donor, which includes private companies, governments, individuals and lobby groups.

The report states that the MPs mostly take a trip as "part of a delegation organised by informal interest groups called All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs)," which are described as a "back door for lobbyists."

APPGs received more than half of their budget this year from private firms, "including health and tobacco firms and big tech," the openDemocracy report adds, noting that, "out of more than 3,000 overseas trips taken by MPs since 2012, at least 658 were arranged in relation to APPGs."

Read more: Palestine Action strikes Israeli weapons factory in UK

  • openDemocracy
  • Labour Party
  • Conservative Party
  • Israel
  • UK

Most Read

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, answers a question about his House Bill 3-C: Independent Special Districts in the House of Representatives April 20, 2022, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida (AP/Phil Sears)

GOP lawmaker says Gaza needs same end as WWII Japan, with nukes

  • MENA
  • 23 May 2025
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
Iran advisor reveals details of US-Iran nuclear talks to Al Mayadeen

Iran advisor reveals details of US-Iran nuclear talks: Al Mayadeen

  • MENA
  • 24 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Palestinians cross from the Israeli military Qalandia checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah to occupied al-Quds on Friday, March 14, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime arrests martyr Walid Daqqa's wife Sanaa

Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)
Politics

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms: Sources

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends a news conference following his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, Friday, April 18, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran denounces media speculation, reaffirms conditions for any US deal

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS