Forward Thinking hold meetings in Israel and Palestine, 21st - 26th May 2017
Between 21st and 26th May, Forward Thinking convened meetings in Israel, West Bank and Gaza with senior Israeli and Palestinian political leaders, political advisors, academics and youth groups from across the political spectrum, as well as with senior diplomats.
The visit provided opportunity to gain insights into the current situation, particularly in light of recent Palestinian municipal elections, the on-going Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike, and the visit of President Trump to the region. Discussions within Gaza and the West Bank therefore explored the impact of these developments, whilst also providing opportunity for Forward Thinking to plan future activities as part of the Middle East Programme.
Forward Thinking were also able to get valuable feedback from the recent Young Labour Delegation to Belfast and Dublin, part of the Irish Peace Process Programme. This provided opportunity to discuss how the visit can be built upon.