The other day I posted a piece on Jeremy Corbyn (here and here), in which I wrote of “his refusal to visit Israel.” I was misinformed, and passed on that misinformation to others. I stand abashed and chagrined. To make things right, it is only fair that I give you a full rundown on Jeremy Corbyn’s eye-opening trip to Israel in 2010, where he did his best to become acquainted with, and to understand, the hopes and fears of ordinary Israelis, and to learn of the achievements of the tiny Jewish state.
So here is the detailed list of the people Corbyn saw, and the places he visited, on his trip to Israel. It made a deep impression on me. Perhaps it will on you.
Day One ISRAEL
Umm el-Fahm Municipality meeting with the mayor 7
Dr Jamal Zahalka – Palestinian Knesset member 9
Janan Abdu- Makhoul (the wife of Palestinian political prisoner Ameer Makhoul) in Haifa
Day Two OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM
Silwan – Al-Bustan solidarity tent 12
Tour of Al-Bustan neighbourhood in Silwan (house demolitions) 15
Sheikh Jarrah (house evictions) 17
Jerusalemite Palestinian Legislative Council members -19
International Red Cross compound
Day Three NEGEV DESERT ISRAEL
Talab El-Sana – Palestinian Knesset member 20
Regional Council of Unrecognised Villages (The Bedouin of the Negev Desert) 21f
The unrecognised village of Waadi Naam 22
Bedouin city of Rahat in the Negev (mosque demolition) 25
Demonstration against the destruction of Al-A’raqeeb 27
The unrecognised village Al-A’raqeeb –(multiple destruction) 28
YAFA (JAFFA)
Sami Abu Shahade 28
Dr Mustafa Barghouthi
And that was Jeremy Corbyn’s visit to Israel.