PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
OPEN BETHLEHEM CAMPAIGN (19 December 2006)

That this House notes the unacceptable power that the Israeli authorities hold over access to and within the Palestinian territories; is concerned about the increased tendency to refuse access to international visitors, including the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak and a party of women from Birmingham on a mission whose purpose had been fully explained in advance to the Israeli Embassy; trusts that the pilgrimage to the Holy Land of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Moderator of the Free Churches, the Reverend David Coffey, and the Primate of the Armenian Church of Great Britain, Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian, meets with no such difficulties; and hopes that their visit will not only draw attention to the campaign by Open Bethlehem, an international project working to draw attention to the city's plight and to the devastating effect on the economy of Bethlehem of the illegal wall and the associated restrictions on movement, but will also help promote the goodwill needed to end the cycle of violence and secure lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Sponsored by:
Lynne Jones (Labour)