Over the last week, Gareth Davies MP was part of a delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Authority to learn more about their relationship with the UK, the ongoing security situation and opportunities for increased trade.
Gareth and the delegation received a strategic briefing from the Israel Defence Forces and discussed the Israeli-Syrian border while overlooking the Golan Heights. As part of this briefing on Israel’s border with Syria, Gareth saw first-hand the tunnels constructed by the terrorist group Hezbollah which run 80m underground and represented a serious threat to local Israeli communities.
The delegation then heard about the lifesaving work of Save a Child's Heart who treat children with congenital heart defects from around the developing world and Palestinian Authority. This group has saved the lives of over 6,000 children in over 60 countries in its 25 years.
Gareth then has the opportunity to visit the ‘Peres Center for Peace & Innovation’, established by the former Israeli statesman, Shimon Peres. This centre undertakes excellent work to promote peace across the Middle East, as well as to support creative entrepreneurs. Israel has become a world leader for start-ups, managing to attract sums of investment capital comparable only to Silicon Valley.
As well as meeting charities, businesses, and the security services, Gareth also had the chance to visit the Israeli Parliament, referred to as the Knesset, and meet with the Speaker of the Knesset to learn more about how Israel’s democracy functions. Gareth met with the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee to help further the relationship between the Knesset and the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.
At the end of the visit, Gareth had the incredible opportunity to visit Israel’s Holocaust Memorial. Within the memorial, the group attended a moving service in the impressive Hall of Remembrance, whilst a wreath was laid on behalf of the Conservative Friends of Israel by Lord Pickles.
