Today marks the 60th anniversary of the Nakba or ‘catastrophe’ when two thirds of the indigenous Arab population of Palestine were forcibly expelled from their homes. I marked the occasion by joining with other MEPs, MPs and campaigners that include playwright Harold Pinter, comedian Mark Thomas and film maker Ken Loach to place an advert in the national press that calls for an end to the occupation of Palestine. The humanitarian and human rights crises in the Middle East must be resolved urgently and so that Jews and Palestinian can live together equally, without fear of violence or oppression.
