British Arab Network chairman emphasises importance of role of public diplomacy in breaking the cycle of hate in the Middle East in speech to Meretz UK
08 Apr 2017, by In the Media -On 2nd April 2017, Dr. Wafik Moustafa, chairman of the British Arab Network, spoke at the Meretz UK, London. He spoke about the importance of the role of public and cultural diplomacy in breaking the cycle of cynicism and hate between Israelis and Arabs and across the Middle East. Dr. Moustafa also spoke about the history and politics of Egypt, Egyptian Israeli peace, the Arab Spring and political Islam. He called for the rule of law and respect for human rights across the Middle East.
Meretz UK is a membership led organisation that is part of the worldwide Meretz Movement. It represents a platform of Social Democracy, Civil Libertarianism, Green Environmental Issues, Progressive Labour Zionism, Peace and at times Secularism (although it defends rights of Jewish religious women for example).
In the UK, Meretz champions and propagates issues within the sphere of its platform. These may regard Israel, Israel and Palestine, as well as the UK. They may be in the form of educational and cultural events, news-updates, educational visits, campaigning, or educational lessons such as in Modern Hebrew and Arabic. Meretz is the only movement that stands for a left wing platform as whole including all its issues from civil and human rights and peace to green politics and social justice. It is a progressive left and moderate Zionist organisation, accepting the right of a Jewish homeland called Israel, although its vision of that state is significantly different from the structure of Israel today, seeing Palestinian Israelis as equals, and supporting fully a Palestinian independent state.
http://britishmeretz.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/about-meretz-uk.html