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	<title>Alastair McPhail &#8211; Foreign, Commonwealth &amp; Development Office Blogs</title>
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	<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk</link>
	<description>A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy</description>
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	<title>Alastair McPhail &#8211; Foreign, Commonwealth &amp; Development Office Blogs</title>
	<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk</link>
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	<item>
		<title>My last day in Jerusalem</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2017/07/19/my-last-day-in-jerusalem-2/</link>
					<comments>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2017/07/19/my-last-day-in-jerusalem-2/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jul 2017 10:19:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Jerusalem]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/?p=38389</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Today is my last day as the British Consul General in Jerusalem. I arrived in Jerusalem in January 2014, right in the middle of the negotiations led with great energy and commitment by former US State Secretary, John Kerry, and today I’m leaving as my American colleagues work to relaunch negotiations. My hope is that [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Preserving a Palestinian Tradition</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2016/11/22/preserving-a-palestinian-tradition/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 2016 09:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Israel]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/?p=33488</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The olive harvest season in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Families get up early in the morning and journey to their land in the mountains and fields in order to pick those small green or black olives. They work under the hot sun for hours, have a traditional Palestinian meal and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>We must not forget Area C</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2016/01/26/%d9%8a%d8%ac%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%86-%d9%84%d8%a7-%d9%86%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%89-%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b7%d9%82%d8%a9-%d8%ac/</link>
					<comments>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2016/01/26/%d9%8a%d8%ac%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%86-%d9%84%d8%a7-%d9%86%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%89-%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b7%d9%82%d8%a9-%d8%ac/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jan 2016 13:24:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Israel]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/?p=26066</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It has been another hard year for the community of Fasayil.  Located in Area C of the West Bank, the community faced the demolition of 17 structures last August.  The demolitions left 48 people without homes.  Like other communities in Area C, Fasayil’s farmers face severe restrictions on access to farmland and irrigation.  The village’s [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2016/01/26/%d9%8a%d8%ac%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%86-%d9%84%d8%a7-%d9%86%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%89-%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b7%d9%82%d8%a9-%d8%ac/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		
		
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		<title>Extremist Ideology and Settlers</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2015/08/21/extremist-ideology-and-settlers/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2015 09:46:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Israel]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/?p=22264</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[As I saw the charred remains of the house in Douma where young Ali Dawabsheh and his father lost their lives, and listened to a community still struggling to come to terms with what had happened, I was forcibly reminded of the death of another young boy a little over a year ago &#8211; Mohammed Abu [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<item>
		<title>A Palestinian Magna Carta</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2015/06/18/a-palestinian-magna-carta/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2015 06:56:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Israel]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost:8888/alastairmcphail/?p=224</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[What should be in a Palestinian Magna Carta or bill of rights? I asked this question earlier this week to twenty young Palestinians, during a discussion to mark the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta. Two things struck me about their answers. Firstly, most of the participants wanted one freedom above all others. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<item>
		<title>Let us look for hope after 48 years&#8230;</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2015/06/08/let-us-look-for-hope-after-48-years/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:05:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Israel]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost:8888/alastairmcphail/?p=214</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Forty-eight years ago this week, the Middle East was engulfed in war.  This war, known as the 1967 war or the Six Day War, changed the shape of the region.   And it dramatically changed the lives of many living here.  I have met Palestinians in the cities and refugee camps of the region and have [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Palestinian Women; building a Palestinian state and society</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2015/03/23/palestinian-women-building-a-palestinian-state-and-society/</link>
					<comments>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2015/03/23/palestinian-women-building-a-palestinian-state-and-society/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2015 09:02:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Occupied Palestinian Territories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women's day]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost:8888/alastairmcphail/?p=196</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Earlier this month, Palestinians joined people around the world celebrating International Women’s Day.  Palestinians have much to celebrate on this day.  I’ve been struck during my time here by the dedication of Palestinian women: running successful businesses; influencing politics; building communities in spite of the difficult conditions imposed by the Occupation. To celebrate International Women’s [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2015/03/23/palestinian-women-building-a-palestinian-state-and-society/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Olives are the bread and butter for Palestinians</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2014/12/23/olives-are-the-bread-and-butter-for-palestinians/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2014 08:54:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Occupied Palestinian Territories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Olives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[West Bank]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost:8888/alastairmcphail/?p=185</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[There is no escaping olive trees in this part of the world.  Olives appear on every table.  Olive oil is liberally poured on every dish.  The unmistakeable shape of olive trees lines every hillside.  Even the Christmas ornaments I hung on my tree last week are fashioned out of olive wood.  The olive tree is [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>There is a Future, in Jerusalem, for Palestinians</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2014/11/27/there-is-a-future-in-jerusalem-for-palestinians/</link>
					<comments>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2014/11/27/there-is-a-future-in-jerusalem-for-palestinians/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Nov 2014 09:32:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jerusalem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEPP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Occupied Palestinian Territories]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost:8888/alastairmcphail/?p=176</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Last month one of my friends took me on a tour of the Old City with my son.  We jostled with the crowds shopping at Damascus Gate.  We ate kaek.  We smelt the pungent spices and coffee.  We felt humbled by the sight of Christian, Muslim and Jewish worshippers heading towards their holy sites. Jerusalem [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2014/11/27/there-is-a-future-in-jerusalem-for-palestinians/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>UK will continue to support statehood building effort and to recognize the State at the right time</title>
		<link>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2014/10/15/uk-will-continue-to-support-statehood-building-effort-and-to-recognize-the-state-at-the-right-time/</link>
					<comments>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2014/10/15/uk-will-continue-to-support-statehood-building-effort-and-to-recognize-the-state-at-the-right-time/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alastair McPhail]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2014 07:17:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[UK in Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Occupied Palestinian Territories]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost:8888/alastairmcphail/?p=163</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[On Monday night, the British Parliament voted in favour of a non-binding motion, calling the government to recognise the state of Palestine as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution.  Palestinians I have spoken to in Jerusalem and Ramallah, Gaza and Hebron have delivered the same message to me.  So what is the British [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/alastairmcphail/2014/10/15/uk-will-continue-to-support-statehood-building-effort-and-to-recognize-the-state-at-the-right-time/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		
		
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