We condemn in the strongest terms the arrest of my friends Mahmoud Muna and Ahmad Muna, Palestinian booksellers and owners of Jerusalem’s Educational Bookshop, by Israel’s occupation authorities. The arrests of Mahmoud and Ahmad is a stark reminder of the ongoing campaign to censor knowledge, stifle free speech and information that challenges Israel’s occupation of Palestine and in this case, Israel’s illegal colonial occupation of #Jerusalem and its oppressive measures in the city. Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of all just societies. There is no genuine peace without the freedom to read, and no freedom to read without booksellers able to carry out their work in safety. We stand firm in our support of Mahmoud and Ahmad Muna, and all Palestinian detainees, and call on our colleagues and partners in the international community, including the publishing industry and the book trade, in the U.K. and beyond, to join us in calling for their immediate release.

Today I met the Rt Hon @Ed_Miliband, former leader of Labour Party. We discussed several issues. One thing which struck a real chord was his sharing with me the story of his Jewish family during World War II, how his mother and aunt (then young children, a mere 5 and 6 years old) were hidden and protected in a village in Belgium by people of good will. The Holocaust is the most heinous crime. Never Again. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere!