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Alastair McPhail

British Consul General to Jerusalem

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19th July 2017 Jerusalem, Israel

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by Alastair McPhail

British Consul General to Jerusalem

My last day in Jerusalem

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 […]

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22nd November 2016 Jerusalem, Israel

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by Alastair McPhail

British Consul General to Jerusalem

Preserving a Palestinian Tradition

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 […]

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26th January 2016 Jerusalem, Israel

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by Alastair McPhail

British Consul General to Jerusalem

We must not forget Area C

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 […]

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18th June 2015 Jerusalem, Israel

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by Alastair McPhail

British Consul General to Jerusalem

A Palestinian Magna Carta

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. […]

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23rd March 2015 Jerusalem, Israel

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by Alastair McPhail

British Consul General to Jerusalem

Palestinian Women; building a Palestinian state and society

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 […]

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23rd December 2014 Jerusalem, Israel

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by Alastair McPhail

British Consul General to Jerusalem

Olives are the bread and butter for Palestinians

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 […]

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27th November 2014 Jerusalem, Israel

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by Alastair McPhail

British Consul General to Jerusalem

There is a Future, in Jerusalem, for Palestinians

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 […]

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15th October 2014 Jerusalem, Israel

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by Alastair McPhail

British Consul General to Jerusalem

UK will continue to support statehood building effort and to recognize the State at the right time

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 […]

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About Alastair McPhail

Dr Alastair McPhail CMG OBE was appointed Her Majesty’s British Consul General to Jerusalem in January 2014. Dr McPhail has worked in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for 19 years.…

Dr Alastair McPhail CMG OBE was appointed Her Majesty’s British
Consul General to Jerusalem in January 2014. Dr McPhail has worked in
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for 19 years. He was HM Ambassador
to South Sudan from independence on 9 July 2011 until his departure in
March 2013. Prior to becoming Ambassador to South Sudan he was HM Consul
General in Juba from March 2011 until South Sudan became independent
and the Consulate General was upgraded to a sovereign Embassy.
From 1996-2000 he worked on the northern Iraqi Kurdish peace process.
He worked on Sudan from 2000-2005, first as Head of the Egypt, Libya
and Sudan Section in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, then as Head
of the Sudan Unit – the UK’s international team charged with supporting
the Sudan peace process – and finally as the UK Special Representative
for Sudan. Dr McPhail attended every round of the negotiations on the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement from the first session at Machakos to the
final session at Naivasha. After that he took up overseas roles such as
Minister and Deputy Head of Mission in the British Embassy in Rome,
Italy and as the UK Special Envoy to Mali during a hostage crisis.