This week the United Nations General Assembly is expected to vote on upgrading the recognition of Palestine at the UN.

The UK government is saying it may vote in favour - but only if Palestinian president Abbas promises not to apply for membership of the International Criminal Court...

And so it spirals once again. Hamas fires rockets into Southern Israel, growling, Russell Crowe-like, that Israel's actions have 'opened the gates of Hell.' Israel strikes Gaza by air and sea, the Israeli army taking to Twitter to "recommend that no Hamas operative, whether low level or senior leaders, show...

On Sunday, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone was won in a Red Bull, one of the eight F1 teams based here in the UK. And whilst I don't want to take anything away from Mark Webber's Australian pedigree, he too lives here in Britain.

As well as...

Damon Hill is right to call on the governing body of motor sport to rethink its decision to go ahead with this year's Bahrain Grand Prix. I say that as someone who is a motor sport nut as well as an MP with a keen interest in the Middle East.

I was last in Gaza almost exactly three years ago. I was part of one of the first groups of MPs to enter after Israel's Operation Cast Lead. which left over 1,300 Palestinians dead, the majority of them civilians and 352 of them children. Over 5,000 more were...

On Sunday, Israel released 550 Palestinian prisoners, the second and final phase of the prisoner swap which secured the release of Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, in October.

Israel reserved the right to make the final decision on which Palestinian prisoners to release, and which should remain in jail. Not surprisingly...

In political terms I guess I am one of the 'usual suspects' when it comes to the Middle East. I chair the Britain-Palestine All Party Parliamentary Group and have campaigned for the rights of Palestinians for decades.

Perhaps it is especially important that people like me understand why the five...