The political department of the mission interacts with official and public institutions in the UK, the large diplomatic corps in London.

The mission maintains contacts with all levels of Her Majesty’s government and parliament in a bid to promote our political vision for peace in our region based on international law. We also seek strengthen bilateral Palestinian-UK ties in all areas, from tourism to trade, development to defence.

In this spirit, we seek to deepen our ties with and connections to all political parties in the UK. Britain has a unique historic responsibility for Palestine, one that transcends party lines. Any resolution to the Palestine issue must be underpinned by international law and common morality and should therefore also appeal to politicians of all persuasions.

Indeed, the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Scottish Nationalist Parties all have platforms calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. There is a sizeable Conservatives that supports this idea, which we believe would be key to pushing forward Palestinian-Israeli peace.

It also reflects the will of the UK parliament, which voted in 2014 to recognise Palestine. It further reflects the will of the world: 137 states (out of 193 UN member states) have so far recognised the State of Palestine. The last country to do so was Sweden, in 2014.

London is a hub for diplomats from all over the world, and our connections here are invaluable in promoting and fostering relationships and friendship with countries from all over the world.

Meanwhile, our outreach to local faith communities and the UK media is an important aspect of our public diplomacy. We seek to engender greater understanding for the Palestinian cause among as many people as we can.

We fully believe that greater understanding and knowledge of Palestine, its history, our current predicament, its people and culture will only lead to a better appreciation of what a fair resolution can and must be.

Finally, and importantly, the mission engages constantly with the varied, active and incredibly vibrant Palestinian community in the UK at all levels: from cultural to the political. This exile community, like all Palestinian exile communities, is the backbone of our struggle.

The Palestinian community’s continued engagement in and passion for Palestine is vital to our business, and our struggle for justice and equality.