Reaching beyond borders through Palestine link

Portsmouth's official friendship link with Birzeit, Palestine, aims to "reach beyond borders and politics to build genuine understanding and hope.

- by Toby Paine

Portsmouth City Council's Liberal Democrat cabinet has formally approved the new arrangement with the Palestinian town.

The decision to pursue a link with a Palestinian community was intended to balance the city's longstanding sister-city relationship with Haifa, Israel, which has been in place since 1963.

Addressing councillors, Christine Elember, a member of the Palestine Twinning Network, noted that while Portsmouth and other cities often twin for economic and cultural reasons, "you've also linked with places purely for solidarity and friendship".

She said such friendship is "really important at the moment for the people of Palestine".