Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) is a parliamentary group, affiliated to the Labour Party, that promotes support for a strong bilateral relationship between Britain and Israel. It also seeks to strengthen ties between the British and the Israeli Labor party. Labour Friends of Israel supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Israel recognised and secure within its borders and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.
Founded in October 1957 at a public rally at the Labour Party Conference, it has developed into one of the largest special interest groups in the Labour Party, drawing wide support from Members of Parliament and Government Ministers. Labour Friends of Israel has a large membership, organised into local branches. Seeking to strengthen the bond between the British Labour Party and the Israeli Labor Party, it organises meetings in both the UK and Israel between senior figures. In 2003 it described itself as "a Westminster based lobby group working within the British Labour Party to promote the State of Israel".
In 2011, Labour Friends of Israel adopted a new strategy of becoming a wider membership organisation and operating under the slogan "Working Towards a Two-State Solution". In 2010, Jennifer Gerber, previously director of Progress, was appointed Director, and in 2011 John Woodcock was appointed Chair. Dame Anne McGuire succeeded Woodcock as chair in May 2013. In 2015 Joan Ryan, MP for Enfield North, succeeded McGuire, becoming the new chair.
The Labour Friends of Israel is a distinct organisation to the Jewish Labour Movement, the affiliated socialist society and successor to the UK's Poale Zion.
It has been described as "less unquestioning in its support of the Israeli government than the Conservative Friends of Israel". Between 2001 and 2009 the Labour Friends of Israel paid for more than 60 MPs to visit Israel, more than any other group.
The charitable Yigal Allon Educational Trust, founded in 1985 by former Prime Minister Harold Wilson, Ian Mikardo MP, Lord Glenamara and others, has supported Labour Friends of Israel.
Members of LFI
In alphabetical order, former and current members of Labour Friends of Israel include: