A Twin For Tower Hamlets

"[I]n 2002, Jenin camp suffered a serious military incursion by the Israeli army during the second Palestinian Intifada or ‘uprising’. Forty percent of the camp was destroyed, many people were killed including non-combatant women and children."

That's an excerpt from the website of the Tower Hamlets Jenin Friendship Association.

In once heavily Jewish but now heavily Muslim Tower Hamlets  the Mayor and his Cabinet have already approved a proposal to twin Tower Hamlets with Jenin, and the following form letter is being sent to councillors from the ruling Labour group ahead of the full council meeting tomorrow:

"Dear Councillor

I am writing to you to ask for your support for the motion to be proposed at the Council meeting on Wednesday, to twin the borough of Tower Hamlets with the Province of Jenin in Palestine.

I believe that such a twinning would be of great mutual benefit to the people in both areas. The Palestinian people of Jenin are reaching out for international relationships and support and in my view the vast majority of people in Tower Hamlets would like to enter into such a relationship. At the same time, this would be of benefit to the people here in Tower Hamlets, as they learn about the lives of the Palestinian people, and our schools, colleges and other community groups can be enriched by the connections made.

Such links can also contribute to the pursuance of social justice in this part of the world, as twinning can provide an expression of hope that one day all the people there, whether they be Muslim, Jewish, Christian, or of no faith, may live together peacefully." 

Can anyone doubt that the call will be heeded?