A delegation of English-speaking residents of Sderot and the surrounding region are in Europe this week to meet with parliamentarians, journalists and other leaders in an effort to personally and directly communicate the effects of the Palestinian Authority's terrorist war on Israel.

The delegation, the second of its kind, is sponsored by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization.

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The latest delegation, three women and one man, left Israel on Sunday and is traveling to London, Dublin and Copenhagen. The members of the English-speaking Sderot delegation are Yitzhak Elner, Ayelet-HaShachar Epstein, Tal Pichovich and Mor Yehudai. A French-speaking delegation left for several Francophone nations at the end of last month.



According to the Foreign Ministry, the aim of the delegations is to present Israel's position in the war against PA terrorism, "in light of the current security situation and because of the unbalanced reporting in the international media." In their meetings with the European opinion-makers and leaders, the delegates will describe their personal experiences of years under constant PA rocket attack, and the effects it has had on their families, businesses and daily lives.



Prior to their departure, the delegates participated in a preparatory workshop organized by the Foreign Ministry. They received briefings on political and media-related subjects, as well as instruction on appropriate methods of interacting with the media.



In one of their first set of meetings, which took place in London, the Sderot delegates met with members of the British House of Commons. They urged the British representatives to raise the issue of the Israeli victims of PA terrorist bombardment in the government, as well as to leverage whatever pressure they could on the PA to put an end to the attacks.



Several Conservative Party MPs, including William Hague (Shadow Foreign Secretary) and Keith Simpson (Shadow Foreign Minister for the Middle East), pledged support for the residents of Sderot. They expressed understanding that in order for peace to advance, the missiles had to stop coming from Gaza. Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith stated that he would do what he could to publicize the difficulties faced by Sderot residents.

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Arutz Sheva launches Sderot Solidarity Week this Sunday, June 10th

Solidarity Bus Trip departs from Jerusalem's Binyanei HaUma Sunday at 8:30am

Sign Up for Trip!

Also on Sunday 12-hour Arutz Sheva Radio broadcast and
telethon from Sderot.