EARLIER this week in Parliament town MP Karen Lumley voted in favour of a motion saying ‘That this house believes that the Government should recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two state solution.’

The motion, put forward by Labour MP Grahame Morris and amended by former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, was agreed to by 274 to 12.

The MP has said she has received a large amount of correspondence on the issue from across Redditch and has met with a number of people on both sides of the argument.

On Sunday she met with a group of Palestinian teachers who are in Redditch to work with children at Woodrow First School, as part of an exchange programme that has also seen the school visit the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Mrs Lumley said that these exchanges have a huge impact on the local community, especially the children.

She has both this year, and in previous years, assisted with ensuring that the Palestinian teachers are able to get visas for the duration of the exchange.

“In the recent conflict, it is estimated that 69 Israelis and 2,104 Palestinians sadly lost their lives," she said.

"This shows the urgent need for progress towards a sustainable two-state solution to be made.

"I welcome the ceasefire agreed at the end of August and the agreement from Israel to open more of its border crossings with Gaza. Both sides must get round the table to find a negotiated solution."

Mrs Lumley added: "We need to persuade the Palestinians and those who have supported Hamas that terrorist attacks and rocket attacks on Israel will not bring Palestinian statehood closer, but also remember that they are in no way representative of the ordinary peaceful living population.

"I voted in favour of this motion because of the millions of ordinary Palestinians that want their state to be recognised, such as those teachers I met at Woodrow First School last week.

"We must work towards this two-state solution which can only be brought about through negotiated agreement, leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a sovereign Palestinian state.”