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Idea to twin Worcester with Gaza City is just plain daft

7:10am Thursday 26th February 2009


IT REALLY is one of those “you couldn’t make it up” stories. Worcester City Council has asked the local twinning association to consider a proposal to link up with Gaza City.

We find it remarkable that our elected representatives found the time to even discuss this issue given the parlous financial state the city council finds itself in. Yet they did and even voted to pass on the proposal from Councillor Alan Amos, in an amended form, to the twinning association for a decision.

Why? Could councillors not decide for themselves that it is a daft idea?

We do not doubt Councillor Amos’ honourable motives in seeking to help the people of a city he believes to be the subject of an atrocity. But surely calling for Worcester to contribute aid to Gaza would have been a more sensible proposal?

Twinning is an utterly impractical idea. The purpose of twinning is to learn about other cultures through visitor – and particularly youth – exchanges. We would love to know how that would work with Gaza City.

Would Hamas have a stall at the Christmas Fayre in Worcester along with our other twinning partners such as Kleve and Le Vesinet? Would we send schoolchildren from Worcester to one of the most dangerous places on earth on an exchange trip?

That is what twinning means. Every councillor who voted for the amended proposal to ask the twinning association to make a decision knows that.

We fail to understand why the council did not simply reject this proposal and we suspect many of our readers will share our views.

UPDATE: Worcester News Editor Kevin Ward has been interviewed about this running story for BBC Midlands Today. The programme can be seen on BBC1 this evening (Thursday, Feb 26) at 6.30pm.

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Tp46, worcester says...
7:37am Thu 26 Feb 09

Absolutely bonkers to even suggest the idea is, this what we elect our councillors for? A complete waste of time and money.
No doubt we will see them at the Victorian Fayre

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Pomygranit, St Johns says...
8:22am Thu 26 Feb 09

If this is all that some of our elected representatives can do then what hope have we for this city. Whilst the offensive by Israel was out of all proportion and seemed to target civilians as opposed to the perpetrators, to form links with an organisation whose stated intent is the destruction of another country is obscene.
Alan Amos should be ashamed of bringing this issue into local politics.
If the twinning association was to back this proposal they too should made accountable to those that fund them.

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Phil Carney, Worcester says...
8:50am Thu 26 Feb 09

Congratulations to our City Councillors for passing the motion on Gaza. This will send a profound message across the world. For once the Council is showing true leadership, & is representing the concerns of the citizens, young & old. We ARE our brother's keeper, whether in Dines Green or Gaza. Well Done!

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KM, Worcester says...
8:51am Thu 26 Feb 09

What were amos's intentions?

1, Rank anti-Semitism?
2, to help a troubled area? well the
world is full of those,without the
political and religious ramifications
3, A cynical attempt to procure the "asian " vote.
Could amos please tell us the thinking behind this ill thought out Idea!
Also could we please have for the record the names of all who voted for it.

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Moggz09, Eastnor says...
8:53am Thu 26 Feb 09

Congratulations to Worcester City council on a brave move and bold statement. Hamas' official stated goals are no longer the destruction of Israel. Why do people dwell on the Governments former policies? They've agreed to the Internationally accepted two state solution.
Let Gaza city have their trade stands and have a much needed outlet for Palestinian goods. Don't send children, but by all means send adults and young adults to Gaza City to learn what they are living through first hand. It's not like individuals would be "forced" to go. I'd love the opportunity to go whatever the risks. Many Westerners are brave enough to work as human shields for ambulances in Gaza and I have the utmost respect for this. It is disgraceful that ambulances require guard from Western citizens in order they don't get attacked.
I have many friends who have been, and it would be very beneficial for more people to learn about the Palestinians situation first hand, meet the citizens, and learn from there experiences.
This is a glimmer of hope in a dark time. If only our national Government could be so bold as Worcester Council.

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trebor, worcester says...
9:53am Thu 26 Feb 09

But does Gaza City have any wish or will to twin with Worcester? How many Gaza citizens even know where Worcester is?

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Arky, worcester says...
9:55am Thu 26 Feb 09

Councillors shouldnt waste all there time on foreign issues.

We have vunerable people here to.

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Justintime, Worcester says...
10:10am Thu 26 Feb 09

Phil Carney, Who are you to say that for once the council is representing the concerns of the citizens ? how do you know what other peoples concerns are ? Do not try to pass off your tin pot ideas as being representative of others. We all have our own opinions. mine is that the idea is absolutely mad and I wonder of the true motives of those supporting such moves. Yes there are humanitarian issues, just like there are all over the world so how can you choose to support one over another ?

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Tp46, worcester says...
10:27am Thu 26 Feb 09

For a moment I was trying to remember if it was April Fools day !!!!

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WISHBONE, Rushwick says...
11:01am Thu 26 Feb 09

Alan Thomas Amos (born 10 November 1952) is a British Labour politician, and former Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Hexham in Northumberland between 1987 and 1992.

In Parliament, Amos was known for his right wing views, e.g. he believed rapists and muggers should be flogged. Shortly before the 1992 general election he was cautioned by police after an alleged indecency incident on Hampstead Heath and he did not fight his seat at the election.

After seeking, but failing, to be readopted as a local councillor in the London Borough of Enfield, where he had been previously been Deputy Leader of the Council, he joined the Labour Party in 1994, giving an exculpatory interview to The Spectator magazine, and in the 2001 general election fought the Hitchin and Harpenden constituency for Labour, coming second to the Conservatives' Peter Lilley. He was elected for Labour to the Millwall ward of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 2002, serving as councillor for four years before losing the seat to the Conservatives in 2006. He returned to local politics in May 2008 with his election to the Warndon ward of Worcester City Council.


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lucky2bhere, Worcester says...
11:27am Thu 26 Feb 09

I've always thought that part of being in the Twinning Association is that when we can, we host visitors from our twin towns and also visit and forge links. Given the rise in security alerts will I have to expect the security services to pay a call if I offer to put anyone up? I'd have thought that offers of aid or practical assistance might be more relevant to the people in Gaza, and there's already other ways of sending aid there for those who choose to. Has Councillor Amos actually asked the Gaza people if they've heard of Worcester? If the Council ever do get round to putting up signs celebrating our twin towns by the motorway junctions it will be interesting to gauge Tourist reactions... "Worcester - twinned with Gaza". Perhaps that's why bodies like Visit Worcester etc have been in difficulties...

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countrylass, malvern says...
11:29am Thu 26 Feb 09

Now we all know the truth .. The Councellors are living in lala land .. Leave politics out of twinning . look after the people here first .

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CJH, Worcester says...
11:48am Thu 26 Feb 09

Why would we want to be twinned with an ex-footballer who has fallen on hard times?

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Common Sense, Pershore says...
12:03pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Absolutely barking!

Although, on reflection, there are some similarities - a no-go town centre late at night and ambulances and staff being attacked, planes endlessly circling overhead but I think it probably ends there.

Is the food better out there? Is the weather better? Do they speak English? The apt buzz phrase for this exercise is probably "don't even go there!"

...and it's a very long way away.

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longrangerover, Bromsgrove says...
12:18pm Thu 26 Feb 09

"Common Sense", I think you might have a point. I bet the Gazans are 'up in arms'!

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hotfuzz, Worcestershire says...
12:56pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Wouldn't it be a nice gesture of goodwill for a paid trip for those who thought of and supported this idea to visit their twinned town and take a tour of the area - upstairs in an open-top bus.

I can see the similarities between the two cities - lawlessness prevailing being the main one!

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Paul Griffiths, Worcester-in-Spirit says...
1:27pm Thu 26 Feb 09

I'm pretty sure that the Worcester Twinning Association gets no taxpayer funding.

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RichardASK, Kempsey says...
2:41pm Thu 26 Feb 09

I would say 'words fail me' regarding this ridiculous twinning with Gaza, but that wouldn't be much use on a comments page. Why is Councillor Amos importing the usual nonsensical politics from certain parts of London? It's not needed here, Mr. Amos. I wonder what gave him his 'Road to Damascus' political transformation from right to left? Maybe, most will not be that interested, but I would ask his electors, please remember his part in this debarcle, when he is next due for election and deal with him appropriately. Fortunately, we do have a remedy in this country, it's called a vote.

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ricpop, worcester says...
3:31pm Thu 26 Feb 09

What utter rubbish, however perhaps we could get Hamas to advise WCC on next years firework dispaly!!

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Worcester-born, Worcester says...
5:22pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Twinning with Gaza is highly political and divisive, and it is hard to see that it has much public support.

The demos in front of the Guildhall at the height of the conflict were small, and largely ignored by passers-by.

The council has enough trouble providing the services it is supposed to, let alone embarking on foreign policy initiatives.

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Cromwell of Worcester, Worcester says...
5:48pm Thu 26 Feb 09

If this is all this lot of brain dead Councilors can come up with to gain a piece of publicity, heaven help us.If they wish to do any constructive good .Why not put all their allowances and other freebies they get. for one whole year.Into a bank account, Then with the, what would it come to 90-100 odd thousand pound. Buy Medical equipment,etc,I'm shore they can get hold a vehicle, get Amos to drive the thing .That gets rid of that dip-stick mark one for a while.I sure the destitute people of the Gaza region would welcome the aide with open arms.And to top it say nothing about their good deed. No doubt this will not happen, but if it did. Then I would personally applaud them and give each and every Councilor a pat on the head and a lump of sugar,for their unselfish effort.

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Cromwell of Worcester, Worcester says...
5:48pm Thu 26 Feb 09

If this is all this lot of brain dead Councilors can come up with to gain a piece of publicity, heaven help us.If they wish to do any constructive good .Why not put all their allowances and other freebies they get. for one whole year.Into a bank account, Then with the, what would it come to 90-100 odd thousand pound. Buy Medical equipment,etc,I'm shore they can get hold a vehicle, get Amos to drive the thing .That gets rid of that dip-stick mark one for a while.I sure the destitute people of the Gaza region would welcome the aide with open arms.And to top it say nothing about their good deed. No doubt this will not happen, but if it did. Then I would personally applaud them and give each and every Councilor a pat on the head and a lump of sugar,for their unselfish effort.

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Cromwell of Worcester, Worcester says...
5:48pm Thu 26 Feb 09

If this is all this lot of brain dead Councilors can come up with to gain a piece of publicity, heaven help us.If they wish to do any constructive good .Why not put all their allowances and other freebies they get. for one whole year.Into a bank account, Then with the, what would it come to 90-100 odd thousand pound. Buy Medical equipment,etc,I'm shore they can get hold a vehicle, get Amos to drive the thing .That gets rid of that dip-stick mark one for a while.I sure the destitute people of the Gaza region would welcome the aide with open arms.And to top it say nothing about their good deed. No doubt this will not happen, but if it did. Then I would personally applaud them and give each and every Councilor a pat on the head and a lump of sugar,for their unselfish effort.

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Cromwell of Worcester, Worcester says...
5:49pm Thu 26 Feb 09

If this is all this lot of brain dead Councilors can come up with to gain a piece of publicity, heaven help us.If they wish to do any constructive good .Why not put all their allowances and other freebies they get. for one whole year.Into a bank account, Then with the, what would it come to 90-100 odd thousand pound. Buy Medical equipment,etc,I'm shore they can get hold a vehicle, get Amos to drive the thing .That gets rid of that dip-stick mark one for a while.I sure the destitute people of the Gaza region would welcome the aide with open arms.And to top it say nothing about their good deed. No doubt this will not happen, but if it did. Then I would personally applaud them and give each and every Councilor a pat on the head and a lump of sugar,for their unselfish effort.

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loulou2, worcs says...
5:57pm Thu 26 Feb 09

What will they do next. This makes Worcester a laughing stock, why do we need to be twinned with anyone else, havent we got enough! Maybe a public vote should be taken to see what the people of worcester want. Do the conservatives want to continue running the council, they wont if they carry on like this.

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presterjohn, Worcester says...
6:09pm Thu 26 Feb 09

I'm fine with it as long as we get to twin with Tel Aviv too.

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Should not be, london says...
6:11pm Thu 26 Feb 09

So lets get this straight, they want to twin with Gaza, who's ideology (islam) calls for our destruction (as well as israels). What sort of politically correct fools are we allowing to represent us here?

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Should not be, london says...
6:24pm Thu 26 Feb 09

taqiyya and dissimulation (concealment, suppression, disguise, camouflage, dishonesty, subterfuge), are words used for a practice of Muslims blatantly lying to non-Muslims about what islam is and teaches.

All but some of the most fundamental Muslims consider the act of Al-taqiyya or lying to non-Muslims to be a good work. This is very important when one remembers that, in Islam, salvation is determined by good works. This means that a Muslim lying to a non-Muslim is that Muslim doing a good work to earn salvation

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jb, worcester says...
6:44pm Thu 26 Feb 09

And I suppose they will be proposing the boss of RBS as head of finances at this meeting too!

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Miscellany 1, worcester says...
6:49pm Thu 26 Feb 09

From what I gather the wonderful Mr. Foster encouraged this idea, it should also be mentioned that Mr. Amos in on the twinning committee!
What chance do we have with these two let loose.
I would also like to know why 6 councillors abstained, is it so that they can say it wasn't me that voted for it and the next round of elections !! they should vote one way or the other not sit on the fence, we voted them in to VOTE if unable to to do then stand down.

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clerken, malvern says...
6:52pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Lets all hope that Amos and the rest of the brain dead who voted for this (and their supporters) are the first to travel there, and stay there.

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Energetic, Malvern says...
7:04pm Thu 26 Feb 09

"So lets get this straight, they want to twin with Gaza, who's ideology (islam) calls for our destruction (as well as israels)."

Too late, Should-not-be! A previous Council destroyed Worcester when they allowed the building of the Crowndale development.

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jandahall, droirwich says...
7:46pm Thu 26 Feb 09

tone-high

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jandahall, droirwich says...
7:54pm Thu 26 Feb 09

What an absolute waste of our council tax money when this council cannot even provide meals for our elderly citizens in sheltered accomodation.
If this goes ahead I shall be applying for a council tax rebate on behalf of my Father and Father in law who fought in the war and have not paid taxes to have their money WASTED!

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nameema, bristol says...
8:08pm Thu 26 Feb 09

I would like to congratulate and applaud Worcester City council for their bold and humanitarian move to twin with Gaza. I sincerely hope that this action will in some way aid the plight of the Palestinian people. Raising awareness of the suffering of a much-maligned people is indeed a noble cause and one which I wholly support. I am certain that these actions will be pilloried and politicised and seen as pointless. However, as someone who is Worcester born and bred, I see this gesture of solidarity with the Palestinian people as something to be proud of.

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billbsm, says...
10:13pm Thu 26 Feb 09

i am not local to worchester but listened to the interview on radio 2 today with the council leader and comments made by local people. i have also read all the comments listed on the subject.
i have 3 comments which i would like to share.
1. i wish my local council (brighton) had the forsight and "balls" to think of this.
2. some peoples understanding of "twinning" is not correct. you twin with the people of the town/city not the goverment and in doing this i hope worchester are giving the "people" of gaza some hope that they are not alone.
3. more of the comments are -ve and people should look at themselves a bit harder.
thanks for the chance to have my say.

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WestBromBaggie, Stourbridge says...
10:29pm Thu 26 Feb 09

I feel this is a wonderful idea, and anyone on this planet can quote me on this.

Gaza is a much maligned city which deserves our full support, I even suggest an increase of a few percentage points on Worcesters council tax to pay for additional aid to the city of Gaza.

People in this city who are saying this is a stupid idea are typical knee jerk Tories. Not worth bothering with in my humble opinion

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DermotItis, Northwick says...
10:40pm Thu 26 Feb 09

We are talking about people who voted in a Government who consider us to be infidels, and it is not a crime to murder us, in fact it will guarantee them a place in heaven.

So, it seems that the morons who dreamed up this idiotic idea, want us to be murdered down the Shambles by suicide bombers!

The time has come to rid the council of these imbeciles! No wonder we are in trouble when these low intelligence morons are making the decisions that affect us.


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Give peace a chance, london says...
10:55pm Thu 26 Feb 09

I am aghast at the proposal to twin Worcester with GAZA. GAZA is controlled by HAMAS - an organisation considered to be little more that TERRORIST by most governments - we need to give peace a chance ...not provide support for such people

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CJH, Worcester says...
11:27pm Thu 26 Feb 09

I'm sure that Gaza could do with some bus lanes. Now who could we send to advise them...

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Sergeant, Worcester says...
11:32pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Take note, this is Labour councillors bringing Worcester into disrepute, not Conservatives. They are barking mad, not all Councillors, but certainly the Labour lot! God forbid they should ever take control of the City Council.

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PercyB, Pershore says...
12:13am Fri 27 Feb 09

THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS

Lack of political intelligence (any intelligence for that matter) is surely now evidenced as being at the heart of Worcester City Council.

I believe we all feel for the people of Gaza and Israel who at the end of the day want nothing more than the freedoms and security that we enjoy and take for granted. But this is a political, religious and cultural challenge that only they can resolve. The alternative is perpetual conflict.

The council are proposing to twin Worcester with Gaza. Which I feel is tampering at its most dangerous and shows complete lack of understanding of what is currently a very fragile situation...Percepti
on unfortunately is 9/10 reality, especially in this media-led world and no matter with what intentions this idea may have hatched, ultimately it will and is being seen as a discriminatory and divisive proposal.
The proposal may not be ill founded (I am sure good intentions were abundant) But it is thoroughly ill thought-out and demonstrates little or no political savvy at all.

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WestBromBaggie, Stourbridge says...
1:03am Fri 27 Feb 09

Sergeant from Worcester above:

You are an idiot Sir, how dare you call Labour barking mad?
It's old duffer Tories like you who have made this country go down the pan.
So think on before you judge decent hard working Labour councillors

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Logik, Worcester says...
1:21am Fri 27 Feb 09

WestBromBaggie wrote:
Sergeant from Worcester above:

You are an idiot Sir, how dare you call Labour barking mad?
It's old duffer Tories like you who have made this country go down the pan.
So think on before you judge decent hard working Labour councillors
I think it is quite clear just who the idiot is. And if you think this is such a good idea then you put up the money 'cos I certainly don't want to.

It is people like you that keep this Labour lot in power. Astoundingly you seem to think that Tories have sent this country down then pan. For God's sake wake up and look around you - this Country is down the pan because of 12 years of Nu-Labour. The Scotsman currently at the helm of the sinking ship GB is wholly culpable and is now throwing money around that will take generations to recover.

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Common Sense, Pershore says...
8:19am Fri 27 Feb 09

I agree, Logik - there's none so blind, as those that won't see the barn door right in front of them!

However, I think the message that Labour is "bad news" is slowly getting through to most people, now.

Goodness - I hope it is!

My only concern is, with what or whom do we replace them? NONE of the alternatives really give me what I would like to see happen in this country.

"Aye! there's the wee rub - look you!"

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nameema, bristol says...
9:21am Fri 27 Feb 09

As predicted, this bold move by Worcester City council is being politicised in this column. How sad. Not all Palestinian people support the actions of Hamas. Certainly not the children of Gaza who, I suspect, do not understand their predicament. How it can be seen as descriminatory and divisive to offer support to help re-build the shattered and crushed lives of the Palestinian people is beyond me. Worcester is the good Samaritan.

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davidwtug, St Johns Worcester says...
9:27am Fri 27 Feb 09

now i know why Isaac Walk was left
after 5 years fighting it still looks like Gaza,craters -drains on top of humps-tank tracks in verges and great holes for fox holes
Come on do your job for which you were elected

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BanjoLegs, St Johns says...
10:32am Fri 27 Feb 09

I shall be showing my support for this wonderful idea by firing rockets at those infidel neighbours in Droitwich Spa.

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Dexi, Worcestershire says...
2:17pm Fri 27 Feb 09

Twinning with Gaza is an exceptional idea and your Comment on it was ridiculous!

Does the political elected parties in Kleve or Le Vesinet have stalls at the Christmas Fayre? No, it's the people of those towns, as it would be if it was Gaza City.

For our youth to find out what it was like, from the children of a war zone to live day to day, would be valuable knowledge for their future. Whether our youth would travel there , it would be their own and their parents choice. As for their safety - ask the Israelis!

At last politicians with some guts, bravo Alan Amos and fellow councillors who voted for this!

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Dexi, Worcestershire says...
2:18pm Fri 27 Feb 09

Twinning with Gaza is an exceptional idea and your Comment on it was ridiculous!

Does the political elected parties in Kleve or Le Vesinet have stalls at the Christmas Fayre? No, it's the people of those towns, as it would be if it was Gaza City.

For our youth to find out what it was like, from the children of a war zone to live day to day, would be valuable knowledge for their future. Whether our youth would travel there , it would be their own and their parents choice. As for their safety - ask the Israelis!

At last politicians with some guts, bravo Alan Amos and fellow councillors who voted for this!

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Cliff Ringworm, Worcester says...
10:00am Sat 28 Feb 09

ALL Tories voted for this.

This was a Labour proposal, Labour councillors were by no means unanimous in their support.

All this criticism of Labour councillors seems very misplaced, and our Labour MP has spoken very clearly against the idea.

How come the Tories are getting off scot-free here? Cllr Tibbutt moved the amended proposal, but has since gone on to distance himself from the whole thing. Have some lead in your pencil, Dr Tibbutt, and don't run away when things get awkward.

The Tory role in this is very conveniently forgotten by the media, by this paper, and by bloggers.

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chrisnewmanuk, Worcester says...
11:25am Sun 1 Mar 09

Congratulations Mr Amos and the City Council. You have just aligned us to a terrorist organisation - regardless of your intention.

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