Outrage over church Israeli 'war crimes' show

Manchester's Jewish communal leaders have raised serious concerns with the Church of England's senior churchman in the city this week after its principal cathedral hosted an exhibition which its organisers claim is evidence of Israeli war crimes.

Manchester Cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of Manchester, is hosting the Loss of Innocence exhibition, 50 drawings by Palestinian children which include gruesome depictions of Israel's 2009 Gaza operation.

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Amnesty calls for further Gaza probe

Amnesty International has called for further action to ensure that the perpetrators of alleged war crimes in last year's Gaza conflict are brought to book.

In February, the United Nations set a five-month deadline for Israel and the Palestinians to mount "credible" investigations into the conflict which expired on Monday.

In an official statement, Amnesty said this week: "A year and a half after the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel ended, the victims have yet to obtain justice, truth or full reparations; the perpetrators on both sides have yet to be held to account."

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Full text of anti-Israel activist acquittal revealed

The full transcript has been revealed for the first time of a judge's summing-up in the trial of seven anti-Israel activists acquitted of damaging an arms factory in January 2009.

Judge George Bathurst-Norman had told the jury at Lewes Crown Court that the group's leader should be awarded the George Cross for his campaign.

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We cannot let millions more die

It was only a little article on the JC's website but it was one of the most heart-warming to read in a while. Yet again, Israel - so often the subject of bad press around the world - was rapidly responding with real aid to a humanitarian crisis.

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Call for re-trial after 'shocking' summing-up

The full transcript has been revealed for the first time of a judge's summing-up in the trial of seven anti-Israel activists acquitted of damaging an arms factory.

Judge George Bathurst-Norman had told the jury at Lewes Crown Court that the group's leader should be awarded the George Cross for his campaign.

The group were cleared last month of causing £180,000 of damage to the EDO MBM factory in Brighton after they claimed they had acted "to prevent Israeli war crimes".

The company denied ever supplying Israel with arms equipment.

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Schools on alert as child snatchers stalk streets

Police have appealed for calm after reports of four attempts to snatch school children in south Manchester.

North Cheshire Jewish Primary school, in Cheadle, received a warning along with other Stockport schools after four attempted abductions were reported to police in two weeks.

Three children had to break free after being grabbed by a lone man in several locations across the borough. Two of the incidents occurred last week as they went home from primary schools in Hazel Grove and Brinnington Park, a few miles from the Cheadle Jewish school.

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BNP man jailed for anti-fascist demo attack

A BNP party member has been convicted of attacking an anti-fascist demonstrator, in a protracted court saga.

Peter Tierney, 53, from Liverpool, was found guilty by a unanimous verdict at Liverpool Crown Court last Thursday for smashing Nicholas Barnett over the head with a camera tripod.

The incident, which took place on St George’s Day last year, saw BNP supporters and members of Merseyside Coalition against Racism and Fascism clash in Liverpool’s city centre.

Mr Barnett required hospital treatment after the incident.

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