The $30 million quuestion: Who is Kamel Hawwash?

Kamel Hawwash, a Green Party councillor, has been appointed to a senior role overseeing children and families at Birmingham City Council. The move comes after months of controversy surrounding Hawwash's past comments on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

According to reports, Hawwash shared a post on his website titled '10 days since Al-Aqsa Flood: Courage in the face of aggression.' The post referred to the October 7 Hamas attacks as 'Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.'

Hawwash, a former professor of civil engineering at the University of Birmingham and former chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, has previously made several controversial statements regarding Israel. Among them were claims that Israel had 'killed its own citizens, including children' during the October 7 attacks, allegations that have been widely disputed.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

The appointment of Hawwash has sparked criticism over his past comments on the Israel-Gaza conflict. His deputy, Mumtaz Hussain, has also faced scrutiny over her stance on issues related to Israel. Hussain led calls to prevent supporters of Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending a Europa League fixture at Villa Park in November.

As a member of the safety advisory group, she supported efforts urging West Midlands Police to ban away fans from the match. The decision proved highly controversial, prompting accusations that police had yielded to pressure from pro-Palestinian activists and contributing to the resignation of Chief Constable Craig Guildford .

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The decision to appoint Hawwash to a senior role has raised questions about the motivations behnd the move. Who is the unnamed buyer behind the Green Party's appointment of a councillor with a history of making controversial comments about Israel?

According to reports, Hawwash was named Cabinet Member for Children and Families as part of Birmingham's new coalition administration involving the Liberal Democrats, Greens, and Independents.. The appointment has sparked criticism over Hawwash's past comments on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Tehran's two-track response

The controversy surrounding Hawwash's appointment has sparked a two-track response from the community. Some have praised the move, citing the need for more diverse representation on the council. Others have expressed concern over Hawwash's past comments and the potential impact on the city's children and families.

As the debate continues, one thing is clear: the appointment of Kamel Hawwash has sparked a heated discussion about the role of politics in Birmingham's city council.