Gary Spedding

About Gary Spedding


Gary Spedding is a writer, blogger and activist covering the Israel – Palestine conflict. He is also currently an undergraduate student in Applied Biology with the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Northumbria University. In 2010, he became involved with the Holy Land Trust – a non-governmental organisation that aspires to strengthen and empower the peoples of the Holy Land (in particular Israelis and Palestinians) to engage in spiritual, pragmatic and strategic paths that will end all forms of oppression.

Through the Holy Land Trust, he learned the importance of nonviolence and the need to create space for healing of historic wounds in order to transform communities and conflicts, whilst building a future to make the Holy Land a global model for understanding, respect, justice, equality and peace.

An active personality in conversations surrounding conflict resolution and transformation – Gary has given speeches at numerous public events on the subjects of peace, reconciliation, and inter-community dialogue whilst also studying Middle East conflict dynamics, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as conflict resolution in Northern Ireland.

Gary is a regular contributor for PinkNews.co.uk and also occasionally writes articles for 972mag.com, a new Israeli online English magazine. He has published articles in the Belfast Telegraph, Left Foot Forward, the Palestine News Network, Huffington Post UK, and others. He has also provided analysis for radio programs on BBC World Service and is often on BBC Radio Ulster discussing Northern Ireland politics.

During his time at Queen's University Belfast (2010 - 13), Gary founded the Queen's University Belfast Palestine Solidarity Society, whilst also participating in the democratic system of the QUB Students' Union as an elected student council member for three years running.

In 2013 Gary was long listed for the Amnesty International UK, National Union of Students and the Observer’s Student Human Rights Reporter of the Year award.
He is currently writing a book with a working title ‘ Transforming conflict, ending bloodshed – Lessons from Northern Ireland: Daring proposals for a just peace in Israel-Palestine‘ discussing what can be taken from the Northern Ireland peace process and subsequent agreement that might apply in Israel – Palestine. The book is expected to be ready for publishing in 2016.