Professor Kamel Hawwash is a British Palestinian engineering academic dedicated to engineering education and justice. He is well-known for his advocacy concerning Palestinian rights and has been a vocal critic of Israeli policies.
Hawwash has contributed to various publications such as Middle East Monitor, Middle East Eye, TRT World, and the New Arab, providing perspectives on Palestinian issues. He has held the position of Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and is a founding member of the British Palestinian Committee.
Professor Hawwash has announced his candidacy for the UK Parliament as an independent candidate for Birmingham Selly Oak. He is standing against Steve McCabe MP, the current Chair of Labour Friends of Israel, whom he criticizes for supporting what he terms "genocidal #ApartheidIsrael." This announcement coincided with the call for a General Election by Rishi Sunak.
Professor Hawwash is part of Reliance, a political movement aiming to challenge the two-party system prevalent in British politics. From its base in Birmingham, Reliance plans to field many independent candidates in the 2024 General Election.
The movement's key policy commitments include developing ethical foreign policy, enhancing workers rights, improving health and social care delivery, raising education standards, ensuring better access to housing, and enabling true community cohesion. Reliance emphasizes prioritizing the needs of people over political parties.
Hawwash campaigns for addressing the injustices faced by Palestinian people and supports the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. His candidacy represents an effort to shift parliamentary representation away from party interests and towards addressing the priorities of the people, particularly in foreign policy and community relations.