SPSC Winter 2011 newsletter

7/29/2019 SPSC Winter 2011 newsletter

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Sheriff at Cupar Trial: Saying that a state is terrorist

says that everyone within the state is terrorist."

On August 23rd student Paul Donnachie was found guilty in Cupar Sheriff Court of racially

aggravated conduct after showing contempt for an Israeli flag on the wall of a two-bed student

residence shared by his friend and an American Zionist. The Sheriff took five minutes after the

closing submissions to hand down his guilty verdict and called for a social enquiry report, often

a signal to all concerned to expect a harsh, or even a custodial, sentence. Within the hour, PaulDonnachie received a letter of expulsion from St Andrews University.

Sheriff Charles MacNair based his guilty verdict partly on his characterisation of US citizen

Reitblatt as a member of Israel. MacNair earlier overturned his own previous decision,

delivered in open court, to hear the evidence of three expert witnesses called by the defence.

Academic witnesses including two leading members of Scottish Jews for a Just Peace and the

chair of Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign were left in the witness room while Sheriff

MacNair exhibited an ignorance of the subjects the witnesses would have illuminated.

Reitblatt stated in court his opposition to international law, his belief that there was no Israelioccupation of any part of Palestine, and his political commitment to Zionist Jews' right to control

the entirety of Israel and Palestine, as well as parts of Syria and Egypt.


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SAME OLD SONG: US SUPPORTER OF ISRAELI

APARTHEID DISHONESTLY CLAIMS TO BE VICTIM OF

RACISM.By Mick Napier

The Northern Region Jewish Chaplaincy is rushing to smear opponents of Israeli terrorism andethnic cleansing as racist, hoping to build on the bizarre ruling handed down in Cupar Sheriff

Court. During deliberations, Sheriff MacNair called US citizen Chanan Reitblat a member of

Israel.

The press release by the Northern Region (i.e. Scottish) Jewish Chaplaincy claims that Chanan

Reitblat was attacked in his own bedroomHis property was abused[and] he was subjected

to serious harassment and humiliation, was jumped upon in his bed, and had his Jewish identity

questioned and insulted.

Ephraim Borowski, on behalf of SCoJeC (Scottish Council of Jewish Communities) denouncedDonnachies thuggish behaviour...[as] racist action...bullying...and intimidation and accused all

those who deny the allegation that Donnachie was motivated by racism as themselves

racist...hid[ing] their racist stereotyping and violence behind facile lip-service to anti-racism.

This is only one of a long line of unfounded accusations of racism against those

opposing Zionism, both in the UK and around the world.

The claim that Reitblat was attacked is manifestly untrue. Despite the evidence of inebriated

behaviour in poor taste, for which Donnachie rightly apologised, no assault took place, no one

was ever charged with assault and no evidence was presented in court that anyone attackedReitblat. It didnt happen. By his Jewish identity, Rabbi Wayland means his and Reitblats

support for the State of Israel, a wholly political affiliation opposed by supporters of human

rights, including many Jews, who distinguish sharply between the religion of Judaism and the

project of dispossession that is the State of Israel.

Reitblatt also claimed that the insult to the Israeli flag, a gift from his brother while serving in

Israel's Occupation Forces, an army notorious for its human rights violations, had made him

unable to sleep or eat for some days. Paul Donnachie explained that his hostility to the Israeli

flag was based on his anti-racist convictions, and anger at Israeli terrorism against the

Palestinian people. Donnachie explained to Sheriff MacNair his position that "the citizens of a

country cannot be held responsible for the actions of a state". When he had finished, Sheriff

MacNair gave his own opinion that "The state of Israel is the land and its borders and the people

in it...Saying that a state is terrorist says that everyone within the state is terrorist."

Sheriff MacNair claimed he "took no position on the rights and wrongs of the Israel-Palestine

conflict", but stressed that he "was impressed by Reitblatts testimony". MacNair rejected, and

seemed not to understand, Donnachies clear exposition of the difference between a state and

a population. His description of Reitblatt, a Lithuanian-born American citizen who has never

visited Israel/Palestine, as a "member of Israel" seemed to be a key part of his case in convicting

Donnachie on a charge of racism.


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Paul Donnachie and Reitblat knew each other well; the two had socialised extensively in St

Andrews' smallest University hall, as part of a close friendship group, would eat together every

day and had even attended a lecture on the "Economy of the Occupation" by Israeli economist

and activist Shir Hever, organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign. This despite

Reitblat being on the extremist fringe of supporters of Israel, as evidenced by his courtroom

statement that he considers Israel to encompass all the areas it conquered in 1948, 1967, and

1973, i.e. the whole of Palestine plus parts of Egypt, Syria and Lebanon.

The testimony of Matt Cunningham, a witness in the case, stood directly against Reitblat's

uncorroborated claim, accepted by Sheriff MacNair in a clear violation of Scottish legal norms,

that Paul said to Reitblat, "You are a terrorist". It was clear to those who sat through the

proceedings that Sheriff MacNair wanted to accept Reitblats accusation in court that Sam

Colchester Donnachie's fellow accused - had said the same thing. However, given that

Reitblat had admitted at the time of the incident that Sam had done nothing in the room, a fact

known to the investigating police officers and firmly highlighted in court by the Assistant Warden

of the halls of residence, MacNair was unable to disagree when Sams lawyers asserted that

Reitblats testimony was not only uncorroborated, but clearly unreliable and incredible. For theuninitiated, that is lawyer-speak for Reitblat has clearly lied either in court or in his earlier

statements. This will be one of the issues addressed in Paul Donnachies forthcoming appeal.

Even the unreliable and incredible testimony of Reitblatt, however, never at any time included

the claim that he was assaulted by Donnachie.

By the following morning after the incident, almost certainly egged on by Zionist comrades,

Reitblat was claiming that he was unable to eat or sleep. He would later testify in court that he

had had to get out of St Andrews in his fear of Palestinian organisations linked to terrorist

atrocities and seek sanctuary in the Jewish Chaplaincy in Glasgow. He would claim he hadbeen so traumatised that he almost failed important exams. All this trauma because someone

touched his Israeli flag! Truly, this American citizen suffers from the familiar "Israel syndrome":

simultaneously arrogant and prone to violence, whilst at the same time claiming to be terrified

for his safety.

A Zionist political agenda is evident on the part of both SCoJeC and the Jewish Chaplaincy

(whose moral guidance never includes condemnation of Israel burning hundreds of Palestinian

civilians with white phosphorous). The Jewish Chaplaincy press statement is a political one: it

asserts the rights of students to express theiridentification with the State of Israel and

continues, We believe that Israel being singled out for demonizationgoes beyond legitimate

debate. SCoJeC Board member Paul Morron is pleased that Sheriff MacNair has ruled that

because a Jewish person's identity is associated with Israel that criticism can, as in this case,

constitute racialist aggravated behaviour."

support for the State of Israel, a wholly political affiliation

opposed by supporters of human rights, including many

Jews, who distinguish sharply between the religion ofJudaism and the project of dispossession that is the State

of Israel.


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The desire to inhibit and limit criticism of Israel couldnt be clearer; SCoJeC and the Jewish

Chaplaincy aim to put ever larger areas of condemnation of Israel "beyond legitimate debate" as

"racialist aggravated behaviour". The potential effect is clear, when the Palestinian people are

fighting for their existence, facing Israels ruthless programme of ethnic cleansing.

Opponents of Israel's brutal racist system will continue to single out Israel for its abuses ofhuman rights and crimes against humanity, horrors meticulously documented across Palestine

and over decades by, for example, the Goldstone Report. For many Zionists even noting that

Israel is responsible for the killing of hundreds of Palestinian children is judged to be an

anti-Semitic accusation. Its not. Its the well-attested truth. We will continue to promote this

and other truths.

Israel is an important part of my religious belief, said Reitblat. They attacked my beliefs. Now,

George Bush and Tony Blair are Christians, but their very public religiosity doesnt wash away

the blood of their victims or protect them from the contempt of millions. Against the likes of Bush,

Blair, the pro-Buddhist junta in Burma, the Hindu chauvinist BJP in India, the brutal Saudi regimeand its corrupt Ulema, and Zionist Jew Reitblat, a supporter of colonialism, ethnic cleansing and

burning Palestinian civilians with white phosphorous, we can do no better than commend the

words of the courageous American, Fr. Berrigan, "If they come for the innocent without walking

over your body and mine, then a curse on our life and a curse on our religion." We honour all

men and women who fight for justice, from either a secular or religious impulse, and damn all

those who support oppression.

States are not people. Paul Donnachie explained to Sheriff MacNair in simple language his

position that, "The citizens of a country cannot be held responsible for the actions of a state".

Later, Sheriff MacNair gave his own ignorant opinion that, "The state of Israel is the land and its

borders and the people in it... Saying that a state is terrorist says that everyone within the state

is terrorist." All British citizens who opposed the aggressive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan should

ponder on the idiotic and dangerous effusions of the Cupar Sheriff.

This is only one of a long line of unfounded accusations

of racism against those opposing Zionism, both in the UK

and around the world.

The desire to inhibit and limit criticism of Israel couldntbe clearer; SCoJeC and the Jewish Chaplaincy aim to put

ever larger areas of condemnation of Israel "beyond

legitimate debate" as "racialist aggravated behaviour".


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Far from SPSC promoting racist stereotyping and violence behind facile lip-service to

anti-racism, we work tirelessly against Israeli criminality as endorsed by Borowski and Reitblat.

Thankfully, public opinion is swinging strongly against Israeli violations of international law and

the type of racist manifesto for Greater Israel promoted unchallenged in open court by Reitblat.

SCoJeC and the Jewish Chaplaincy accuse SPSC of strident support for bullying, intimidation,

and racist stereotyping. In fact, we oppose their never-ending attempts to conflate

anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism, itself a dangerous and racist campaign to implicate all Jews inIsraels crimes against the Palestinian people, crimes on which these nauseating hypocrites are

utterly silent. The intent is clear - to change the subject as far as possible from the crimes of the

State of Israel, increasingly a polecat State in world opinion in the words of Ronnie Kasrils. It

is, frankly, rather sickening, to hear the defenders of the mass murder of Palestinians in Gaza

during Operation Cast Lead lying that they are the victims of a wholly invented assault, and

these same supporters of Israels rigorous State-enforced ethnic residential segregation claim

to be victims of racism when their support for crimes is challenged.

The above are extracts from articles first published on the SPSC website

An A-Z of Solidarity with Palestine B Is for BDS - in 2005, Palestinian civil society issued a call for a campaign of boycotts,

divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it complies with international

law and Palestinian rights. A truly global movement against Israeli Apartheid israpidly emerging in response to this call. In Scotland there are campaigns to

boycott companies such as Veolia which cooperate with Israeli oppression of

Palestinians. City councils and organsiations such as the Cooperative society are

being lobbied to boycott Israeli goods and the Scottish Trades Union Congress

has already voted in favour of BDS. These non-violent punitive measures should

be maintained until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian

peoples inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the

precepts of international law by:

1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the

Wall

2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to

full equality; and

3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees toreturn to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.

http://www.bdsmovement.net/call


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prestigious universities seizing campus buildings in support and solidarity with them they know

they are not alone despite our government's shameful inaction and complicity.

Many of these brilliant and conscientious students are still around and active in recent student

movement against austerity cuts and the cruel consequences of 9000 fees for those down

south. In the midst of this, Palestine was not forgotten. Over the last term conferences were held

in Edinburgh and Dundee bringing together students from Glasgows universities and those

from Edinburgh, St Andrews and Dundee under the umbrella name of Action PalestineScotland, which for many years has worked closely with Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

In March 2011 students from around the country met in London for a BDS conference

representing 24 universities and 2 colleges from across the UK and every last one fully

committed to BDS. A BDS committee was formed and as we go into the new term we will take

the lead from the BNC (Boycott National Committee) in Palestine on coordinated days of action

such as Right to Education week and Israeli Apartheid week. Campaigns specific to each

campus will be taken-up, and information and good practice shared between each university.

This close cooperation is already bearing fruit with boycott Israel motions being passed at

Edinburgh Uni and the SOAS in London. In the summer months many trips to Palestine were

organised from this new exciting network with Goldsmiths in London successfully takingstudents to Gaza. The Scottish student delegation toured the West Bank and met with the

Popular Committees and other groups resisting the occupation, not least of those, the brilliant

Jordan Valley Solidarity. At Glasgow University the longest running student occupation in UK

history (February 1st-August 31st) saw many speakers and events on Palestine and a renewed

campaign against the Eden Springs contract was launched from it.

There have of course been attempts by Zionists and their apologists to silence this huge wave

of Palestine activism on UK campuses an example being the denouncement of Edinburgh

Universitys brilliant Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) in the Westminster Parliament.

Students at both Birmingham and Nottingham have come under considerable attack but areunwavering in their support for Palestine. In the same week that an Israeli government

spokesperson called UK universities hotbeds of Anti-Israeli sentiment we saw the disgraceful

conviction of a young St Andrew's student with a proud history of anti-racist activism for the

absurd charge of racially motivated breach of the peace. Because of this ruling a drunken

gesture in bad taste has given those who want to silence student voices for Palestinian human

rights the classic Zionist stick that criticism of Israel is tantamount to anti-Semitism. Needless to

say, students who campaign for Palestine do so upon solid principles of universal human rights

and anti-racism and will continue to do so vigilantly against the attacks facing us, but without

fear of them. As we go into this term Scottish students will work with our partners here such as

Scottish PSC, our fellow students across the UK, and campaigners around the world in joining

with our Palestinian brothers and sisters in their inspiring resistance. We will stand together until

the occupation is over, the apartheid wall comes down, there are equal rights in Israel, and

refugees are finally granted their inalienable right of return. International and human rights law

are on our side; justice is on our side; history is on our side.


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The male prisoners chose a (French-speaking) committee to negotiate with the authorities.

Visiting lawyers initially suggested we appeal against our detention. This idea, probably futile andseeking permission for a perfectly legitimate visit to Palestine, did not take among the male

prisoners. The older men got an offer - a humanitarian gesture - to proceed to Bethlehem as

intended. The offer, if accepted, was also open to the older women. We would have to agree to

avoid areas of conflict however defined by the Israel army. We refused; accepting would divide

us from our younger colleagues in particular, we would have left behind one of our group and all

the Arab-descended French and Belgians.

We demanded that we all get to Bethlehem or receive documents explaining our detention.

Otherwise we would go on hunger strike. We were told immigration officials would bring such

documents, but they came empty-handed.

We went on hunger strike. We were now offered phone calls home if we ate. Some prisoners

were taken to the airport, including two of our group, whod been falsely told the rest of us would

follow and be put on the same plane. Those left in jail loudly protested about being refused phone

calls. Guards photographed our protest.

The hunger strike continued but with fewer prisoners. Travel to Bethlehem was offered again to

a remaining hunger-striker. An argument between cellmates about eating led to one of them

smashing the prison furniture another photo opportunity for our jailers. More prisoners left,

including eight (men and women) of our group who, at the airport, heard yet another offer(refused) to go to Bethlehem. On the plane there were diverse reactions from other passengers:

one apologised for what had happened, another called us Jew-haters. Following discussion with

the UK ambassador, the remaining four (all women) in our group stayed at the prison to pursue an

appeal against detention.

day

2


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Three left on day 6 and one on day 7. The idea of appeal was finally abandoned after a German

prisoners appeal failed.

Conclusions

We had visitors in jail, but our hosts in Bethlehem could not receive us as visitors. Hence they are

prisoners less fortunate than us. It is not only Gaza that is a prison.

Israel can jail without reason. If we had broken any Israeli law, we never heard what it was.

Five weeks later, we still dont know what representations, if any, the British government made onour behalf.

Our passports were stamped Entry denied. We never technically entered Israel so technically

we werent deported. We dont know if, on a future visit, we would be allowed in.

A constant Israeli tactic was to divide us with offers to some of travel to Bethlehem.

They were always looking for any evidence that we were the hooligans wed been branded as

before we travelled.

The Israelis consistently lied to us e.g. promising an explanation that never came for our deten-

tion, that all the Brits were to leave on Day 4, etc. It was beneficial for the prisoners to get organ-

ised for negotiations with the authorities. Negotiating with prison staff was complicated because

they were, in effect, intermediaries for authorities elsewhere.

It was good to know that the outside world would know what was happening, although only later

did we have direct knowledge of this.

A hunger strike can produce results from authorities but strikers need to be managed - perhapsstarting with a few strikers prepared to last a while with support from non-strikers.

Our spell in prison was predictably short. Our experience, although unpleasant, was nothing like

as bad as that of Palestinians in Israeli jails.

We had visitors in jail, but

our hosts in Bethlehem could

not receive us as visitors.

Hence they are prisoners less

fortunate than us


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Welcome to Palestine 2012

Last year hundreds of human rights activists signed up to Welcome to Palestine 2011 to assert their right to

enter occupied Palestine openly and peacefully at the invitation of Palestinian hosts. In that rst open

effort, over 100 ended up being attacked by Israeli soldiers, imprisoned by the Israeli authorities without

charge, and barred from peacefully proceeding to Bethlehem. Hundreds of others were illegally prevented

from even boarding their ights in a number of European capitals at the behest of the Israeli Government.

Scottish PSC joined in an international organising meeting in Paris, involving both those jailed in 2011 and

new groups joining next year for the rst time. The organisers issued a fresh call for Welcome to Palestine

2012, the next round of the campaign to be allowed to enter Palestine peacefully and openly.

Welcome to Palestine 2011 planned to help Palestinians replant some of the million olive trees destroyed

by Israeli authorities since 1967. Participants in Welcome to Palestine 2012 aim to contribute their skills

towards the building of a Palestinian school. We call on you to join and support our peaceful action to

secure this fundamental right to freedom of travel: Israels failure to concede this minimum right will mean

t has publicly crossed another red line in its denial of Palestinian human rights.

Join Welcome to Palestine 2012, which begins on Sunday April 15th with ights from many international

airports to Occupied Palestine, by necessity via Tel Aviv Airport in Israel. * Join us on April 15th ying into

Palestine via Tel Aviv: email [email protected]

* Add your name and that of your organisation, trade union, campaign group, church, etc., to list of

signatories endorsing the attached appeal. Forward the Appeal to other human rights supporters

* Demand your MPs and MEPs support the right to freedom of movement into and out of the OccupiedPalestine Territories (OPT)

* Make a nancial donation to assist someone else to participate.

Welcome to Palestine Initiative 2012 Letter

"We, the undersigned, endorse the call from the Welcome to Palestine 2012 initiative for supporters of Palestinian

human and national rights around the world to openly visit Palestine during Easter 2012. There is no way into

Palestine other than through Israeli control points. Israel has turned Palestine into a giant prison, but prisonershave a right to receive visitors. Welcome to Palestine 2012 will again challenge Israel's policy of isolating the West

Bank while the settler paramilitaries and army commit brutal crimes against a virtually defenceless Palestinian

civilian population. We call on governments to support the right of Palestinians to receive visitors and the right of

their own citizens to visit Palestine openly. The participants in Welcome to Palestine 2012 ask to be allowed to

pass through Tel Aviv airport without hindrance and to proceed to the West Bank to take part in a project there

for children to benet from the right to education."

SIGNED:

Tony Benn Noam Chomsky

Ronnie Kasrils John Pilger

Nawal Al Sadaawi Desmond Tutu


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The Housing Situation in East

Jerusalem and Occupied

Palestinian Territories The International Court of Justice has stated that the 4th Geneva Convention for the

Protection of Civilian persons in Times of War applies to the Occupied Palestinian

Territories, including East Jerusalem.

At least 24,813 houses have been demolished in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and

Gaza since 1967, in complete violation of the 4th Geneva Convention

From 1967 2003, 90,000 housing units were built in East Jerusalem settlements for

Jews, most with government subsidies. Not one home was built for Palestinians with

public funding.

15% of Israel's housing budget is spent on settlement construction and expansion,

which serves just 6% of the population of Israel.

Claiming that a protest is not concerned with 'politics' but with 'social justice' is a blatant refusal to acknowledge the

suffering of Palestinians living in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). A protest which addresses

issues of class, economics and welfare is, irrefutably, a political protest.

A protest of this nature which does not display any level of regard for the daily human rights violations to which

Palestinians are subjected is not an example of 'people power' or 'democracy', but is merely another example of a

fundamental lack of concern for Palestinians living under an apartheid state under threat of ethnic cleansing.

The irony of Israelis choosing to live in tents not too far from the safety of their homes, upon land from which

Palestinians were expelled is extremely uncomfortable. For the 750,000 Palestinians who were ethnically cleansed

in 1948, living in tents was not a choice. These Palestinians still do not have the option of returning to their homes.

There are now 6.7 million Palestinian refugees who, for more than 6 decades have lived in foreign countries as

second class citizens.

Democracy and social justice should be for all; based not on the I.D card held, but on a basic principle of human rights.


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PATRICK OHAREInterview with:

Patrick OHare was elected president of the

Students Association at St Andrews University in

May of 2011. A student of Spanish, he was also

involved in the Left Society and the PalestineSociety. He was one of the organisers of the

protests and occupation in the wake of the Israeli

bombing of Gaza at the end of 2009. In the

summer of 2011, he visited Palestine for the first

time.

SPSC: why did you decide to go to Palestine?

Patrick: I was part of the campaigning that kick-started the Palestine solidarity work on campus

after the massacre in Gaza, and Id been looking for an opportunity to go there ever since. It so

happened that my brother was organising a trip to Jerusalem and the West Bank, the dates

fitted as I could go between exams and graduation, and I thought it would be a graduation trip

with a difference. My brother has links with the organisers of visits from Goldsmiths College in

London and the university in Edinburgh. This time the group included students from here, St

Andrews and Glasgow. We stayed in a hostel frequently used by other students and had the

same translator but it was really quite a mix solidarity activists, students of world religions, orArabic, but not really a big organized tour. In fact, it wasnt really an activists tour and we were

aware of different peoples interests and their nervousness about being there.

SPSC: Would you recommend other people go on a trip like this if they have the

opportunity?

Patrick: Definitely. In Edinburgh there wasnt much activism in the Palestinian solidarity group

but after going out there, people came back really interested in getting involved. The first hand

witness experience seems to have really changed them. For me it brought home how urgent the

Palestine solidarity work is. We saw, this was the most shocking for me in some ways, how the

Israelis are chipping away, literally in some cases, at the Palestinian community in East

Jerusalem. For example, we saw the tunnels being dug linking settlements to the King David

archeology site and houses being cleared andI realised theyre taking this city house by

house.

SPSC: Did you make contact with Palestinian activists there that you hope to estab-

lish stronger links with?

Patrick: certainly, Id like to maintain links with Bir Zeit University in Ramallah and

Najah in Nablus. And Id particularly like to work with Palestinian students at theHebrew University. Obviously theyre Israeli Arab citizens and are often used as

evidence that Israel provides education for Palestinians. It was really interesting to


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Jim is a councillor in West Dunbartonshire. He is a

member of the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP), and

is at present its only elected representative. In2007 West Dunbartonshire Council adopted a

motion by Jim to boycott all Israel goods. Jim is a

strong advocate a policy of Boycott, Disinvestment

and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, to be adopted

by other councils and Scottish Government

hear from them about the way, during the war on Gaza, their Israeli classmates were

pulled out to go and fight, how they organized protest demonstrations and how the

authorities organised counter demonstrations which ended up as physical clashes. So

Id like to see Palestinian students coming over here to visit and talk about their lives.

We also met up with Bustan committee, the Israeli Committee against House

Demolitions and Stop the Wall. These gave us not only first hand experience of tear

gas but also more academic experiences, learning about the reasons, the processes

that are at work.

SPSC: what plans do you have for passing on the things youve learned?

Patrick: Well, obviously Id like to do a talk for the Palestinian Society just as soon as

the students are back.

SPSC: You used the word urgency before. What do you think you can encourage

students to do?

Patrick: the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign is the most obvious, well have

to see what support there is but it seems probable there could be a motion to boycott

settlement goods, especially after people have been there, seen Palestinians being

exploited in Jordan Valley settlements with the involvement of multi-nationals in some

cases. You can make a case quite convincingly for BDS

SPSC: So what can be done now that the Israeli government has brought in a law

making it difficult to distinguish between Israeli and settlement produce?

Patrick: well that fits with the call from Palestinian civil society to boycott, not justsettlement goods but those from inside Israel as well. And actually, even though the

settlers dont necessarily represent all of Israeli society, they are absolutely supported

by the government. Settlements have been built and expanded without much let up.

there hasnt really been any halt in the process of settlement building.

SPSC: and finally, would you think theres the possibility of a debate on the call for an

academic and cultural boycott of Israel much like the one imposed on Apartheid South

African during the years of Nelson Mandelas imprisonment?

Patrick: I would imagine there could certainly be a debate. UCU has quite a strong

position on support for Palestinian rights so I would expect quite a lot of staff to be

interested in hearing the arguments.

this was the most shocking for me in

some ways... I realised they're taking

this city house by house


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Hadrian's Wall Walk

From August 3rd to 7th, the Aberdeen branch of Scottish PalestineSolidarity Campaign walked 84 miles along the path

of Hadrian's Wall. Through the slight pain of multiple blisters and the mild discomfort of rain-soaked clothes the group

completed the walk on schedule.

The idea of the walk was to highlight symbolic similarities with Israel's Separation Wall in the Occupied Territories and

Roman efforts to contain a rebellious Scots population during the Roman occupation of Britain. Emperor Hadrian

ordered the construction of the wall between Wallsend on the east coast and Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast in

122 AD. According to Aelius Spartianus, writing in the 3rd century AD, Hadrian wanted to separate barbarians and

Romans. Israel commenced the building of a separation barrier in 2002 and has continued with this project, in defiance

of the International Court of Justice's finding that it is contrary to international law. This wall cuts off Palestinian towns

and villages and destroys land and livelihoods.

The group also walked to raise money for the Plant-a-Tree in Palestine project which, in turn, raises awareness of the

work of the controversial role of the JNF and the charitable status the organisation unjustifiably enjoys in the UK.

It's not too late to donate to the cause: if you would like to sponsor the group please write a cheque made out to

Aberdeen SPSC and send it to Martin, SPSC Aberdeen, 21 Broadfold Drive, Aberdeen, AB23 8PJ, or donate online at

http://www.scottishpsc.org.uk. Alternatively write a letter a letter to your MP asking them to sign EDM 1677, challenging

the charitable status of the JNF in the UK.

An A-Z of Solidarity with Palestine B Is forBorders Israel is a state without officially declared borders, but whose defacto borders have expanded repeatedly as it occupies more and more land

by force. At first this was done with British support and through purchasing

land from absentee landlords. In 1948, mass killing was used to terrorise thelocal people into fleeing. In 1967, the defeat of Arab armies trying to win back

Palestine meant further land was lost. In the 1980s Israel formally annexed

east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights in Syria. During the last twenty years,

a policy of supporting groups of armed settlers has meant large areas of the

West Bank have become no-go areas for Palestinians. The latest move in the

Israeli land grab has been the building of a fortified fence and wall which

extends its defacto border into another 12% of the West Bank.


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DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY

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FORTH VALLEY

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FORTH VALLEY

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PERTH

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FIFE Contacts

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To purchase contact your local branch or

email [email protected]


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SPSC Winter 2011 newsletter

Documents

Transcript of SPSC Winter 2011 newsletter