2011 Feb 22: ISRAELI ECONOMIST ON UK SPEAKING TOUR PROMOTES ISRAEL BOYCOTT

Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Media Release

ISRAELI ECONOMIST ON UK SPEAKING TOUR PROMOTES ISRAEL BOYCOTT

An Israeli economist and author who argues for boycott and sanctions against his own country began a UK speaking tour last week.

Shir Hever, author of 'The Political Economy of Israel's Occupation', will travel from Brighton to Aberdeen during the 15-day tour by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC).

Hever, who works for the joint Palestinian/Israeli human rights organisation, The Alternative Information Centre, said, "External pressure, by using political and economic tools such as sanctions and boycott, returns the issues of civil rights and democracy to the fore, and deprives Israel of the option to use its military might to make the problem go away."

Hever's tour, which took in St Andrews and Dundee yesterday, continues with Aberdeen today, Glasgow tomorrow, and Edinburgh on Thursday. York and Sheffield are amongst the tour's eight English venues.

Full tour details can be found on the SPSC website: www.scottishpsc.org.uk

ENDS

Notes for editors:

1. The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign started in autumn 2000 in response to the Palestinian second uprising against Israeli occupation (Intifada). The SPSC has branches and groups of supporters in several Scottish cities and universities, as well as individual members across Scotland and elsewhere.

For further information, contact:
SPSC Chair, Mick Napier: 0131 620 0052; 07958002591
Email: media@scottishpsc.org.uk
Website: www.scottishpsc.org.uk

2. Shir Hever is an economic researcher with The Alternative Information Center (AIC). The AIC was established in 1984 by Palestinian and Israeli grassroots activists as a binational organisation to promote the human and national rights of the Palestinian people and a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis based on progressive principles and respect for international law.

The AIC's English language website can be found here: http://www.alternativenews.org/english/

Shir Hever's latest book, The Political Economy of Israel's Occupation, is published by Pluto Press (Aug 2010); details here: http://www.plutobooks.com/display.asp?K=9780745327945

Photos (free to use) on website version: http://www.scottishpsc.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=255&Itemid=100345

Interviews can be arranged on request.

3. The UK speaking tour, organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, runs between:

Thu 17 Feb – Thu 3 Mar 2011.

The tour is supported by various organisations, including Palestine Solidarity Campaign, PSC branches, Friends of Palestine branches, BRICUP, ICAHD UK, and Pluto Press.

Tour schedule:

- London: 17 Feb

6.30pm, Kings College London, Strand Campus, Room K4U.12.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Kings College Action Palestine and BRICUP

- New Lanark: 18-20 Feb

SPSC Residential Weekend - register here

- St Andrews: 21 Feb

5pm, St Andrews University, Parliament Hall, South Street.

SPSC St Andrews branch and Palestine Solidarity Student Society

- Dundee: 21 Feb

7.30pm, Dundee University, Dalhousie Building.

SPSC Dundee branch with Action Palestine and others

- Aberdeen: 22 Feb

12 noon, University Of Aberdeen, Meston Building, Room MT2(62).

SPSC Aberdeen branch

- Glasgow: 23 Feb

5pm, Caledonian University, George Moore Building.

SPSC Glasgow branch and Glasgow Caledonian University Dept of Economic Studies.

- Edinburgh: 24 Feb

7.30pm, Augustine Church Centre, George 1V Bridge.

SPSC Edinburgh branch, and Edinburgh University Students for Justice in Palestine.

- York: 25 Feb

7.30pm, Friends Meeting House, Friargate, York.

PSC York branch

- Leeds: 26 Feb

1pm, Civic Hall, Calverley St.

PSC Leeds branch

- Sheffield: 27 Feb

2pm, Showroom Cinema, Paternoster Row, Sheffield.

PSC Sheffield branch

- Manchester: 28 Feb

7pm, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Central Manchester.

PSC Manchester

- Liverpool: 1 Mar

7.30pm, Quaker Meeting House, School Lane, Liverpool.

Liverpool Friends of Palestine

- Birmingham: 2 Mar

6pm, University of Birmingham, Arts Lecture Theatre LR7.

U of B Friends of Palestine Society

- Brighton: 3 Mar

7.30pm, Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton.

PSC Brighton branch