Alex Salmond Scotland’s First Minister speaks out in support of Israeli Nuclear whistleblower

30th September 2009

Alex Salmond Scotland's First Minister speaks out in support of Israeli Nuclear whistleblower

 

The First Minister wrote “the Scottish Government is well aware of the campaign by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign and supports the lifting of all restrictions imposed on Mr Mordechai Vanunu. We are sympathetic to Mr Vanunu’s  situation and we share his opposition to the proliferation of nuclear weapons.”

 

Pro-Palestine campaigners yesterday held vigils in Edinburgh and Glasgow today in support of Israeli nuclear whistleblower, Mordechai Vanunu.

 

The former Rector of Glasgow University served 18 years in an Israeli prison for alerting the world to Israel’s then-secret nuclear weapons programme, and has been subject to various restrictions since his release 4 years ago, including being prevented from leaving Israel to take up his post as rector.

 

In a joint statement, Scotland’s other four university rectors, including Robin Harper MSP, said “Vanunu has acted throughout in support of international law and in opposition to aggressive wars and weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and elsewhere.”

 

Last year, an Israeli court sentenced Vanunu to a further 6 months prison term for speaking to foreign nationals, a violation of his parole conditions. The BBC reported that Vanunu “has given several interviews to foreign media, including the BBC.”

 

Just last week however, an Israeli district court upheld the conviction on appeal but reduced the prison term to 3 months. “They again found me guilty for speaking to foreign media”, said Vanunu after the verdict. “We can try to appeal this sentence in the Supreme Court.”

 

A statement from the human rights group, Amnesty International said that it “considers Mordechai Vanunu to be a prisoner of conscience and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.”

 

In February this year, Glasgow City Council was condemned by pro-Israeli groups when it debated and voted to “support ongoing campaigns for the release of Mordechai Vanunu from detention, thus enabling him to travel to Scotland”.

 

Mick Napier, chair of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign which is organising the two vigils, described Vanunu as the “world’s greatest weapons inspector.

 

 “Vanunu did what international law required him to do: he exposed Israel’s illegal nuclear weapons program.  There is currently much concern about nuclear proliferation in Iran, and clearly any Iranian whistleblower would be seen as a hero. Of course, outside of Israel, Vanunu is a hero, but unfortunately, Israel is determined to keep him prisoner.”