Enough rhetoric – take a stand against apartheid Israel
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign condemns in the strongest terms the recent massacres in Gaza. Once again, Israel unleashes state of the art weaponry on a captive, imprisoned population, while Western governments look on, nodding their approval. Worse are those that claim to support Palestinian rights yet remain silent, refusing to condemn and sanction Israel for their ceaseless violations of these rights and of international law.
Families are ripped apart, their homes destroyed and infrastructure shattered, what remains after 17 years of siege and bombings. We welcome the ceasefire that has been called (August 7th), but we know that it is only a matter of time before the next bombardment; the next news report of children and other civilians brutally killed. With an Israeli election due to take place in November, there is time for those contending to be the next leader of the apartheid state to intensify calls for more violence to be meted out to the Palestinians.
We note the hypocrisy in the response of Western governments that is so far removed from their recent condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Scottish Government has strongly called for boycotts of Russia and condemned their actions as war crimes. Yet, in recent memory, no other nation in the Western club of “democracies” is more guilty than Israel of colonisation and war crimes, including the dispossession of Palestinians living under an illegal occupation for 55 years. A diverse range of human rights organisations across the globe, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem, have called out the apartheid nature of the Israeli state.
We call on the Scottish Government to end its approach of one rule for Russia, another for those it calls friends. If the idea of an independent Scotland is to be taken seriously, the least that can be expected is to oppose an imperialist foreign policy.
A Scottish Government, one that is currently working to enshrine human rights in legislation, must suspend its trade and diplomatic ties with Israel and renew its 2014 call for an arms embargo on Israel. To do otherwise will only strengthen the perception of a government that is full of rhetoric but is not prepared to take a principled stance on international issues.
Take action. Sign the letter to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, calling for her to take a clear stand against apartheid Israel - follow the link below.
Get involved with the campaign for Boycott , Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, called by Palestinian civil society in 2006. BDS is working – that’s why the Israeli government is investing millions to smear BDS activists around the world.
Scottish PSC is leading and co-ordinating the BDS movement in Scotland. Become a member today and get involved with our divestment campaign targeting local authorities across Scotland, our campaign against the racist Jewish National Fund, or a range of other campaign activities across Scotland.
Send a letter to Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon HERE
Find out more:
Contact Scottish PSC: info@scottishpsc.org.uk