June in Scotland will be a busy month – help us

Mahmoud Sarsak, risked death to avoid illegal detention or exile

Mahmoud Sarsak Scottish tour: 1-16 June
Mahmoud Sarsak was a member of the Palestinian national football team who was seized by Israeli troops and held without charge in Israel’s notorious prison system. After three years, Sarsak went on hunger strike to demand that he be given prisoner-of-war status, on account of his having been detained under Israel's Unlawful Combatants Law. He refused to accept exile to Norway as a condition for his release and, near death with half his usual body weight, he was released unconditionally.
Mahmoud will be speaking at meetings and playing in football events to raise awareness of Israeli’s war against Palestinian football, the torture and abuse of Palestinian prisoners in Israel’s gulag, and the role of multi-national G4S in running parts of Israel’s illegal programme.
For details: www.scottishpsc.org.uk

JNF tractor involved in demolishing Palestinian homesProtest JNF Charity Shoot at Cowan’s Law: 4 June
The racist JNF is planning a fundraiser for ethnic cleansing at Cowan’s Law, near Moscow on Tuesday June 4th. This follows growingannual protests leading to their being denied the continued use of Bonnyton Golf Club for their criminal activities.  SPSC is a member of Stop the JNF UK whose campaigning led to 68 MPs signing a motion calling for the JNF's charity ststus to be rescinded. David Cameron has since resigned as an Honorary Patron of the JNF UK, the first time in over 100 years the sitting Prime Minister has not been a JNF Patron. Miliband and Clegg have both declined invitations to become JNF Patrons.
To ensure this is the last such public JNF fund-raising event in Scotland, Stop the JNF UK invite you to an organising meeting on Wednesday May 1st at 7.30pm in Edinburgh. (Venue t.b.c.)

Combrui HostelThe Politics of Effective Solidarity: SPSC residential weekend of discussion: 14-16 June
You are invited to participate in the latest of SPSC's open-ended discussion that explore the degree of consensus among participants on a range of topics that need to be addressed if campaigning for solidarity with Palestine is to be increasingly effective.
(Mahmoud Sarsak will be joining us for the discussion on Solidarity with Palestinian prisoners and G4S)
Includes:
World against Apartheid: a film on sports boycott against South African apartheid with lessons for today
No to Brand Israel/Stop Racist Tours/Lessons from Boycott Actions against Apartheid Israel
International Aid to Palestine - Who is it aiding?
Scottish Independence/What could it mean for Palestinian Solidarity
Campaign workshop on the Wood Group
Zionism and Settler Colonialism
Palestinian political prisoners
Campaign workshop on G4S

 Dancers from Lajee Cultural Centre, Aida Refugee Camp, BethlehemLajee Cultural Centre tour of Scotland: 15-23 June
We were so impressed by our young friends from Lajee Cultural Centre in Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem that they are back again this year.  Your solidarity is especially needed now: Israeli occupation forces have been killing children and also arrested 53 people in recent days including two of the Lajee youth dancers.
Defence of Children International reported: "Israeli soldiers shot and seriously injured two Palestinian teenagers at the entrance to Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem late February during separate clashes with demonstrators over the death of a Palestinian in Israeli custody."
Israeli soldiers have used, as they routinely use, live ammunition against unarmed demonstrators.  In Aida camp they use illegal dum-dum bullets.  Saleh Amareen, aged 15, was shot dead outside the Lajee cultural Centre and another remains in critical condition.
Mohammed Al-Azza needed emergency surgery after he was shot in the face with a steel ball thinly-coated with rubber while taking photographs from the second floor of the Lajee Cultural Centre.  Yesterday more homes in Aida Refugee Camp were trashed by Israeli soldiers.
SPSC is actively working to build these events organised by Lajee Cultural Advocacy Tour.  Contact sofiah@scottishpsc.org.uk.
Contact for Lajee Cultural Advocacy Tour: ctrlaltdel@gmx.co.uk or call Lorna on 07775 27 93 97.

A resource for effective Palestine solidarity Scottish tour, 'Generation Palestine - Voices from the BDS Movement': 23 - 30 June
Rich Wiles, author of Behind the Wall, is editor of this important collection of contributions from Desmond Tutu, Ken Loach, Iain Banks, Ronnie Kasrils and others directly involved in this burgeoning movement, including SPSC’s Mick Napier.
Israeli apartheid, colonisation and military occupation, enforced with extreme brutality and pitiless bureaucracy, have made Palestine the litmus test of commitment to universal values and opposition to militarism and agression. So far, so good, but what can you do about changing this situation?’
Rich Wiles will be speaking at venues across Scotland on the origins, role and future challenges for the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement as an auxiliary component of the Palestinian struggle for freedom.