No place for narrow sectarian identity here in Scotland

We are in favour of campaigns to disrupt Israeli sporting fixtures as part of the international boycott of Israel. Our Campaign, however, did NOT organise last night’s pitch invasion at Ibrox, and indeed strongly advised the young man involved AGAINST taking this course of action. His eccentric decision to wear a tee-shirt with a sectarian emblem to Ibrox Kairosis bizarre and deplorable.

We strive to prevent the Palestinian issue being mapped on to the lingering sectarian traditions of Scotland. Especially so, when the entire Christian community of Palestine, of all denominations, Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant, are equally victims of Israel’s remorseless ethnic cleansing as much as their Muslim neighbours.

We are a campaign for Palestinian human rights who aim to unite people across Scotland in opposition to the crimes of the Israeli government. To that end we have in the past few days:

  • publicised Israel’s crimes to supporters of Glasgow Rangers ahead of last night’s UEFA cup match against Israeli team, Haifa Maccabi.
  • protested Israeli crimes outside the Glasgow Marriot Hotel against the Israeli team inside.
  • distributed thousands of leaflets to fans going to last night’s game at Ibrox.

The Summer 2006 SPSC Delegation to Palestinian met and heard harrowing testimony from a range of Palestinian Christians, all witnesses to Israel’s brutal policies which aim at driving out all Palestinians, Muslims and Christians alike, to clear land for current and future Jewish immigration from around the world.

Just as many white people served nobly in the struggle for an end to white supremacy in South Africa, we work closely with all Jews who oppose Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people. In working for the widest possible unity of all religious denominations for human rights, we have no place for any narrow sectarian identity here in Scotland.

Mick Napier
3 November 2006
Chair, Scottish PSC
mick@scottishpsc.org.uk
0795 800 2591