Learn about the history of the Palestinian struggle for freedom, equality and justice by exploring major events in the history of their oppression on this day of the year.
5 January
WE STOOD TOGETHER AGAINST A GIANT - AND WON
On January 5th 2005, the Royal Bank of Scotland cancelled its threat to withdraw banking facilities from a group campaigning for Palestinian human rights, Friends of Al Aqsa. Scottish PSC and the Muslim Association of Britain announced a programme of Saturday demonstrations at the RBS Scottish HQ in Edinburgh city centre, starting immediately, and spreading across Scotland in the weeks following. RBS management refused any negotiations until faced with this threat of demonstrations at their branches.5 يناير 2021م
في هذا اليوم من العام 2005م، ألغى رويال بانك أوف اسكوتلاند تهديده بسحب المزايا المصرفية من مجموعة أصدقاء الأقصى التي تقود حملة من أجل حقوق الإنسان في فلسطين. إثر ذلك، أعلنت حملة التضامن مع الفلسطينيين في اسكتلاندا واتحاد المسلمين في بريطانيا برنامج لمظاهرات في أيام السبت أمام رئاسة رويال بانك أوف اسكوتلاند في مركز مدينة إيدنبره، تبدأ فورا، بحيث تعم كل أنحاء اسكتلاندا في الأسابيع التالية. رفضت إدارة رويال بانك أوف اسكوتلاند إجراء أي مفاوضات إلا بعد أن ووجهت بتهديد تسيير مظاهرات أمام فروعه بالبلاد.
Full report here, extracts...
The Royal Bank of Scotland move came on the heels of the Alliance & Leicester successfully closing down the acounts of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in England and Wales.
Friends of Al Aqsa sent the following letter:
"Many many thanks for all the support we received from you and the PSC. We were overwhelmed with the amount of support we received and the solid unity portrayed was no doubt the main reason RBS reversed its decision - they were inundated with complaints! Also, the threat of the rally helped immensely. Thanks once again and we look forward to working with you again soon."
Al Aqsa's press release:
"The Royal Bank of Scotland has apologised and withdrawn its demand to close the bank accounts of Friends of Al-Aqsa and its chairman. We are grateful to each and every supporter who rallied around us immediately without questions or doubt in the face of such blatant discrimination and harassment. Ismail Patel extends his warmest gratitude to all and in particular to the Muslim Association of Britain, the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, MCB and Stop the War Coalition....
"The vulnerability of those seeking to bring justice in Palestine has been highlighted by this incident and it is important for us to collectively assist each other and put pressure on any institute/organisation attempting to silence us by intimidation or harassment. The greatest lesson from this episode is that the efforts of a united front cannot be ignored, even if that of an individual or single organisation can be. We thank you all and look forward to your continuous support in the future."
A similar situation concerned Lloyds TSB's 2008 move against Interpal, a Palestine charity
The bank announced the withdrawal of banking facilities from Interpal, a UK-based charity supporting the Palestinians prompting UK-wide protests.
3-minute video on how UK banks are moving against all Muslim charities