Israel Exhibition: Contact your MSPs

Scottish Friends of Israel and MSP supporters admit science exhibition is a political PR exercise for Israel
Grossman and McIntosh have made a mistake by admitting what we all knew in the first place: that the science exhibition is politically-motivated. We need to get that message across without delay.

Steps to contacting your MSPs:

► Email/write your letter:

  1. If you don't already have the contact emails for all of your MSPs click on this link: FIND YOUR MSPs
  2. Write your letter - use the sample letter below if you wish.
  3. Send us a copy of your MSPs responses or if you receive no response: angus@scottishpsc.org.uk

► Alternatively the postal address for your MSPs is:

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

► Arrange a meeting with your MSPs together with friends and family who live in your constituency.  Contact their office and make an appointment (phone numbers can be found here: FIND YOUR MSPs)

**[don't forget to add your address and postcode otherwise the letter may be ignored]**

Sample Letter:

Dear ....

The Scottish Parliament e-petition in favour of cancelling the proposed Exhibition of Israeli Medicine, Science and Technology achieved 1125 signatures and I would like to draw your attention to an article in the Jerusalem Post, 8 April, which trumpets the fact that the “Scottish Parliament refuses to heed calls to cancel” the event.  [full article online: http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=172624]

I write to you as your constituent and ask that you add your name to the Scottish Parliament motion:

S3M-6106 Patrick Harvie: Exhibition on Israeli Technology—That the Parliament notes the intended exhibition at Holyrood by the organisation, Scottish Friends of Israel, due to take place in the last week of April 2010, which will aim to promote Israel’s contribution to medicine, science and technology; recognises the deep feelings of anger that exist at the record of the Israeli Government’s treatment of Palestinians over decades and in particular the military action taken in recent years; is concerned that the planned exhibition could give the false impression that the Scottish Parliament as a body condones the record of the Israeli Government or wishes to promote the interests of that government; believes that the prolonged, brutal and unacceptable mistreatment of the Palestinians should be the central issue that the Parliament addresses in any events that relate to the Israel/Palestine situation, and invites those involved in organising the exhibition to reconsider their decision.

The exhibition is a PR exercise for Israel.  According to Stanley Grossman of Scottish Friends of Israel:

“...Scottish political factions and elements of the media... [have been] vilifying Israel... That being so, it was considered appropriate to highlight contributions Israel has made to society and the world at large in the fields of medicine, science and technology”.

Ken McIntosh MSP, who is sponsoring the exhibition on behalf of Scottish Friends of Israel, said, "We have a lot of negative views on Israel that are not helpful... I thought it would be better to show the positive side of Israel".

I hope you will support motion S3M-6106 and not allow the Scottish Parliament to be used for a PR exercise for a foreign state facing grave allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity from the UN's Judge Goldstone whose report has been accepted by the EU.

Yours sincerely