Statement on CoFIS/GFI and SUTR
/ Statements / By GGEC Admin
Throughout its existence, the Confederation of Friends of Israel (Scotland) (CoFIS) and its associate Glasgow Friends of Israel (GFI) have supported, promoted, and protected the state of Israel.
Supporting Israel means supporting all actions of Israel including but not limited to it’s historic crimes, illegal occupation, illegal settlements, apartheid state, ethnic cleansing, and genocidal killing of the Palestinian people.
CoFIS/GFI is understood to reject and deny:
• The Nakba as the primary catastrophe, displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
• UN resolutions in support of Palestinian rights, notably the Palestinian right of return (GA 194), and withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Occupied Territories (UNSCR 242).
• All internationally informed opinion that Israel is an occupier state engaged in building, maintaining, and extending illegal settlements across the West Bank.
• That Israel is an apartheid state, as confirmed by Amnesty International and other leading human rights groups.
• That Israel has maintained an illegal siege over Gaza.
• That Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza, as detailed by South Africa before the International Court of Justice.
CoFIS/GFI pro-Israel Lobby
As part of the pro-Israel lobby in Scotland, CoFIS/GFI state that they are, ‘Pro-Israel, Pro-Palestinian’, Pro-Peace’, yet appear to blame Palestinians at large for their ‘self-inflicted’ suffering, while also denying that Palestine has ever existed.
CoFIS/GFI support right-wing bodies, Stand with Us and Christians United for Israel by dispensing their literature at street stalls.
Their social media postings denigrate protests for Gaza and against genocide as ‘hate marches’ motivated by antisemitism.
For all these reasons, GGEC view CoFIS/GFI as a deeply hostile entity that must be challenged and exposed as a supporter of Israel and all its crimes.
GGEC position regarding CoFIS/GFI and SUTR
As one of the leading bodies of Palestinian solidarity and support groups in Scotland, GGEC has consistently urged all political parties, politicians, trade unions, and other civil organisations to denounce the genocide and demonstrate their clear support for the people of Palestine.
We must therefore hold any and all professed anti-racism bodies to the same set of standards and expectations.
This is why we must call out the actions of anti-racism organisations who associate with CoFIS/GFI.
• For the past six years, CoFIS/GFI have been allowed to take part in the annual Stand Up to Racism (Scotland) (SUTR) march.
• Despite repeated appeals by pro-Palestinian and aligned bodies to prevent CoFIS/GFI’s participation in this event, SUTR has consistently refused to act on this matter.
• SUTR has shown no proactive effort to challenge, campaign against, or expose CoFIS/GFI.
• SUTR has sought to excuse this position by claiming it has ‘no policy on the Middle East’.
• Five months into the genocide and destruction of Gaza, SUTR has made no statement on the genocide, nor declared any form of support for the Palestinians.
For all the aforementioned reasons, GGEC asks that organisations stand with us:
• In boycotting the SUTR ‘anti-racism’ march on the 16th of March this year or any other year.
• In stating their position clearly in condemning SUTR and their lack of action regarding CoFIS/GFI.
• In holding fast to the position that SUTR marches and events that include CoFIS/GFI are contributing to the normalisation of Israel’s apartheid regime and genocidal crimes.