https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/ban-israeli-settlement-goods-uk

Israel/Palestine Common Concern Network

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/cowardly-young-communists-who-confronted-29499368

A predictably pathetic attempt by CoFIS/GFI, aided by what, lamentably, passes for Daily Express ‘journalism’, to portray an entirely peaceful, non-threatening protest as some kind of menacing, anarchic, intimidation of their group, requiring police protection. It’s not even clear that the Express ‘reporter’ behind this ‘story’ was actually present, as it relies, seemingly, on the sole ‘evidence’ and facile claims of Mr Stein. Of course, as organisations precisely founded to whitewash and normalise the mass crimes committed by Israel’s murderous regime, it’s no surprise that CoFIS/GFI should resort to such spurious distortions. Likewise for a gutter ‘newspaper’ that cannot even bring itself to observe an event and report the most basic information. As many participants and others will testify, every single group partaking in this protest complied with police arrangements, stood their agreed ground, and expressed their right to free speech and peaceful assembly. Many in attendance will also verify that CoFIS/GFI members themselves could be seen ‘patrolling’ up and down the static protest line in a provocative manner. Consider also the hyperbolic language used by Stein, and adopted without question by the Express: “Cowardly young Communists”; “vitriolic and venomous”; “these thugs and hooligans”; “anger and rage”; “absurd demands”; “misguided and disillusioned radicals”. Stein was given further generous space by the Express to claim that his organisation’s only purpose at the event was to oppose racism. The SUTR organiser was also allowed room to condemn the counter-demo as ‘left undermining’ of its ‘anti-racist message’. Perhaps the Express could have found even a token line for some counter-views. If so, they would have been told about, and could even have risked linking to, the latest historic Amnesty report/campaign explicitly declaring Israel an apartheid state. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2022/02/israels-system-of-apartheid/
Is that not validation or reason enough to be protesting against Israel, its lobby organisations, and a supposed anti-racism group giving them approving cover? Might the Express have probed SUTR on why it claims to ‘hold no policy on the Middle East’? Might even dutiful Express readers have noticed the glaring contradiction of SUTR denouncing ALL racism, while accommodating CoFIS/GFI, bodies that openly castigate Amnesty’s own defining of Israel as a racist apartheid state? If SUTR was a truly fit-for-purpose anti-racist body, it would not just be refusing to facilitate CoFIS/GFI on its marches, it would be out there openly denouncing them, in line with Amnesty’s declaration on Israel, and positioning of the wide Palestinian solidarity movement. The brazenly loaded and distorted ‘coverage’ of this event by the Express tells us all we need to know about the reactionary nature of such media, and the political interests it serves. Again, it’s no surprise to see groups like CoFIS/GFI so closely bonded with it. One also wonders whether SUTR will ever show true anti-racist integrity, in refusing to collaborate with these shameful organisations and their tawdry media friends. All very unlikely. Yet none of this will ever dissuade us from continuing to call them out, as consistently requested by Palestinians themselves, bravely resisting Israel’s daily occupation, siege imprisonment and racist oppressions.

Freedom Flotilla’s ‘Handala’ in Glasgow – Will Challenge Blockade of Gaza

After crossing Loch Ness and reaching partway through the Caledonian Canal, the Freedom Flotilla boat Handala is currently delayed in the Laggan Locks area due to a broken swing bridge. This restriction has required last-minute changes to our itinerary.

“We were looking forward to being in Glasgow and meeting locals who stand for Palestinian human rights. We are inspired by the solidarity events organised there and we wish you could all meet Handala in person,” said Captain Herman Reksten, aboard Handala. “We will continue sailing as soon as we can, to challenge the inhumane and illegal blockade of Gaza. In all my sailing career I have never seen a border until I came into a harbour. The blockade of Gaza is an artificial offshore border created to oppress the Palestinians of Gaza, who are mostly children.”

Thursday evening in Glasgow, Dr. Swee Ang, who witnessed the Sabra and Shatila massacre and co-founded Medical Aid for Palestine, addressed a public event which was intended to welcome Handala. This British orthopaedic surgeon was the doctor on board the Freedom Flotilla vessel al-Awda (the Return) in 2018 when the Israeli Occupation Navy attacked and hijacked it en route to Gaza. Dr. Swee Ang was joined by Professor Graham Watt, Zohar Chamberlain Regev, Yvonne Ridley, as well as Mick Napier of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who commented “This bridge collapse and temporary confinement of the Handala is an unfortunate accident, whereas the Israelis forcibly confine the Palestinian people to deliberately cause maximum suffering.”

Other planned events this weekend will continue as announced, with participants from previous Flotilla missions present as well as participants from the boat currently stranded in the Caledonian Canal.

Gaza Flotilla meeting images Sunday 24th June

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

Another Palestinian clinic was shut down and several Palestinian activists were arrested by Israeli forces in the occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday.

The Israeli raid was the latest action taken by the Israeli army to curtail Palestinian efforts aimed at containing the spread of the deadly coronavirus in Palestine.

The makeshift clinic was set up in a local mosque in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, which has suffered many such army raids in the past.

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) is pleased to host a conversation with Roger Waters on his involvement in the cultural boycott of Israel and support for Palestinians’ rights.
Roger Waters is an English rock musician, singer-songwriter, and composer. He is best known as the bass player, co-lead vocalist, lyricist and the principal songwriter in the rock band Pink Floyd.

Roger Waters
free press image

Roger Waters question & answer session July 2017