Israeli Ambassador Visit to Scotland Cancelled in Face of Planned Protests

Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Friday, November 17, 2006 3:16 AM

We will Protest every Visit by Israeli State Agents to Scotland


The Israeli Ambassador has cancelled his planned first visit to Scotland in the face of planned protests by many who are outraged at Israel's ongoing murder of hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza and the West bank. The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign will actively demonstrate against every attempt by an Israeli state representative to visit Scotland. We urge our worldwide partners in Palestine solidarity and the wider anti-war movement to protest every visit by every official or unofficial representative of the Israeli Army and its State.

We note the calculated attempts of Glasgow Jewish Representative Council president, Dr Kenneth Collins, to associate the entire Jewish community in Glasgow with Israel's crimes and we urge Jewish people of conscience to publicly repudiate any future inviatation to Zvi Hefetz to visit Scotland. United, we can win. Wednesday's Press Release by SPSC: Wed Nov 15, 2006“The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign deplores the decision of the Newton Mearns Synagogue authorities to invite the Israeli Ambassador to deliver a political speech there on Thursday November 23. In the immediate aftermath of the murderous invasion of Lebanon, and the ongoing massacres in Palestine, this is a desecration of a house of worship: a religious venue is being used by the representative of the state of Israel to propagate his murderous views. For years we have stood by whilst the most revolting lies have been disseminated from the 'Israeli Information Office' in Giffnock, skulking inside a Jewish community centre there. Now the dispossessed and tortured Palestinian victims of Israel's crimes cry out to heaven for justice, and cry out to decent people around the world for action to bring Israel’s never-ending ethnic cleansing to an end.

We ask those Jews in Scotland who support human rights for all, and who are horrified at Israel’s crimes committed in their name, to protest to the Synagogue authorities at their decision to provide a platform in a House of worship in Glasgow for a defender of mass murder and ethnic cleansing. Just as the wider community has raised a loud voice against Tony Blair’s illegal invasion and devastation of Iraq, precisely because he carried out these vile crimes in our name, it is incumbent upon our Jewish fellow-citizens to repudiate this representative of the rogue state of Israel.

We hope this invitation to Zvi Heifetz will be withdrawn and that the Jewish community in Glasgow will realise the anger and horror many feel at the crimes of the regime he represents. If this desecration of a Synagogue in Glasgow goes ahead, the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign will call for a protest demonstration outside the meeting.

Many of us know about the mass killings and have seen with our own eyes many other crimes being carried out by the Israeli Government. In a democracy, silence in a time of crime can be construed as complicity. Actively providing a platform is a step too far.Scottish PSC http://www.scottishpsc.org.uk/00 44 (0)131 620 0052 00 44 (0)795 800 2591++++++++++++++++++++++

from UK Jewish Telegraph, today Nov 17, 2006 "Hefetz visit is a no go

JEWS in Glasgow and Edinburgh have been left disappointed after a visit by Israeli Ambassador Zvi Heifetz was called off. The Israeli Embassy in London said that next week's visit had to be postponed because of "scheduling difficulties". Mr Heifetz had been due to address the Glasgow community on Thursday evening. Glasgow Jewish Representative Council president Dr Kenneth Collins said: "Naturally we are very disappointed. We were looking forward to meeting him on his first visit to our community since his appointment. An embassy spokesman told the Jewish Telegraph: "We hope to be able to announce new dates for the beginning of 2007. The Ambassador wishes to thank the Jewish community for its kind offer of hospitality.