CANCEL ISRAEL INDEPENDENCE DAY AT SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

If you wish to add your name to this letter please email your details to office@aameranwar.com as well sign the petition below- PLEASE NOTE THE CELEBRATION IS ORGANISED FOR THIS THURSDAY 30TH APRIL

Link to petition- https://www.change.org/p/scottish-labour-party-scottish-parliament-cancel-labour-hosted-scottish-parliamentary-reception-celebrating-occupation-of-palestine

OPEN LETTER TO SCOTTISH LABOUR

For urgent attention of Anas Sarwar MP, Kezia Dugdale MSP Deputy Leader Scottish Labour

28^th April 2015

Dear Anas & Kezia

Labour MSP- to host celebration of 67^th Israel Independence Day at Scottish Parliament

We the undersigned are writing to you in absolute condemnation and disbelief at the actions of your Labour colleague Ken MacIntosh MSP.

As you will be aware, Ken MacIntosh alongside the Israeli Embassy, is jointly hosting an event to “Celebrate the 67th Israel Independence Day” on 30th April in the Scottish Parliament.

Such a celebration insults the flight, expulsion and dispossession that Palestinians call the Al-Nakba. This date marks the occupation of Palestine, when over 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from Western Palestine.

It is unfathomable that any elected member would look to celebrate such an occasion when State of Israel has for 67 years violated international law.

It is also ironic that Mr McIntosh is the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and pensioners rights.

As someone who has publicly supported the rights of Palestinian people, will you condemn your colleague’s actions and call for Ken MacIntosh MSP to immediately withdraw his support for such an event?

We look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely

Aamer Anwar- Human Rights Lawyer

Nabeel Sheikh- General Secretary Glasgow Central Mosque

Dr Issam Hijjawi- Chair of the Association of Palestinian Communities in Scotland

Wael Shawish- Vice Chair Association of Palestinian Communities in Scotland

Sofiah MacLeod, Chair- Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Haq Ghani – Scottish Human Rights Forum

Margaret Pacetta- Founder member- Glasgow Palestine Human Rights Campaign

Abdel Nasser Adam – Muslim Association of Britain- Scotland

Hugh Humphries- Secretary of Scottish Friends of Palestine

Mark Thomas- Comedian

Smina Akhtar- Director Amina- Muslim Women’s Resource Centre (Pers.Capacity)

Yvonne Ridley- Journalist & Vice President European Muslim League

Nadia El- Nakla, Ruth Forbes, Sarah Glynn, Mike Whitehead, Alister Rutherford and Nick Steff on behalf of Tayside for Justice in Palestine.

Imam Vali Hussein, Inverness Islamic Society and Mosque

Samir Zaveri, Chairman of Yusuf Youth Initiative 

Albie O’Neil- Secretary of Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Richard Haley-Chair-Scotland against Criminalising Communities

Keir McKechnie- Chair of Stop the War Coalition

Jock Morris- Chair of Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees

Jim Malone- Scottish Fire Brigades Union organiser (rtd)

Nicola Fisher- Chair Glasgow Stop the War Coalition

Joshua Brown- Glasgow Stop the War Coalition

Gerry McCabe- member of Aberdeen Trades Council

Mike Arnott, Secretary Dundee Trades Council

Bilal Anwar- Friends of Al-Aqsa

Rosie Kane- Activist

Fuad Alakbarov, Human Rights Activist

Harris Rashid- Co-President, Dundee University Action Palestine

Carlo Morelli, Vice President UCU branch Dundee University

Kamran Chaudry- IQRA Academy, Edinburgh

Chris Cairns- cartoonist & author

Ileene Macdonald

Gareth Hay

Saydul Alam- Research Associate

Kerry McGurn

Farah Farzana

M Waqas Anjum

Maimoona Mahmud

Ibrahim Hewitt, editor, educationalist and activist

Dr Tristan Price-Williams

Isma tahir khan activist

Mary Vasey, Alasdair Maciver, Nas Mohammed, Tam McColl, Paddy J Cawkwell, Dr. Mai Alsammak, Iain Duncan,  

and others continue to be added