WE write to express our deep concern at the action taken by the Bishop of Edinburgh in banning a public meeting to be addressed by the prominent Jewish human rights campaigner, Jackie Walker (“Bishop accused over Palestine talk ban”, The Herald, March 27).
Ms Walker was due to speak on extensive human rights infringements perpetrated by the state of Israel against the Palestinian people.
We regard this as a serious breach of the right to freedom of speech in Scotland.
The cancellation appears to have resulted from an email received by “a member of the Jewish community in Edinburgh”.
It is becoming clear that Zionist individuals and organisations in Scotland are working to stifle all debate on war crimes and human rights abuses of the Israeli state.
Bishop Armes should be aware that Zionists comprise only a small minority of Scottish Jews and do not represent the Jewish community in Scotland.
Complaints of anti-Semitism directed against pro-Palestinians in Scotland have proved to be exaggerated and spurious.
They, nevertheless, continue to be repeated with monotonous regularity such that they have reached almost Trumpian proportions.
In the wake of a recent UN Report describing Israel as operating a system of apartheid, it is a shame that Bishop Armes now finds himself alongside those who consistently seek to suppress criticism of a state that has repeatedly been found to be in breach of international law and human rights.
We call on the Bishop of Edinburgh to retract his unfortunate decision and to place no further bans on human rights meetings in his churches in the future.
Jane Frere (artist),
Hala George,
Naomi Junnor (Scottish Jews for a Just Peace),
Ken Loach (filmmaker),
Miriam Margolyes (actor),
Mick Napier (Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign),
Fiona Napier (SPSC Aberdeen),
Derek Newton (Highland Palestine),
Neville Rigby (Highland Palestine),
Naomi Wimbourne-Idrissi and
P Leslie, Lanark Road, Edinburgh.
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