I AM dismayed that City of Edinburgh Council pulled the discussion of twinning with Gaza from its policy committee meeting. This is because Israel declared it would be supporting Hamas by discussing it, even if it were a negative discussion.

It is outrageous that we are letting a foreign power, recently declared an apartheid state, dictate what we can and cannot say. The Israelis are using threats of prosecution by Priti Patel’s anti-Hamas legislation from last November (outlined in our post at www.twingaza.com/uk-lawyers-for-israel-threaten-councillors-with-jail) declaring councillors would face up to 14 years in jail for discussing Gaza twinning.

Gaza’s two million citizens have suffered from the Israeli blockade for 15 years now, with half of them unemployed, just 10 unpredictable hours of electricity a day, 95% of the water undrinkable, 50% of children expressing no will to live, and every citizen denied freedom of movement. Israel means to keep these poor people, who were so excited at the prospect of Edinburgh’s embrace, suffering for all eternity. Prominent Israeli organisations and Jewish people from around the UK and the world are on the side of the Palestinians: B’Tselem, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, Zochrot, Combatants for Peace to name but a few in Israel, and IJAN and JNP here in the UK as well as JVP in the USA.

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The Israelis are too aware that it was a son of our city, Arthur Balfour, who created this situation, when in 1917 he pledged this land to the Zionist Federation, which has led to the ousting and replacement of the native population. City of Edinburgh Council, by making this gesture of friendship to the people of Gaza, could have marked the beginning of the UK taking responsibility for the situation it has largely created in the Middle East. Twinning would have cost us nothing, but it would have made a huge difference to the Gazans, as a humanitarian expression of support.

Petitioner Pete Gregson, who was due to address the committee after calling for the bid, said: “ Israel are saying that even to discuss Hamas NEGATIVELY is to support it.

This is a ridiculous conjecture. Israel is undermining our democracy with threats and stopping friendly relations between cities.” If this isn’t censorship, I don’t know what is.

Gaza Municipality had, the day before the meeting, submitted to councillors a one-minute film which showed no Hamas involvement (bit.ly/GazaCouncil).

Our organisation had also promoted the Gaza Council press release to councillors, which again showed no Hamas involvement in council elections (www.twingaza.com/gaza-council-explains-how-mayor-was-appointed-no-hamas-involvement/).

At a time when we are conscious of what is happening to Ukraine, isn’t it the height of irony that a sovereign and legally elected local authority is not being allowed to debate a humanitarian gesture of kindness to people who have endured years of ‘’Ukraine’’, being punished for the sort of resistance and defiance against repression that the Ukrainians are being lauded for.

S Sherif
SE London & Lewisham Friends of Palestine

THE Ukraine refugees and their children are welcome in Scotland, while across the Border Priti Patel and the Tory Brexit party put up red tape and delay sanctuary to them. The nasty party don’t like Europe and don’t like Scotland.

If Boris Johnson is found to have broken the law over partygate, will Priti Patel deport him to the USA, his country of birth?

Glen Peters
Paisley