PRESS RELEASE
12 November 2008
For Immediate Use
Dr Bill Wilson, SNP MSP for the West of Scotland, today announced that he had suggested the Israeli Embassy in London launch an inquiry into the “misinformation” he implied it was being fed by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF).
The suggestion was made in a letter he sent today to Ms Ronit Ben Dor, the Embassy’s Head of Public Affairs, and follows correspondence on the subject of the IDF’s alleged aggressive interactions with Palestinian fishermen and international peace activists in waters under the authority
of Gaza.
Dr Wilson commented, “I originally wrote to the Embassy to protest against the IDF shooting in the direction of Gazan fishermen and the peace
activists trying to help them pursue their livelihood in waters in which they are entitled to fish, waters in which they have long been prevented from fishing by the IDF.
“Reliable reports suggest the Israelis are continuing to attack fishermen and protestors — by shooting, by the direct ramming of boats and by the
use of chemicals. This is in waters over which Israel has no jurisdiction. If the head of Public Affairs does not know this, as suggested by her claim that it is the activists who chose (and, by implication, are continuing to choose) to confront the IDF and that the IDF fired into the air (and, by implication, are continuing to fire into the air) — then she is being lied to by the IDF and she should investigate immediately.
“As I said in my letter, preventing fishermen from feeding themselves and their families does nothing to make Israelis safer.”
Contact
Dr Bill Wilson MSP
Tel +44 (0) 131 3486805
Fax +44 (0) 131 3486806
E-mail Bill.Wilson.msp@scottish.parliament.uk
Notes to Editors
1. The full text of Dr Wilson’s letter
http://www.billwilsonmsp.org/images//to_ronit_ben_dor_re_shooting_at_fishermen_121108.pdf
2. Further information on the interaction between elements of the Israeli
Defence Force, Palestinian fishermen and peace activists
http://www.freegaza.org
