We held our 75th vigil on Saturday 10 May and there were 40 in attendance: the numbers are steady with new people each week. The crisis in Gaza goes from bad to worse with huge parts of the area annexed by Israel. Over 52,000 are dead. We repeated the ‘pot’ theme to echo the scenes of people desperate for food after 70 days of the blockade. We shall be back next Saturday 17th.
Nakba Event 15 May
Salisbury Concern for Israel Palestine are holding an event this week to remember Nakda, when thousands of Palestinians were driven from their homes and villages in 1948. Join Team Nakba and SCIP as we reflect on the Nakba of 1948 and subsequent events in Israel/Palestine. With Canon Jonathan Herbert, Iman Mahmoud, Miranda Pinch, Hilary Bond and the Dean of Salisbury (representing all the Abrahamic traditions).
Takes place in All Saints Church, Watersmeet Road, Harnham’ Salisbury, SP2 8JH
7.00pm for 7.30pm. Simple refreshments available and Zaytoun Fairtrade produce on sale.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in conversation at the Cathedral
February 2025
Nazanin will be in conversation with the Bishop of Sherborne on Saturday 8th March in the Cathedral. This is a free event. Details and booking are on the Cathedral site. Members of the Salisbury group and other Amnesty groups around the country campaigned on behalf of Nazanin over a long period of time. We were delighted when she secured her released from prison in Iran. Members of the local group were a little disappointed therefore not to be invited to play a part in the event.
A talk by Nick Papadopulos describing his time in this city
September 2024
CORRECTED: 14TH September
Nick (pictured below) is the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral and has spent three months in this troubled city earlier in the year. He gave a talk last evening (September 11th) in St Thomas’s Church in the centre of Salisbury. Over 200 attended.
The conflict in the region raises great passions which are not to be seen in the same way with the Ukrainian conflict for example. Russia’s bombing of civilian targets and key infrastructure is seen straightforwardly as a war crime. The destruction of huge chunks of Gaza is not seen in such black and white terms. The increasing settler (and the word ‘settler’ came up in the talk, see below) violence receives only modest attention by news media or politicians. Indeed, Papadopulos commented on the reluctance of politicians in the UK to say or do much seeing the conflict as ‘toxic’ he said. The recent decision by the UK government for a modest reduction in arms sales suggested an effort to assuage those who argue for a total ban and a reluctance to upset the Israeli government. It looks as though they have achieved neither, one of the perils of fence sitting.
‘You can’t be neutral’
He gave a brief history of key events in the recent past starting with 1948, the declaration of the state of Israel and the displacement of three quarters of a million Palestinians which they refer to as the Nakba. He briefly discussed the 6 day war which saw the new state annex large areas of land in the region. These have been given up but they obtained control of Jerusalem, the West Bank, Golan Heights and maintained control of Gaza. Sanai reverted to Egypt. In answer to a question on this he emphasised that it was true that Israel no longer occupied Gaza but they did control it. It became the largest open air prison in the world with no access by sea or air and surrounded by checkpoints.
He described witnessing some of the arbitrary restrictions imposed by Israel on citizens in Jerusalem. One concerned a wish by Moslems to enter parts of the city to pray at the Al-Aqsa mosque. Restrictions were suddenly imposed which included only allowing men over 55 to enter and women over 45 likewise. New ID cards and a permit required giving them no time to acquire them. The result was that almost no one got in.
It was not just Moslems but similar restrictions applied to Christians who wish to celebrate Palm Sunday. 20,000 permits were applied for but only 2,000 issued too late for them to be of use. These events are confirmed by Machsom Watch a locally based women’s group which monitors checkpoints in the country. Freedom of worship is protected by article 37 of the Geneva Convention. We do not know the Israeli response to these events but they happen sufficiently often to appear to be an act of policy rather than a response to a particular threat. Checkpoints are surrounded by heavily armed soldiers with a ‘Skunk Water‘ van in attendance. These are used to drench crowds with an evil smelling fluid. The effect of these actions he said is to ‘weaken Jerusalem’s religious diversity’.
West Bank
A few items have appeared in TV news recently by BBC, ITV and Channel 4 showing the settler violence in the west bank. He described one such where Israelis arrived in the early hours and completely destroyed the Palestinian village. He also described the destruction of solar panels, important where there is no electricity. Pouring raw sewage onto land where children play was also mentioned. The various examples he gave concerned collective punishment which is contrary to article 33 of the Convention. He provided several examples of homes and facilities destroyed.
There was a question about the word ‘settler’ which by itself is a fairly neutral word and implies something small scale. In reality the settlements are almost cities and represent a permanent development. It was important to note he said that the ‘settlers’ were now part of the government.
Another question concerned the Holocaust. He reminded us that no Arab was involved in that atrocity, it was Europeans. He did not think that comparison of the Holocaust with what is going on today was helpful he said.
This was an extremely interesting illustrated talk from someone who has spent time in the region and witnessed first hand some of the oppression Moslems, Christians and Armenians experience on a regular basis. It was a pity he did not mention the ‘Apartheid‘ word which was relevant to his presentation. There seems no end to the violence at the time or writing and it does not appear the various cease fire initiatives have come to anything.
For those unable to get to this presentation, there will be a chance to hear it again on 13th November [not 3rd as we earlier posted] at the Quaker centre on Wilton Road, Salisbury.
There was a Vigil as usual this Saturday 14th September in the market place starting at 5pm for half an hour which attracted 30 people. Last week’s Vigil attracted around 35 people.
Talk on the Amnesty report on Apartheid in Israel planned
May 2023
The Salisbury group, in partnership with Salisbury Concern for Israel Palestine SCIP, are planning a talk on the Amnesty report on the apartheid system in operation against the Palestinians in Israel. The Amnesty report is detailed and follows other reports by B’Tselem and Human Rights Watch on the same subject. There is also a UN report which comes to the same conclusion.
The talk will take place at the United Reform Church in Fisherton Street, Salisbury on 13 June starting at 7:30 and will be given by the Amnesty’s country coordinator for the area. There will be an opportunity for questions after the talk. The event is free with a parting collection.
Salisbury Concern for Israel, Palestine is holding a Zoom event
SCIP is holding a Zoom meeting on 29 April 2021 in which the Jerusalem academic, Jeff Halpen will speak about his ideas for the future of Palestine. Jeff is the author of Decolonising Israel: Liberating Palestine. Zoom opens at 18:45. He will be joined by three other guests. Details on the link below:
Johnson declaration undermines ICC inquiry into Palestine war crimes
Boris Johnson took a sudden last-minute decision this week to oppose the International Criminal Court inquiry launched last month into war crimes that may have been committed in the West Bank and Gaza since 2014. While declaring his support for the ICC, the Prime Minister said this particular inquiry was “an attack on a friend and ally of the UK’s”.
In the past the ICC has turned down Palestinian requests for inquiries into Israeli conduct in Gaza and the West Bank on the grounds that Palestine was not a state. This situation changed in 2012 when Palestine was recognised as a state by the UN and again in 2015 when it was accepted as a member by the ICC – and the UK did not vote against either.
The Palestinian request for an inquiry – made in 2015 – took five years to be processed and even in 2020, when the chief prosecutor was ready to launch an inquiry, she asked a panel of judges to rule whether the ICC really had jurisdiction. Germany put forward counterarguments, as did Hungary, Brazil and Australia, but the judges ruled last month – in March 2021 – that there was no jurisdictional problem and therefore the inquiry could go ahead. Again the UK did not publicly oppose.
On the day of the announcement the Israeli prime minister launched a diplomatic offensive, summoning all his ambassadors at a weekend and ordering them to set all other work aside and lobby their host governments to block the inquiry. The lobbying appears to have been successful. That is why the Prime Minister’s announcement, which is of vital, even existential, significance to a Palestinian state, was made neither in Ramallah, nor in Jerusalem, nor even by the Foreign Secretary in the House of Commons, but in a letter from Downing Street to the Conservative Friends of Israel.
Palestinian ambassador Husam Zomlot said: “It is clear that the UK now believes Israel is above the law. There is no other interpretation of a statement that gives carte blanche to Israel. If ‘friends and allies’ are exempt from international law, there is no foundation for the rules-based global order.”
Two questions now arise. The Middle East minister made a statement about the ICC inquiry on March 2nd which made no mention of a change in policy. What happened since then to change the Prime Minister’s mind?
Secondly, Scottish QC Karim Khan takes over as ICC Prosecutor in June and will be responsible for conducting the inquiry. Could the Prime Minister’s letter conflating UK support for reform of the ICC with the UK’s new-found opposition to an inquiry be intended to influence him?
Dear Stephen, Eric and Stuart,
As you are aware, the UK is a strong supporter of the ICC in line with its founding statute. We have been working with other countries to bring about positive change at the Court’. This process has been driven by our ambition to strengthen the ICC. The election of two highly qualified UK nationals, Judge Joanna Korner QC and Karim Khan QC, to the roles of Judge and Prosecutor to the ICC respectively, will help serve reform. This was a key priority for the UK, demonstrating our enduring commitment to strengthening the Court and serving international justice.
As a founder member of the ICC, we have been one of its strongest supporters and continue to respect the independence of the institutions. We oppose the ICC’s investigation into war crimes in Palestine. We do not accept that the ICC has jurisdiction in this instance, given that Israel is not a party to the Statute of Rome and Palestine is not a sovereign state. This investigation gives the impression of being a partial and prejudicial attack on a friend and ally of the UK’s.
UPDATE: PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. We have been informed today that Paul will be indisposed on this day and regretfully and unavoidably, he has had to cancel
Leading author and journalist coming to Salisbury
We are delighted to announce that the famous journalist and author Paul Mason (pictured) will be speaking in Salisbury on 24 June at 7:30. This is a free event but we do ask people to contribute to a parting collection to help with our costs.
Paul will be speaking about his new book Clear Bright Future: A Radical Defence of the Human Being. The book is about the triple threat we face: the rise of authoritarian politicians and the destruction of verifiable truth; the rise of intelligent machines which will threaten the human claim to agency, and a rising sense of fatalism and irrationality which has led many to become susceptible to the mythologies of the new right.
The book is an argument for a defence of the human being against the creation of the ‘neoliberal self’ in the past three decades or so. To resist this Mason argues, means fighting for universal rights and for human centric institutions.
Picture: C Juergen-Bauer
Paul will be speaking at the Salisbury Methodist Church starting at 7:30 pm and the event is free. We are asking for a parting contribution please.
The evening will be a good opportunity for you to join us if you wish. The issue of the power of the tech giants and the effect this has on our freedoms is an issue we are likely as a group to pay more attention to in the future. This may be a topic of interest to you in which case we would like to hear from you. It is free to join us locally.
Robert Key – who was the MP for Salisbury for a number of years – is to give a talk TONIGHT! Wednesday 6 March at 7:00 for 7:30. The title is My Thatcher years to the Brexit jungle and beyond. Mr Key has told us that he intends to mention the issue of human rights in his talk which is why we are posting details of it here. As readers will know, there is mounting concern at the future of human rights following our departure from the EU so it will be interesting to hear Mr Key’s take on this matter.
The talk will take place at St John’s Place, Lower Road, Bemerton, Salisbury, SP2 9NP and there is a Web site. Free with a parting collection.
Salisbury group welcomes Daniel Trilling to Salisbury on 10 December
December 2018
The author and journalist Daniel Trilling is speaking at the Methodist Church in St Edmund’s Street Salisbury on 10 December on the subject of refugees. He has recently published a book Lights in the Distancewhich has had a number of favourable reviews (see below). The talk begins at 7:30 pm and is FREE with a parting collection to help with our costs. Copies of the book will be available for sale.
The refugee problem has caused immense problems particularly in Europe. It has crucially affected elections in Hungary and Poland and some think that it was one of the driving issues in the Brexit referendum in the UK. The American elections are currently taking place with president Trump making all kinds of claims about immigrants from Honduras now travelling across Mexico to the Texas border.
Lights in the Distance calmly portrays the reality of life for people trying to enter a Europe that largely doesn’t want them … If knowledge is the foundation of action, then [Trilling] has done us a great service by turning masses and numbers into people whom we like, who we can see are like us. (New Statesman)
Brilliantly researched and written Lights in the Distance is, above all, a book of witness … Trilling [brings] his reader as close as possible to the actual circumstances of those who have found their way to Calais, or to Catania in Sicily or to London or to Athens, only to find themselves condemned to occupy space, rather than live. (Observer)
A compelling account of the individual stories of refugees on the move … Its driving characters are nine migrants, and the book is almost entirely dedicated to their personal stories. In a terse and powerful introduction and afterword, the author’s mastery of the details of his subject shines through. (Financial Times)
Subtle but effective … This is what makes Lights in the Distance such a powerful book. In the midst of an escalating crisis, Trilling manages to keep his lens focused tightly on the people who are most intimately affected by the geopolitical catastrophe taking place around them. (Irish Times)
Humane and illuminating, Lights in the Distance is a vital examination of what the new era of border control and deportations really means, what it costs, and who pays the price. (Olivia Laing)
Combining forensic enquiry with moral passion, Daniel Trilling has emerged as one of our most intrepid and resourceful reporters. In Lights in the Distance, he illuminates the vast human tragedy behind newspaper headlines about refugees, forcing us to confront Europe’s legacy of imperialism and nationalism. (Pankaj Mishra)
A deeply moving and much needed reminder of the human tales which are so often obscured by political rhetoric on migration. (Fatima Manji, Channel 4 News)
We hope this talk will shine some informed light on this vexed area. There has been considerable interest in this subject recently especially in the light of Theresa May’s deliberately hostile immigration policy from when she was home secretary. This was under the spotlight when numbers of the Windrush generation were caught up in after having lived here for several decades.
This would be an opportunity to meet members of the local group if you are interested in joining us
Voyages to Hell: Pirates and Slaves is the title of an illustrated history the former MP for Salisbury Robert Key, is giving on Friday 12 May. Many people think that slavery was abolished in the nineteenth century with the end of the trade in slaves across the Atlantic. It is however alive and well and is taking many different forms in the modern world.
The talk will take place in Stevenson Hall, Leaden Hall Campus, Salisbury Cathedral School, starting at 7:30 with a bar from 7:00. Tickets are £10 each at the door, or to be sure of a seat, through Peter Lane 01264 771701 or phlane@btinternet.com. Money raised will go to the Cathedral Choir Foundation.
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 