Thursday 22 September 2016
CALL NOTICE

Glasgow Friends of Israel (GFI) second Annual Conference, Sunday 25 September, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
The theme of the conference will be 'Balfour and Beyond'. The event will focus on the centenary of the Balfour Declaration and will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 6 Days War in 2017.

You are invited to send a reporter/photographer/camera crew to the GFI Conference in Glasgow on Sunday 25 September from 10.30am.

GFI is a non denominational group established over a year ago to promote a better understanding about the Middle East through the advancement of educational, cultural and social activities. The group is pro-Palestinian, pro-Israeli and pro-Peace. Among the speakers will be:

Dr Denis McEoin, who will address the Conference on "Israel from the Balfour Declaration"
Noor Dhari, a Pakistani Muslim will address the topic of Peace from a Muslim perspective

Writing in today's Times newspaper, Sammy Stein, Chair, Glasgow Friends of Israel, says:
"Scots have heard and seen enough selective intolerance and are keen to learn the truth about the Middle East. Demonisation will not resolve conflict, it has always been the preferred tactic of totalitarian regimes everywhere; it is a tactic which must not be allowed to succeed today."
Mr. Stein adds:
"When it comes to Israel and Palestine, we should all be able to agree: polarisation hasn't worked, we must now open doors and create space for understanding."


ENDS
Notes to Editors:

1.To arrange an interview with any of the participants, please contact: Sammy Stein, Chair, Glasgow Friends of Israel on 07803 133444
2. The full text of Sammy Stein's article appears below:


The Times 22 September 2016
GFI Conference
Sammy Stein

Later this week, Glasgow Friends of Israel (GFI) will hold its second annual conference on Sunday 25 September at the Royal Concert Hall. The theme of the conference will be 'Balfour and Beyond'. The event will focus on the centenary of the Balfour Declaration and will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 6 Days War in 2017.

Contributors from a range of backgrounds including lecturer and author Dr Denis McEoin and counter terrorism researcher Noor Dhari will deliver lectures and workshops, exploring the opportunities for peace between the Israeli and Palestinian people.

GFI is a non denominational group established over a year ago to promote a better understanding about the Middle East through the advancement of educational, cultural and social activities. The group is pro-Palestinian, pro-Israeli and pro-Peace.

Sadly, in Scotland today the debate over Israelis and Palestinians shows few signs of maturing. Polarised positions seem to be adopted instinctively, while barriers to dialogue and exchange seem as high as ever. We believe that only through dialogue and contact can peace ever flourish. We are not funded by the State of Israel, the Palestinian authority or any other government, but by grassroots activists and concerned citizens who believe that Scotland can offer an antidote to the tired old cliches about the Middle East which abound in politics and across the media.

Last month, the International Shalom Festival, took place as part of the Edinburgh Festival. A one-day event designed to promote peaceful co-existence by fostering cultural ties. The performers included Jews, Arabs, Christians, a Samaritan and others, celebrating the diverse culture, music, art, dance and food of Israel and aiming to build cultural bridges and develop international friendship.

The participants were among 50,000 artists who travelled to Edinburgh. This included performers from China, Cuba, Palestine, Syria and Zimbabwe, together with Russia, Georgia and Turkey, all countries described by non-governmental organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) as repressive regimes. Incredibly, no one seemed to raise an eyebrow of concern or a murmur of protest. No one staged demonstrations, sit-ins, marches or silent vigils against ambassadors from states where egregious abuses of human rights are the norm. Of the 48 countries represented at this year's Fringe, it was only performers from one country who were heckled, condemned or demonised by protest - Israel.

This reality and the selective intolerance it represents is what motivated the creation of GFI and underpins its growth. A belief that Scots have heard and seen enough selective intolerance and are keen to learn the truth about the Middle East. Demonisation will not resolve conflict, it has always been the preferred tactic of totalitarian regimes everywhere; it is a tactic which must not be allowed to succeed today.

When it comes to Israel and Palestine, we should all be able to agree: polarisation hasn't worked, we must now open doors and create space for understanding. There's an old Jewish proverb : "It takes a little light to banish darkness- but a little darkness cannot turn out the light"