Scoville Units Unite

I wrote the following letter to all my representatives yesterday and look forward to some interesting responses.

MPs: Jim McGovern (Labour)

MSPs: Joe FitzPatrick (SNP), Alison McInnes (Liberal Democrat), Richard Baker (Labour), Alex Johnstone (Conservative), Nanette Milne (Conservative), Marlyn Glen (Labour), Nigel Don (SNP), Maureen Watt (SNP)

MEPs : Alyn Smith (SNP), David Martin (Labour), Catherine Stihler (Labour), Ian Hudghton (SNP), Struan Stevenson (Conservative), George Lyon (Liberal Democrat)

Dear X,

I am sure that like all people of conscience you have been horrified by the reports of the Israeli military attacks on neutral vessels in international waters killing at least 9 civilians. Amongst those on board were a man from Dundee – Ali El-Awaisi who was reportedly tortured.

The time line of events appears to be filling out as expected now that the Israeli state has released their prisoners.

This appears to be:
On 6 of the boats where the passengers and crew did not resist they were beaten.

on the Mavi Marmara:
IDF attacking the boat with weapons fire from the boats and helicopters damaging transmitting equipment and killing passengers.

Someone waving a white flag and a cameraman being shot – the cameraman being shot 4 times in the head.

IDF illegally boarding the vessel in international waters.

IDF boarding and the passengers and crew defending themselves. They additionally disarmed the soldiers and threw any guns or ammo they found on them overboard.

This continued until they were overwhelmed and more were killed or injured.

They were subsequently interrogated for information.

There are some reports that the tally of killed and injured given by Israel does not match those recorded by those on the boat and that several people are still unaccounted for.

They were then taken to a prison and interrogated, attacked by dogs and some claim to have been tortured.

All film and footage from those on board has been seized by Israel and so far tiny snippets which out of context support part of the Israeli narrative have been released (breaching international copyright laws). These have included clips with no sound at points in the time line where those on board claim they were being shot at.

The aid was then subsequently filtered using the secret Israel check-list of prohibited material into the Occupied Palestine Territories. One known item removed was batteries for electric wheelchairs. The justification for this was they could be used to arm suicide vests. Given they are the size of car batteries this is clearly a lie. Other items known to be banned include deadly coriander and evil sheets of A4 paper.

I would ask what you are capable and willing to do in your capacity as an elected representative of the people of Scotland and Dundee/North East to:

1. Bring attention to this outrageous attack on a humanitarian convoy.
2. Ensure that the truth of the events is released and not solely sanitised propaganda of the Israeli state.
3. Ensure the safe return of all passengers of these vessels to their home states including the dead, injured and the disappeared.
4. Ensure the safe return of all their possessions including the footage taken of the assault.
5. Ensure the safe passage of any subsequent aid convoys to Gaza or anywhere else carrying aid or passengers from Dundee given this outrageous precedent which has been set in the Mediterranean of state forces attacking such convoys.
6. Ending the blockade of Gaza.
7. Ensure that the ignored UN resolutions against Israel are enforced to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Additionally I invite you to attend the demonstration in Edinburgh tomorrow. There have been two buses laid on by Tayside for Justice in Palestine.

Yours sincerely,

Alan Graham