Public interest v political arrogance?
Palestinian children under military occupation
Each year approximately 700 Palestinian children aged 12 to 17, the great majority of them boys, are arrested, interrogated and detained by Israeli army, police and security agents. In the past 10 years, an estimated 7,000 children have been detained, interrogated, prosecuted and/or imprisoned within the Israeli military justice system – an average of two children each day. The analysis of the cases monitored by UNICEF identified examples of practices that amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment UNICEF
Remand in custody – even of minors – is part of the routine of oppression that Israel employs against Palestinians, with the full backing of the military courts, a system in which both judges and prosecutors are always military personnel, the defendants always Palestinian, and the conviction rate almost 100
B’tselem 17 January 2018
Introducing Liz Cameron
Former Glasgow City Councillor, Bailie Elizabeth Cameron, stood down from local party politics as the local authority elections of 2017 approached. Up until this point she had held numerous positions of responsibility within a variety of Labour administrations.
Latterly she held the position of Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning on Glasgow City Council. It was this position which was to prove problematic for at least one member of the public who approached Scottish Friends of Palestine (SFoP) with legitimate concerns of public interest. Just how could the public face for Glasgow City Council on matters related to children and young people be held by an individual who openly and publicly expressed their admiration for the state of Israel? A position which public postings on social media made quite clear.
This public concern over the appointment of Liz Cameron as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning on Glasgow City Council obliged SFoP to query this appointment.
Read on . . . . . .
Letter to Cllr E Cameron (27 September 2016):
Dear Cllr Cameron,
I write on behalf of the executive of Scottish Friends of Palestine (SFoP) on a matter of which we believe you should be aware. It has been brought to our attention certain Facebook postings, attributed to you, which have appeared on Facebook, courtesy of Glasgow Friends of Israel (GFI). Initial scrutiny certainly confirms that this body is your Facebook Favourite.
Given your position(s) within Glasgow City Council this obvious friendship, the existence of which is now, with your consent, public knowledge, is of concern to SFoP. Moreover, we believe it is of public interest particularly taking into account your role as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning on Glasgow City Council.
This is a position which gives you
- a role in the life and future of Glasgow’s children and young people
- a role as lead spokesperson for Glasgow’s Education Service
Why our concern? Allow me to elaborate.
One of your Facebook postings makes reference to a visit to Jaffa and Hebron.
With regard to the former, while we cannot reasonably expect you to be aware of the intimate history of Jaffa, it is a good starting point for a brief outline of our concerns. In 1948, the port of Jaffa was subject to the offensive actions of the Irgun – quite correctly described as “terrorist” by the British Mandate authorities – as they sought to terrorise the Palestinian residents into fleeing their homes and their land. There was only one way to flee and that was by sea, by boat. History records that in the ensuing panic young children and babies were dropped/fell into the water and drowned.
And the disregard for the health, safety and welfare of the Palestinian child, by Israel, continues to this day.
In Hebron, did you speak to any of the volunteer Ecumenical Accompaniers or Christian Peacemakers about their role in escorting Palestinian kids to school, to try and protect them from the stones and abuse of Israeli settlers? Or their role in witnessing and being present during altercations between armed Israeli soldiers and Palestinian youths (and adults) in the hope that their presence will moderate any violent response?
Are you aware of the de facto shoot-to-kill policy of Israeli occupation forces when it comes to confronting Palestinian children deemed to be a threat to a soldier – although this soldier may be standing metres away behind a concrete barrier? Are you aware of the actions of Israeli snipers when it comes to encounters with Palestinian youth? Or indeed, of the two young Palestinian football players shot in the ankles by Israeli occupation forces earlier this year? And this is before you even consider the death and destruction heaped upon the children of Gaza every time there is an “incursion” into Gaza by Israel.
Google is a handy tool if you want names and details – and the young victims of Israeli brutality and aggression do have names. I would direct your attention to two organisations which focus on the treatment of Palestinian children and young people by Israel. These are Military Court Watch and Defence for Children International.
I understand you have a love of music, so you may just have attended either the free concert given by the Palestine Youth Orchestra in Glasgow’s City Chambers or the concert in Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall at the beginning of August, this year. Despite the fact that both Jordan and the UK issued visas to allow 15 year old Gazans, Raslan Ashour and Sofiya Radwan, to travel to the UK, permission to leave the Gaza Strip to participate in the Palestine Youth Orchestra UK Tour was refused by the state you hold in such high esteem – Israel.
Scottish Friends of Palestine asks you to reflect on the above action of the Israeli state and its impact on the two young musicians who must have been overjoyed when their visa applications were approved. How devastated they must have been when their dreams were dashed on being informed that there was “insufficient reason to travel.” Although they at least did not suffer, in the physical sense, from this particular action of the occupier – just how heartless and cruel can you get?
And then we have your friends, those adherents of Glasgow Friends of Israel, including the handful which turned up at the Civic Reception for the Palestine Youth Orchestra. Were they there to ‘Build Bridges’ – to quote the meaningless phrase often quoted by GFI? Certainly not, they confronted some of the young orchestra members and subjected them to an upsetting verbal barrage of Zionist political hype.
Your stated support for the state of Israel and presumably the policies and actions of this state, raise questions. Whether with regard to your perceived lack of sensitivity, or your judgement, your competence and even integrity in relation to your role within the City Council as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning.
Are you the right person for the job? Should you be holding this post? Just how can you be seen as a serious representative for the children and young people of Glasgow? Just where is your sympathy and understanding for children and young people? Why is it important for you to be seen as a supporter of a state with a well-documented history of oppression against, subjugation of, an occupied people?
And given that you appear to effectively blank out and ignore the adverse and brutal treatment of one set of children and young people, while professing friendship with the propagandists of the state responsible, just why should the citizens of Glasgow have confidence in you?
Ultimately, it can be argued, this matter comes down to a question of judgement. The judgement of Glasgow City Council in giving you the portfolio dealing with children and young people and your personal and public judgement where, on the evidence available, you are prepared to support a state which kills, injures and incarcerates children and young people. The two are incompatible and unsustainable.
In the absence of any factual inaccuracies being brought to our attention, SFoP will bring its concerns to the attention of Glasgow City Council.
Yours sincerely,
Sec
Scottish Friends of Palestine
info@scottish-friends-of-palestine.org
You may reasonably expect that a longstanding politician of Cllr Cameron’s stature would defend her position vigorously. Or, your expectation could be honed by long experience of politicians avoiding issues which they find unpalatable. Read on . . . . .
Reply from Cllr Cameron (28 September 2016)
On 28/09/2016 15:53, Cameron, Liz (Councillor) wrote:
Dear Mr Humphries
Thank you for your letter of 27 September and your reflection of my personal comments on recent Facebook postings–particularly those relating to the bullying and harassing of political figures.
Let me assure you that I take my role as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Life Long Learning very seriously indeed—-as I do my thirty years’ working in Education. As a teacher I know full well the meaning of Education— giving our young people the best opportunities for enrichment and for forming their own views of the world. I am committed to our Young People—just as I was to Culture and Sport, to being Lord Provost of Glasgow ( during whose tenure of office Glasgow was formally twinned with Bethlehem incidentally) and to my years as Executive Member for Regeneration. But Education is, and always has assumed for me, the highest importance for all my 25 years of service in public life.
My integrity, my judgement –my reputation have never been called into question over those years— and my many years of teaching.
Our schools teach our young people every day the values of empathy, tolerance and compassion. They celebrate diversity in a city that is made up of many cultures and many faiths—–and they do so in a free and open manner with no whisper of dogmaticism. To suggest otherwise is simply fallacious.
Celebration, peace, respect, compassion therefore underpin all our work in our schools.
Sentiments that I wholly endorse and echo——-
Students are also taught that bullying and harassment —in any form—is unacceptable—and the very subject I have commented on in my social media post.
Your e mail has already been sent by me to the CEO and to the Leader of the Council. I am copying my reply to Cllr McAveety and to the Chief Whip, Councillor Watson.
Yours sincerely
Liz Cameron
Bailie Dr Liz Cameron
Exec Member
Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning
Ward 13 Garscadden/Scotstounhill
You could be forgiven for concluding that Cllr Cameron had her correspondence mixed up. However the following reply from SFoP followed . . . .
Further letter to Cllr Cameron (29 September 2016)
Dear Cllr Cameron,
Thank you for your reply to our letter of the 27/9/16 and, once again, I write on behalf of Scottish Friends of Palestine (SFoP).
At the outset I admit to some confusion when you refer to your postings on Facebook which deal with “bullying and harassing of political figures”. A re-reading of the letter of the 27th will confirm no such reference. Having said that, I am confident that any seasoned politician can distinguish between bullying and harassment on the one hand and reasoned, informed criticism, analysis and resulting conclusion on the other.
Scottish Friends of Palestine holds no opinion on your views of education in Glasgow and no opinion has been expressed. Likewise, with regard to your teaching career, we hold no opinion and none has been expressed.
And once again I am confused, this time when you make the statement “Our schools teach our young people every day the values —– and they do so in a free and open manner with no whisper of dogmaticism.” and then somehow conclude that SFoP has expressed a view on this.
What Scottish Friends of Palestine can acknowledge in relation to your reply is that both the substance and thrust of our letter of the 27th September have not been addressed. They have been totally ignored. You have nothing to say on the matter. This gives the sense that you believe it irrelevant to your position as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Life Long Learning in the City Council that you are publicly supportive of a state which has a recorded history of violence and aggression towards children and young people under the control of its military forces.
With two references in your brief reply to “bullying and harassment”, there is even the sense that should a member of the public pursue their legitimate concerns, you would try to sidestep the issue by pleading this as an excuse – and seek to avoid public interest and scrutiny. We really do hope this is not the case. The precedent is well established that elected public officials are held to account for their actions.
Your reply will be considered at length at the October meeting of the Executive of Scottish Friends of Palestine.
Yours sincerely,
Sec
Scottish Friends of Palestine info@scottish-friends-of-palestine.org
Thereafter, with Cllr Cameron now being mute on this matter of public interest, the focus moved to Cllr Frank McAveety, Convener of Glasgow City Council’s Executive Committee and with ultimate responsibility for presenting Cllr Cameron with the “children & young people” portfolio.
Letter to Cllr Frank McAveety (19 October 2016)
Cllr F McAveety
Convener
Glasgow City Council’s Executive Committee
City Chambers
Glasgow
Dear Cllr McAveety,
I write to you on behalf of the Executive Committee of Scottish Friends of Palestine (SFoP) and in your capacity as Convener of Glasgow City Council’s Executive Committee.
You will be aware of recent correspondence between Cllr Elizabeth Cameron and SFoP. However, I have attached the relevant correspondence for your information and convenience.
The Executive Committee of SFoP has now had an opportunity to consider this correspondence.
Cllr Cameron’s brief reply to our letter of 27th September 2016 states that Glasgow was formally twinned with Bethlehem during her tenure as Lord Provost of the City. However, Cllr Cameron fails to point out that she gave no support to the twinning process during this period. When the Mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh, visited Glasgow to sign the twinning agreement, Lord Provost Elizabeth Cameron ignored the appointment in her official diary and failed to attend the signing ceremony. Protocol (and common courtesy) was ignored and it was left to her depute, Cllr Christine Devine, to sign the agreement. At the very least, it is disingenuous of Cllr Cameron to refer to the twinning in her reply.
This particular incident seems to underline SFoP’s experience, to date, in corresponding with Cllr Cameron. It is not so much what she says, it is what she doesn’t say, what she does not acknowledge, that is important.
While Cllr Cameron seems happy ignoring the concerns, contradictions and responsibilities brought to her attention, this should not be so for Glasgow City Council. Cllr Cameron is Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning on Glasgow City Council. As such she has a role in the life and future of Glasgow’s children and young people, she is the lead spokesperson for Glasgow’s Education Service. However, she is either devoid of empathy and understanding when it comes to the needs of children and young people or it simply does not matter if the victims are out of sight.
The Israeli state and successive Israeli governments have always been very obliging when it comes to the serial abuse, and denial of basic human rights, of Palestinian children under its military occupation and authority. They make no attempt to hide their actions. During the period of correspondence with Cllr Cameron, the following was reported by Palestinian and Israeli news media:
- A 13 year old girl was shot by an Israeli soldier. It later transpired that she was trying to visit the scene of the fatal shooting of her aunt, once again by an Israeli soldier, some months earlier.
- A Palestinian youth, phoning while on the roof of his house, heard a voice shouting “Where do you want it?” This was followed by multiple gunshot wounds to his body by a nearby Israeli sniper.
- Whole families being decanted from their homes into the open (a not uncommon practice), in the Jordan Valley, while Israeli forces carry out live firing practice in and around their village.
- Houses being demolished and, in at least one case, a classroom demolished.
And, despite Israel agreeing to ban the practice, Palestinian children are still wakened up in the early hours of the morning with the snout of both the machine gun of some Israeli “Robo cop” and his attack dog inches from their head as the occupation forces search for some alleged suspect who, more often than not, can be a child.
Cllr Cameron could argue, in her defence, ignorance of the facts. However there is now no excuse for avoiding the issue and addressing concerns raised, in the first instance, in personal correspondence but which, in the future, could be in the public arena.
Cllr Cameron has chosen to go public with her support for a state with a recorded history of violence and abuse towards children and young people under its military occupation. This is totally incompatible with her public role as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning on Glasgow City Council. To continue in this role is untenable. She must consider her position.
This approach to you, as Convener of the City Council’s Executive Committee, is a first step in ensuring that Cllr Cameron understands the need not only to consider her position, but does so at the earliest opportunity. This will avoid the need to enlarge the debate. It is in no one’s interest, least of all that of the City of Glasgow and its citizens, to have an Executive Member with responsibility for the educational interests of children and young people prepared to publicly support and defend a state which is the very antithesis of care and compassion for the Palestinian child under its military occupation.
Yours sincerely,
Sec
Scottish Friends of Palestine info@scottish-friends-of-palestine.org
A second letter was sent to Cllr McAveety following his failure to respond to the first. This second attempt to communicate with our leading political representative also failed. There then followed a letter to all councillors in the Labour Group of Glasgow City Council. . . .
Letter to the Labour Group councillors (13th November 2016)
Glasgow City Councillors
Labour Group
Glasgow City Council
Dear Labour Councillor,
I write on behalf of the Executive of Scottish Friends of Palestine (SFoP).
Accompanying this letter are items of correspondence in relation to both Cllr E Cameron and Cllr F McAveety. If read in chronological order they are self-explanatory. You are asked to note that despite a second approach to Cllr McAveety there has been no reply nor even an acknowledgement, hence this letter to the wider Labour Group within the Council with the request that Cllr Cameron consider her position as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning on Glasgow City Council.
It may help if I outline an event of a couple of months ago when SFoP was approached by a member of the public who has always shown deep concern over the fate and future of the Palestinian people under Israeli military occupation. Being very aware of the plight of the children under occupation, total bewilderment was expressed on learning that Cllr Elizabeth Cameron was using Facebook to publicly support the state of Israel – a serial abuser of children, and their human rights, under its military control – through her Friends, Glasgow Friends of Israel. Just how could Glasgow’s lead spokesperson for the city’s children and young people hold such a position? Surely this must be questioned. And, on behalf of our members, we are certainly questioning this aberration.
Throughout the correspondence, examples of abuse and wounding of children by the military of the Israeli state have been given. The sources can be provided if required. However, as was pointed out to Cllr McAveety, Israel is very obliging when it comes to its criminal policies and practices towards Palestinian children. I would refer you to this link.
The report and photo in this CNN link show an armed Israeli soldier trying to arrest an 11 year old Palestinian boy, with his arm in a plaster cast, during one of the regular protests (against the settlement policy of the occupier) in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh.
Cllr Cameron has certainly demonstrated her apparent complacency and unwillingness to address the concerns raised. Perhaps she feels she has too much to lose and her Friends, not public duty and responsibility, come first. Cllr McAveety, in his capacity as Convener of the Executive Committee and with ultimate responsibility for appointing Cllr Cameron as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning, has quite simply ignored the issues raised. In doing so, of course, he has relegated genuine public concern into the trash can. It could be the views of the public are of no concern to this leading politician in Glasgow.
This letter is the next step in ensuring that Cllr Cameron understands the need not only to consider her position, but does so at the earliest opportunity. This will avoid the need to enlarge the debate any further. It is in no one’s interest, least of all that of the City of Glasgow and its citizens, to have an Executive Member with responsibility for the interests of children and young people prepared to publicly support and defend a state which is the very antithesis of care and compassion for the Palestinian child under its military occupation.
Yours sincerely,
Sec
Scottish Friends of Palestine info@scottish-friends-of-palestine.org
This letter elicited one single reply from around 30 councillors. The focus of this brief reply dwelt on a personal perspective of Cllr Cameron. The issue of the treatment of Palestinian children under military occupation was ignored.
There then followed the announcement that Cllr Cameron was retiring from local politics at the forthcoming elections. So the opportunity to enlarge and pursue the debate was denied. Following the announcement of her impending retirement, the local media eulogised Cllr Cameron in various ways. This prompted the following Press Release . . . .
Press Release (12th December 2016)
Scottish Friends of Palestine acknowledge the contribution made by Liz Cameron to the civic life of Glasgow during her long career as a councillor and Bailie for the City of Glasgow. We note the expressions of confidence and appreciation made in the media and elsewhere with regard to this long career. It is with regret that Scottish Friends of Palestine finds itself at variance with some of the opinion expressed.
When a member of public raises concerns with Scottish Friends of Palestine regarding the public, online profile and postings of Cllr Cameron, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning – particularly her stated admiration and support for the state of Israel – then we are duty bound to raise this issue with Cllr Cameron, herself, and Glasgow City Council. In return we should expect a reasoned response from both Councillor and the Council – all democratically elected, of course.
We frankly found it astonishing that someone in her position should express support for a state where there is documented evidence of routine and systematic illegal detention, ill treatment of, and lethal actions against, children. It is totally inconsistent to be responsible for the development of Glasgow’s children whilst at the same expressing support for the state of Israel which is completely heartless in the way it treats Palestinian children and young people under its military occupation.
This was further compounded by the replies to our concerns – when Cllr Cameron missed the opportunity to show her skills at “verbal short-swording” [to quote one source] and totally failed to address the issue raised.
As for Glasgow City Council, despite repeated efforts to encourage the Council to explain its tolerance of the lead spokesperson for the city’s children, a person who appears to effectively blank out and ignore the adverse and brutal treatment of one set of children and young people, while professing friendship with the propagandists of the state responsible, we were met by total silence.
However, we do repeat the question “Why should the citizens of Glasgow have confidence in an Executive Member for the city’s children and young people who publicly expresses support for a state with a proven track record of violence towards children and young people, and which kills, injures and incarcerates those under its military control and authority?”
It is with deep regret that Scottish Friends of Palestine finds itself in the position of critical friend of Glasgow City Council. Over the years and decades the Council has been supportive of Palestinian rights and has worked with Scottish Friends of Palestine. This summer the Palestine Youth Orchestra spent a week in Glasgow before setting out on a successful tour of Scotland and the wider UK. This was only possible through close cooperation with Glasgow City Council and Scottish Friends of Palestine.
The raison d’etre of Scottish Friends of Palestine includes the duty to challenge those situations which accord the state of Israel an additional veneer to its flimsy coating of respectability. When a “stalwart” of the Council such as Cllr Cameron publicly declares a position which adds to this veneer, a position completely at odds with her current Council profile and responsibilities, we have no alternative than to make every effort to address the situation.
End of Press Release 12 December 2016
Contact details:
Secretary
Scottish Friends of Palestine info@scottish-friends-of-palestine.org
During the period of communicating with Cllr Cameron and the Council the following information was supplied:
Defence for Children International
The report and photo in this CNN link show an armed Israeli soldier trying to arrest an 11 year old Palestinian boy, with his arm in a plaster cast, during one of the regular protests (against the settlement policy of the occupier) in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh.
Although sources were not provided (but are available) the following information was given
- A 13 year old girl was shot by an Israeli soldier. It later transpired that she was trying to visit the scene of the fatal shooting of her aunt, once again by an Israeli soldier, some months earlier.
- A Palestinian youth, phoning while on the roof of his house, heard a voice shouting “Where do you want it?” This was followed by multiple gunshot wounds to his body by a nearby Israeli sniper.
- Whole families being forced from their homes into the open (a not uncommon practice), in the Jordan Valley, while Israeli forces carry out live firing practice in and around their village.
- Houses being demolished and, in at least one case, a classroom demolished.
- And, despite Israel agreeing to ban the practice, Palestinian children are still wakened up in the early hours of the morning with the snout of both the machine gun of some Israeli “Robo cop” and his attack dog inches from their head as the occupation forces search for some alleged suspect who, more often than not, can be a child.
A link to the Newsletter of Military Court Watch [MCW’s Newsletter] for November 2016.
Some points to note are:
– 319 children in military detention;
– 50% held in violation of IV Geneva Convention
– Latest data on ill treatment;
– US advocating for more “humane and efficient” detention;
– Video testimony from a former soldier; and
– Concerns raised in Australian parliament.
Military Court Watch (MCW)
Email: info@militarycourtwatch.org
Web: www.militarycourtwatch.org
Twitter: @MCourtWatch
This public revelation of the “other side” of Cllr Cameron appeared, at last, to prompt a reply from Glasgow City Council. The following email was received from Cllr A Watson in his capacity as Council Business Manager . . .
Letter received from Cllr A Watson (13th December 2016)
Thank you for your email regarding Bailie Liz Cameron and her role as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning. As Council Business Manager, I have been asked to respond.
I strongly believe there to be no basis to call into question the integrity or judgement of Bailie Cameron in her role as Executive Member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning.
Bailie Cameron is a highly respected and valued member of the Labour Group and carries out her role and responsibilities as Executive Member to the highest of standards. I have no doubt that she will continue to upholds these same standards in achieving the best for children and young people across Glasgow. It is for these reasons that I do not believe she requires to reconsider her position.
I hope that this provides some clarification.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Alistair Watson
Glasgow – UK Council of the Year 2015
This letter finalised the verification of official and political silence from Glasgow City Council on the issue of support by elected members for a violent state which masquerades behind claims of the Middle East’s only democracy, and of elitism in the fields of education, culture and industry.
Public interest and concern is not silenced – not now nor in the future – the time is fast approaching when politicians can no longer resort to silence.
Press Release
With the approach of the May elections and the demise of existing Councils throughout Scotland, Scottish Friends of Palestine shares important lessons learned, namely – public interest in Councillor affiliations is very much alive. And silence is not an acceptable response when these affiliations are questioned.
When any Councillor publicises information which throws a big question mark over their judgement, and when this is queried, silence is not the appropriate response. The year 2016 was the year Glasgow City Council’s Executive Member for children and young people, Cllr E Cameron, made public her friendship towards, admiration of, the state of Israel. This could have been a consequence of ignorance. But as ignorance is no defence it is reasonable to expect a rebuttal or reflective comment from Cllr Cameron – not silence on the issue.
With Cllr Cameron being lead spokesperson for Glasgow’s children and young people, the very least the public should have expected is her rationale for supporting a state which kills, maims and incarcerates those Palestinian minors under its military occupation and domination – not silence.
And this equally applies to the Council which appointed her to this position.
Silence is the lifeblood of Israel’s military authority and occupation over the Palestinian people. Silence aids and abets the shocking treatment of Palestinian minors. It aids and abets the denial and obstruction of cancer treatment to those Palestinians, particularly those in Gaza, requiring access to health facilities. House demolitions, confiscation of land and property, settlement building, the decanting of families from their homes while Israeli military carry out live fire practice in their villages is only made possible through the silence of others.
Scotland’s elected public officials have a duty to exercise judgement in the public sphere in a manner which inspires confidence in the public. Their duty is also quite clear when this judgement is questioned. Public interest cannot and should not be ignored nor silenced.
Following the May elections, Scottish Friends of Palestine will continue its policy of cooperation – in place for over 3 decades – with Scotland’s elected Councils. However, this cannot be at the expense of our duty to the Palestinian people and the struggle for their long denied rights.
End of Press Release 16th March 2017
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