Flags fly in the face of opinion
REPRESENTATIVES FROM Glasgow’s Jewish community held talks with the leader of the city council this week to discuss their concerns over the council’s decision to fly the Palestinian flag over its building. Thirty members of the community, including Paul Morron, the chair of the Representative Council, met Gordon Matheson for two hours on Monday in an encounter Mr Morron described as “very tough and full of raw emotion”.
They told Mr Matheson of the anger the decision had caused.
“He could very visibly see the level of hurt in the community and was very much affected by it,” he said. “I don’t think there are too many leaders of large councils that would put themselves in that position. We appreciate and acknowledge that.”
A joint statement on Israel is due to be issued in the next few days.
On Monday, the Palestinian flag was raised over Edinburgh city chambers.
The Disasters Emergency Committee, the umbrella group of charities which provide humanitarian aid for Gaza, asked for its flag be taken down while the Palestinian colours were displayed.
A council spokesperson said: “The Palestinian flag was put up for one day and both flags did not fly together at the request of the DEC.
Pro-Palestinian activists have targeted stalls in Edinburgh and Glasgow selling beauty products made in Israel.
The Kedem stall in the St Enoch Centre, in Glasgow, was closed after protests from boycotters. On Saturday, activists demonstrated at the city’s Silverburn shopping centre, prompting a counterprotest from local Israel supporters.