That the Parliament condemns the recent reported spike in antisemitic incidents in Scotland, many of them under the pretext of political protest against the conflict in Gaza; understands that the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC) has received as many reports of antisemitic incidents in a single week as during the whole of 2013; is appalled to learn that many members of the Jewish community have said that they do not feel safe wearing a kippah or Star of David or speaking Hebrew in the street and that a number have said that they no longer feel welcome in Scotland and are actively considering moving elsewhere; is shocked that the participant in SCoJeC's Being Jewish in Scotland project who two years ago said "Scotland is a darn good place to be a Jew" now says that she "feels alienated and no longer Scottish first then Jewish. Feel Jewish only." and that she "has to be very guarded when speaking to people"; welcomes police assurances that they are taking the situation very seriously; urges all victims of hate crime always to report all incidents to the police, and calls on the Scottish Government, local authorities, trades unions and all other public bodies to condemn all forms of antisemitism in whatever guise it may appear.
Supported by:
Jayne Baxter, Jackson Carlaw, Linda Fabiani, Murdo Fraser, Kenneth Gibson, Annabel Goldie, Richard Lyle, John Mason, Stewart Maxwell, Mark McDonald, Michael McMahon, Anne McTaggart, Gil Paterson, Kevin Stewart, Maureen Watt