http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/scotland/newsid_1915000/1915071.stm
Saturday, 6 April, 2002, 17:40 GMT 18:40 UK
Scots protest over Israeli action


The demonstration passed off peacefully

Hundreds of people have marched through the centre of Edinburgh to show solidarity with the Palestinians.
The protesters called for an immediate end to Israeli military action in the West Bank.

The demonstrators also said Israel must give up all the territory it has occupied since 1967.

It is has been estimated that 1,000 people joined the march and many carried Palestinian flags, while others carried placards of people they say were killed by the Israelis.


Mick Napier: Ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians


Mick Napier, of the Palestine Solidarity campaign, said: "The Palestinians are the longest standing unresolved injustice of the century.

"They were ethnically cleansed , they are being slow motion ethnically cleansed by Ariel Sharon and Britain continues to send machine parts to keep the weapons of assassination and ethnic cleansing flying."

The demonstrators called on Edinburgh's city centre shoppers to boycott companies which sell Israeli goods.

Earlier this week Glasgow Labour MP George Galloway renewed his call for consumers to boycott produce from Israel.

He said the public should be on the lookout for products like some oranges, avocados and vegetables.

He told BBC Scotland: "We have a special duty to come to the aid of the Palestinian people and every person can do it by personally making purchasing decisions which hurt the ability of the Israeli economy to function normally."

After Saturday's march SNP MSP Margo Macdonald likened the Palestinian's plight to that of the Scots 600-years ago.

She added: "I am more than proud to associate this small nation of Scotland with the small nation of Palestine."