WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL AND ISRAELI AUTHORS AND BUSINESSES

Early day motion 1875, tabled 7 June 2011 by Robert Halfon (Conservative). Signed by 6 members.

That this House condemns the unilateral decision of West Dunbartonshire Council to boycott Israeli authors and businesses; notes that Israel is one of the only democracies in the Middle East where Arab citizens have genuine freedom and the rule of law, with an independent Supreme Court; further notes that there has been no boycott of dictatorships like Syria where the regime has killed many of its own citizens in recent days; regrets that West Dunbartonshire Council has expressed no concern for the brutal crimes of China, Iran, Sudan, North Korea, Sri Lanka, or Zimbabwe, which have appalling records on human rights; and therefore urges the people of Dunbartonshire to lobby their councillors strenuously against this offensive decision, which has echoes of Nazi Germany burning books by Jewish authors in the 1930s.

Signatures by party: DUP 4, Conservative 2.