Written evidence submitted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Letter from Hugh Lanning, Chair, Palestine Solidarity Campaign,
to the Chair of the Committee, dated 25 July 2016

I am writing to you on behalf of Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) with regard to your current antisemitism inquiry looking at whether there is rise in prejudice against Jewish people and the particular dangers facing Jewish people arising from terrorism.

Antisemitism is racism pure and simple, it should not be tolerated in any society. As an anti­ racist organisation we abhor antisemitism as we do all types of prejudice and discrimination. We have recently seen a worrying rise in hate crime, particularly following the referendum vote to leave the EU; we must do everything we can to combat this. At the heart of our campaign is a commitment to ensure that people's rights and freedoms are not dependent upon their ethnicity, race, or religion.

Having watched and heard some of the evidence given to the enquiry PSC felt it important to come forward with a written submission which I hope you will consider. We do not do so to comment on whether there has been a rise in antisemitism nor on the particular dangers arising from terrorism on Jewish people - this clearly beyond our remit. However, there have been a number of testimonies and lines of enquiry that have called into question the validity of the Palestinian rights movement, and so we believe it is important for you and your committee to consider our submission.

I am enclosing a copy of our written submission to the Labour Party Shami Chakrabarti inquiry held earlier this year.[1] I hope that you will find it useful. Should you require any clarification or wish to discuss this further in person. I would be more than happy to do so.

Thank you for taking the time to consider our submission.

Hugh Lanning,
Chair, Palestine Solidarity Campaign