Gary Spedding Profile picture
Rugby Union 🏉 grassroots player & supporter of Palestinian human rights/liberation. Can also be found fighting antisemitism. Contact: Gary@gary-spedding.com
Andrea Salzano Profile picture Jean-Marc /Othman Profile picture 2 subscribed
Mar 19 8 tweets 2 min read
It is clear that the UK government is doing everything it can to avoid either confirming or denying that Israel is violating international humanitarian law.

This done in such a way that the UK can continue support for Israel while avoiding legal repercussions in the future. That is why the UK government's line has been that Israel has the 'capability and commitment' to act within International Humanitarian Law.

Such a statement is carefully crafted to avoid taking a position on whether Israel *has* or *has not* violated IHL.
Mar 17 10 tweets 2 min read
Shoshanna, I feel that you're being deliberately misleading when it comes to this topic and the convention on Genocide.

It isn't about the casualty numbers or 'rate' as you put it.

Read the Genocide convention it explicitly discusses the act (Actus Reus) and intent (Mens Rea).. .. I strongly suggest those engaging with @skjask (a well known anti-Palestinian activist) numbers argument pause for a moment and read the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide which lists a number of acts in context of their intent.
Feb 6 31 tweets 6 min read
On UNRWA allegations, it's important to set out what we do know and weed out the fictions from the facts.

There's a clear timeline of events that has to be understood in order of how they unfolded, as well as the lack of evidence presented for scrutiny and oversight. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs clearly wasn't prepared for the fact UNRWA chief, Philippe Lazzarini went away from a meeting with an Israeli official in Tel Aviv and reported to both the UN and US that allegations had been made against UNRWA staff regarding 7th October...
Feb 5 11 tweets 3 min read
Document containing the UNRWA allegations is absolutely scandalous for multiple reasons - but the most striking is that if this is the 'dossier' that various governments used to justify suspending funds then it should make waves politically speaking because there is NO evidence.. ..not a single piece of evidence is presented in the entirety of the document. It contains allegations and a political statement attacking UNRWA and the staff identified.

Nome of the claims can be independently verified because the evidence is not contained in the document.
Feb 3 6 tweets 2 min read
Firstly, people really need to stop tossing the very serious and traumatic issue of rape around.

Sexual violence that did occur on 7th October horrific & to be condemned.

Portraying Palestinian resistance as 'raping of Jews' is however a racist anti-Palestinian trope. Furthermore, the opposite position to that placard in Israeli society is where it is shouted: You don't get to decide how Israel defends itself... all while Israel wipes out entire families in its devastation and vengeful destruction in Gaza.
Feb 3 5 tweets 2 min read
Three points regarding pro-Palestinian demonstrations that I think are important:

1. Those attending who carrying antisemitic placards/imagery are in a tiny minority and do not represent the movement

2. Behaviour of non-Palestinian activists doesn't negate palestinian rights 3. Palestinians themselves have spoken out on numerous occasions on what they rightly demand from activists in international arenas in terms of solidarity, consistency, commitment to human rights & social justice principles. Palestinian activists also often condemn antisemitism.
Jan 31 16 tweets 5 min read
Responses from Parliamentary questions asked by @DanCardenMP & @RichardBurgon published today providing insight into the @FCDOGovUK ministers position on Israel, the legal advice regarding compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Arms export licenses🧵 UK Government continues to regard the @CIJ_ICJ case brought by South Africa against Israel as "wrong and provocative" and that "Israel's actions in Gaza cannot be described as a genocide".

This doesn't address the question asked by @DanCardenMP - more on that below > Image
Jan 30 27 tweets 8 min read
We should not simply dismiss the allegations made in the WSJ piece alleging that 10% of UNRWA employees have links to militants. However, it is right to scrutinise the background of one of the authors of the article in terms of their links to the IDF & the IDF spokesperson unit.

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It is evident that it is not appropriate for Carrie Keller-Lynn to be part of the journalistic team reporting on these allegations in the WSJ. Her past close relationship w/ Aliza Landes, who was assigned to the IDF Spokesperson Unit, is an important matter not the be overlooked
Jan 21 11 tweets 2 min read
Let's be clear about Palestinian resistance:

When Palestinians demonstrate for their rights face-to-face with Israeli soldiers while being shot at, tear gassed and brutalised. That is resistance.

A Palestinian mother protecting her child from abduction. That is resistance. A Palestinian protecting their home and land from violent armed Israeli settlers (backed up by the Israeli military). That is resistance.

Palestinians going on strike and calling for boycotts & sanctions. That is resistance.

Palestinian artwork & graffiti. That is resistance.
Jan 19 15 tweets 5 min read
Breaking: Here is crucial information from the action taken by @alhaq_org & @GLAN_LAW in relation to UK arms sales to Israel and the @FCDOGovUK's attempt to hide it's internal reports and assessments of the legal framework and reality in Gaza: glanlaw.org/israel-weapons…
Image It turns out that @FCDOGovUK did four "risk assessments" between 7th October and 18th December, which also included writing to the Israeli government in November on a small number of issues.

Israel did not provide a response to specific issues raised in the UK gov letter.
Jan 17 10 tweets 2 min read
A Palestinian colleague in Gaza) just wrote (About Hamas):

"Foreigners that give unwavering unconditional support for a party that is infamous for shooting its own people for having a different opinion and for breaking its already inhumane laws is gross and disturbing. We feel nobody is doing anything sincere to help our situation. Also, we Palestinians have a right to defend ourselves from Israel and from Hamas. By the way, everyone seems to forget that Hamas is not the only Palestinian group in Gaza. There are at least four other partys >
Jan 9 7 tweets 2 min read
Let's be absolutely clear on a principle I've held for a long time:

Palestinians are not our political pornography. I find it absolutely obscene that some so-called activists think that repeatedly posting images of dead Palestinians (including children) over and over is okay. So many factors to think about when you engage in such behaviour:

1. The impact it has on Palestinians here on this platform and elsewhere.
2. That you are in fact playing into the dehumanisation of those Palestinians killed by using images of their dead bodies as 'shock' value.
Jan 9 11 tweets 3 min read
Hi @EylonALevy, I think you need to familiarise yourself with what international law says in regards to this matter. First, though, it is easy for you to allege a person is 'Hamas-affiliated' in order to justify Israel's killing of them. But this again isn't how the law works... 1. Being a member of an armed group - which also has a political and media wing alongside a military wing - is not illegal under international law.
2. Palestinians, unless taking direct participation in armed hostilities, are protected persons and retain civilian status >
Jan 9 12 tweets 3 min read
Eylon discusses de-radicalisation of Palestinians by using an analogy to Nazi Germany (as though it is the same context and type of process) while deliberately erasing the fact that the source of Palestinian radicalisation is violence, occupation & oppression meted out by Israel> According to the Wiener Holocaust Library - which hosts The Holocaust Explained () the process of de-radicalisation in post-WWII Germany was actually a large scale de-nazification process that took different formats depending on which Zone you were in... theholocaustexplained.org/about-us/
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Jan 3 20 tweets 5 min read
Israel advocacy is attempting to take advantage of ordinary peoples lack of knowledge on Genocide and what it means, so let's be clear that it isn't simply a matter of how *many* people from an identified group (in this case Palestinians of Gaza) are slaughtered... a short🧵 There is a social & philosophical debate regarding Genocide - we often learn about it from organisations that have been set up to (1) commemorate past genocides and (2) teach us lessons regarding how Genocide comes to pass I.e. dehumanisation, discrimination, prejudice etc.
Dec 30, 2023 19 tweets 7 min read
Okay, even though I don't get paid for this, let's go... we will start with the overall premise of your article: That Israel isn't Apartheid South Africa.

You are correct. That is why every single human rights organisation & legal advocacy group doesn't make that analogy 1/? Israel advocacy always insists on inserting the claim that Palestine solidarity activists are comparing Israel to Apartheid South Africa but this simply isn't true.

We look at the International Convention on the crime of Apartheid - un.org/en/genocidepre…
May 27, 2023 4 tweets 1 min read
1. Palestine solidarity advocates that are falsely accused of antisemitism usually refer back to Jews and definitions provided by Jews on what is and isn't antisemitism.

2. People of colour absolutely face white people telling them what is and isn't racist on the daily. 3 3. The issue here is efforts to redefine antisemitism in a way that provides political protection for Israel. This is being done by Israel advocates who literally go about telling Palestinians that to oppose Zionism is antisemitic.
May 26, 2023 4 tweets 2 min read
All the men responding to this tweet saying they 'prefer the pic on the right' as though they'd have a chance with any of the women photographed is just 🤣🤣

But also this @ada_lluch person attacking modern advertising for representing various women's body shapes more fairly 🤢 NB: Let's not forget though that Victoria's Secret is a company that was made up by two blokes wanting to make huge profits through the targeting and influencing of women.

There are so many controversies surrounding this company it would take more than a twitter thread.
Mar 28, 2023 4 tweets 2 min read
This is a really simplistic and awful take regarding +972 Magazine - a collective who have been against the occupation, provided a platform to discuss options and ideas for building a shared movement for change, and done some of the most significant reporting on Israel-Palestine. It is simply nonsense that +972 Magazine 'serve Zionist propaganda' several of their bloggers are anti-Zionists and it is the only Israeli platform that is fully partnered with Palestinian writers, editors and bloggers - giving them a platform that is absolutely essential.
Mar 27, 2023 5 tweets 2 min read
Not that I need the validation of some random person on twitter but...

I work with local Jewish communities on tackling antisemitism in my local communities. I promote educational materials on tackling antisemitism. I push for greater inclusion & access to kosher foods etc etc. While at university I pushed for inclusion of Holocaust Memorial Day as part of every students' Union I've been to and worked alongside Jewish students to push for inclusion of kosher foods on campuses.
Mar 22, 2023 9 tweets 4 min read
It is important to highlight that the German 'Tourist', Gerald Hetzel, isn't actually a tourist at all but rather a right-wing activist.

This doesn't make it okay for him to be attacked by a mob in Nablus. But it does provide important context that should be part of the story> The reason it is important to shine a spotlight on his activities in Israel is that it reveals he isn't simply an ordinary tourist who is unaware of the tensions in the Israel-Palestine conflict and as such coverage like this in ToI needs to be challenged & scrutinised>