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Ask the PFA to support football players in Palestine.

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Attn: Tony Higgins, President, PFA Scotland

Dear Tony,

on the eve of the visit of the Israeli football team to Hampden Park on the 8th October we call on the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Scotland to issue a public message of support and solidarity with their fellow football players in Palestine.

Palestinian football players and officials face constant harassment and worse from the Israeli military who are enforcing an illegal and brutal occupation of Palestinian land. The harassment and attacks are part of Israel's efforts to make every part of Palestinian society suffer to such a degree that they will leave to make way for an expanded Israel.

Sports events have been disrupted, travel for sport forbidden, stadiums bombed, sportpersons imprisoned and Palestinian football players have even been deliberately shot and disabled for life by Israeli soldiers, leaving them unable to play football again.

Palestinians are subject to an Apartheid system now operated by Israel in which institutional racism and discrimination against Palestinians is endemic and codified in both Israeli law and government policy. Treated as second-class citizens this racism encompasses major aspects of daily life and society for Palestinians including discrimination in employment, education, housing, freedom of movement, culture and indeed sport.

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the activism of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement the anti-racism charity 'Show Racism the Red Card' and PFA Scotland recently submitted a proposal to the Scottish Professional Football League. Scottish players wanted to add their voice to the growing worldwide anti-racism movement and so have been 'taking the knee' before games in solidarity.

Fraser Wishart, Chief executive of PFA Scotland, has said: "Football and footballers have a powerful voice and our members wanted to use that for the greater good to help spread the vital anti-racism message."

Therefore we ask PFA Scotland to include the Palestinians in this anti-racism message and issue a public message of support."