In response to your article “Scots Jews write to GFT in support of Coca-Cola boycott” (heraldscotland, March 27), I find it both implausible and deeply concerning that the named Scots Jews claim the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign is a “peaceful and effective” form of direct action. This statement is misleading and ignores the movement’s true objectives, which are to delegitimise and ultimately dismantle Israel as the democratic state of the Jewish people.

The BDS movement, founded in 2005 by Omar Barghouti, presents itself as a human rights initiative but is, in reality, an extremist anti-Zionist campaign. Its core strategy revolves around three key actions:

Boycott: Encouraging individuals and organisations to sever all cultural, economic, and academic ties with Israel, including pressuring artists to avoid performing in Israel and persuading universities to end collaborations with Israeli institutions.

Divestment: Urging corporations, financial institutions and governments to withdraw investments connected to Israel.

Sanctions: Calling for international measures against Israel, such as exclusion from global organisations like the UN and Fifa, with the aim of isolating the country politically and economically.

Omar Barghouti himself, while benefiting from Israel’s academic system, has made it clear that he opposes Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. He has explicitly stated that the BDS movement “definitely, most definitely opposes a Jewish state in any part of Palestine”. He acknowledges that one of BDS’s key demands – the return of Palestinian refugees – would, in effect, end Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.

The movement does not simply criticise Israeli policies but actively seeks to demonise and delegitimise the country. It holds Israel to standards demanded of no other nation, applying a one-sided and hypocritical narrative that ignores Palestinian responsibility for the ongoing conflict. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism includes denying Jews the right to self-determination as an antisemitic act, yet this is precisely what BDS promotes.

Furthermore, BDS is not a movement for peace or reconciliation but one that fosters hostility. It does not seek a two-state solution or negotiations; rather, it aims to isolate and weaken Israel through political, economic, and cultural warfare. Supporters of BDS blame Israel alone for the conflict while denying Jewish historical and religious ties to the land. They claim to champion Palestinian rights but ultimately push for the dissolution of the world’s only Jewish state.

BDS also targets Israeli citizens of all backgrounds – Jewish, Muslim, and Christian – as well as Jews worldwide who support Israel. By encouraging boycotts of Israeli academics, artists, and businesses, the movement undermines dialogue and peaceful cooperation.

Ultimately, BDS does not advocate for Palestinian self-determination in a way that co-exists with Israel; instead, it seeks to replace Israel entirely. The Scots Jews supporting this movement are aligning themselves with an ideology that violates the IHRA definition of antisemitism and contradicts the values of fairness and coexistence they claim to support.

Sammy Stein, Glasgow.

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We must punish Israel

Must the world remain silent while the merciless slaughter of Palestinians by Israel continues? We should not really be surprised by the horrors that we are witnessing. Israel has a long record of defying UN resolutions, breaking peace treaties and ignoring international agreements. It has been obvious that Benjamin Netanyahu has absolutely no intention of ever working towards a two-state solution. Emboldened by the weak Joe Biden’s failure to enforce his "red lines" and actively encouraged by the corrupt businessman who now occupies the White House, Mr Netanyahu is pushing ahead with his ambition of fully occupying Gaza and the West Bank. The failure of governments to take urgent action is I fear testament to the power and influence of the powerful pro-Israeli lobby.

There are though steps that can and must be taken by politicians and individuals who have any conscience. I have argued before in previous letters for a co-ordinated campaign to isolate and to punish Israel. Sanctions should be applied to the Israeli economy; Israeli goods should be boycotted; shipments of arms should be stopped immediately; foreign travel should be denied the Israeli politician and military leadership and their assets should be frozen; the legal action to pursue alleged war crimes must be speeded up; the participation by Israel in all international sporting and cultural events must be stopped and there should be none of the nonsense which currently sees Russians being allowed to compete in such events as individuals. Surely we cannot just sit and do nothing with Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu threatening the enforced eviction of millions of Palestinians from their homeland then turning Gaza into a Riviera for wealthy Americans?

It is absolute nonsense to claim that such actions would be antisemitic. Such a campaign is an expression of the outrage felt by decent people against the mass murder and illegal occupation being carried out by Israel.

Eric Melvin, Edinburgh.

Let's link up with China

The geopolitical tectonic plates are clearly moving and this was made crystal clear by President Putin in a speech in Murmansk when he stated his presidential objective of "strengthening Russia’s role in global leadership". By giving the nod to the US that issues with Greenland are nothing to do with Russia we see signs of a new global accord emerging unbelievably between the capitalist US and communist Russia. This accord will be transactional and the US this will give the nod to Putin getting the Ukraine and much of eastern Europe back behind what was the former Iron Curtain. Both Russia and the US make clear their contempt of Britain and Western Europe. In the case of the US our naive trust in the "special relationship" has been exposed as a myth.

However, what is left out of this new Russo-US accord is the global power of China and also the emergent India. Notably, China is increasingly a big player in Africa, and both China and India are major investors in the UK economy. With Donald Trump issuing daily diktats this is a fluid and turbulent situation for China and they will be adjusting their global outlook to address this emergent power shift. Likewise for the UK. Thus, it would seem prudent for the UK to encourage serious liaison both militarily and economically with Canada, Western Europe, Australia and Japan, but also India and China. Perhaps when David Cameron and George Osbourne wanted closer strategic IT links with China, they may have been on to something.

Robert F Gibson, Milngavie.

Scotland should look north

Four years ago, three passionate Scots from different backgrounds wrote about how important the Arctic was for the long-term future of Scotland. How the new trading route over the top of Russia would eventually lead to the decline of the Suez Canal, how the exploitation of the deepest natural port in Europe in the Orkneys could spearhead new growth, and how to link Scotland strategically even more substantially to Canada, Iceland, Norway, Denmark and Greenland.

It has taken the Trump crisis to get anyone’s attention to the dramatic shift in geopolitics from the opening up of the new Northeast and Northwest Arctic passages. This will become one of the single most important economic regions of the world since the re-emergence of the Middle East in the 1960s. Armies had better start shedding the khaki gear for bright white uniforms, and navies had better be even more diligent in underwater surveillance of the North Sea. Scottish policy makers should be much bolder in capturing this future.

We simply hope the whole of the Scottish political class has finally woken up to the new opportunities and threats on their own doorstep, well beyond North Sea Oil. Look north not south for your future.

Ian Godden, GlobalScot, Edinburgh.

Benjamin NetanyahuBenjamin Netanyahu (Image: PA)

What's the extra defence money for?

This Labour Government makes me despair. For many years I voted Labour and when the Blair government got in I think it did quite a good job. This lot seems to have no idea. It is going to increase spending on defence whilst cutting many things, mainly to the poorest.

What are they going to spend the extra defence money on?  It is unlikely anyone will bomb us so we do not need to increase air defences. I cannot imagine anyone wasting more money on nuclear deterrence as it will never be used unless the US says "go". We had a great deterrent with V-bombers but gave it up.We are going to put "boots on the ground" in Ukraine. Has anyone looked at how peacekeeping forces performed in various countries? The only thing we can spend money on is to defend countries which probably should never have been allowed to join Nato. Volodymr Zelenskyy has shown how leaders can act when they think they have a lot of backing.

So on what are we going to spend the extra money? I do not think Keir Starmer and his crew have a clue. Some military minds will come forward with plenty of suggestions. But will any make life safer in UK?

Meanwhile the old and sick will be a lot worse off.

Jim McAdam, Maidens.