Possibly the worst thing a newspaper can do to a Muslim woman is to publish a picture of her under the headline “I am proud to be called a terrorist”.  This is exactly what the Mail on line has done to Malaka Shwaikh.

Malaka is currrently at Exter University, studying under Ilan Pappe , a Jewish Israeli Professor; she is in no way anti-semitic. Before she moved from Sheffield, Malaka was a member of Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign.   She is an intelligent articulate active anti-racist.  

What has stirred the ire of the Pro Israeli and Zionist campaigners is that she is Palestinian, articulate and effective.

The full sentence she used was:  “If terrorism means protecting and defending my land, I am so proud to be called terrorist. What an honour for the Palestinians!”   This was said in the context of Israel’s 2014 bloody onslaught on Gaza. The wilful ripping out of part of the sentence completely misrepresents her position.

The attack on Malaka is part of a coordinated attempt to discredit pro-Palestinian campaigners. Israel has become increasingly right wing and xenophobic.  It is feted by white supremacists and Islamophobes.  Its supporters desperately hope to drown out criticism of Israel’s illegal land theft by false allegations of terrorism and anti Semitism.

If the Daily Mail’s malevolent distortion is allowed to stand Malaka’s ability to travel, to return to Gaza, and live a normal life will be made near impossible.    It will also embolden the Mail for further attacks.

What you can do

1. Read the statement by Sheffield PSC.  
2. Raise the issue in your place of worship, trade union or community group, classmates etc.
3. Complain to IPSO (You will need to refer to the article here)
4. Complain to the Daily Mail 
5. Send a message of support to Malaka via Sheffield PSC
6. Sign the online petition

   Defend Malaka - Petition to the Independent Press Complaints Commission

   This petition is now closed.

   End date: Apr 30, 2017

   Signatures collected: 322

   322 signatures
    
7. If you are doing a paper petition, please download from here and return the completed sheets to Sheffield PSC as detailed on the document

On 9th July this summer, over a hundred people saw at Sheffield’s Broomhall Centre a performance by 20 Palestinian teenagers, from Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem.

The previous day, Sheffield’s Deputy Mayor had welcomed the group, the Lajee Dance Troupe, at the Town Hall. On Wednesday, October 5th, three of the 14-year- old dancers, Mustafa Bdair, Mutaz Barakah and Omar Radi were arrested by masked Israeli soldiers.

Attacks by the Israeli army on the Lajee centre have escalated since Celtic football fans raised over £170,000 divided between Medical Aid for Palestine and the Lajee Centre in Aida Camp.

These night raids by Israeli soldiers fit into a pattern of reprisals that have followed international gestures of solidarity with the Centre under an Israeli military occupation that the UK and other governments consider to be illegal.

Israeli soldiers attacked the Lajee Centre with teargas and rubber bullets on 19 Sept while the children were inside. The following night they forced open the gate of the centre, threw teargas grenades inside and closed the gate, trapping the children inside, forcing them to inhale toxic teargas.

Mutaz, Mustafa and Omar have been released on bail but will be tried by an Israeli military court where defendants are routinely found guilty.

In total, 440 children under 18 are currently held in military detention almost two-and- half times the number imprisoned a year ago. According to the Defense for Children International–Palestine (DCIP), no other country in the world systematically prosecutes hundreds of children in military courts each year.

Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign are urging Sheffield MPs to call on the Foreign Office to condemn the Israeli government’s campaign of intimidation against the Lajee Centre and to press for the dropping of the charges against the teenagers.