“Boker tov and G-d bless you” were the first words I heard as we were setting up this morning. I didn’t even see who said it as they passed the stall but it was certainly a great way to start our day on Buchanan Street.
And then a most wonderful Israeli man called Leo and his friend Alexi from Geneva were incredibly happy to see our flag after seeing the Palestinian flag on a stall opposite the Apple store, so they came down the street to offer their support. Leo told us “I’m so, so happy. Thank you for what you’re doing. It warms my heart seeing you here” He told us that they’re part of a small group in Geneva that goes out with their Iranian friends in support of Israel and he took a bag of Israeli wristbands and badges to give to his group. I know that Leo follows us on Facebook and I hope that he’ll read this post and share it with his friends.
The ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ live tour is in Glasgow tonight and we had 3 or 4 different people who stopped to engage with us. Irene from Fife who follows us on Facebook and the others who were all men. Each one said they were here with their wives for the show. It’s OK guys, you’re allowed to say that you enjoy Strictly too.
And we had the usual short conversations with supporters who didn’t stay long but wanted us to know that they stand with us and can’t be doing with the ongoing pro-Pal nonsense that’s blighting our lives and the lives of all decent people.
Minty from Newcatle told us he was a military man (apparently they all have nicknames in the military) He told us that he completely supports us and agreed with the words from a previous military man we spoke to a couple of weeks ago, that during his service he was “fighting Israel’s enemies” He said that there’s only one Jewish state and 57 Muslim states. How can that be right?
Amos from Ireland told Sammy that he supports what we do and was angry about their “awful President” and he’s pleased that Dublin council removed the proposal to change the name of Herzog Park. I just had a look online and see that they’ve received the most horrendous abuse because of this decision. But what else can we expect from the Irish?
A lady picked up a couple of leaflets and told us that she was very pleased to see us as “it’s always so one-sided” And one of the ‘Strictly’ husbands, a man from Aberdeen, simply said “I completely agree with you”
However, Tony is not one of these men of few words and he wanted to come and share his feelings about the other stalls on the street. He had been given one of our wristbands from a friend and came back for another one. “See thae f***ing a***holes up there” pointing to the stall opposite the Apple store, “They want to kill all the Jews. It’s not even 100 years since Hitler – they’re the Nazis. I took a video of his leaflets and asked him apartheid? What’s apartheid and the man couldn’t even answer my question” and then another stream of abusive invectives that as soon as he uttered them, he immediately apologised for his language. But it’s OK Tony, we know exactly how you feel. They haven’t a clue these Hamas supporters.
After he left, another man stopped and said “it’s nice to see someone here other than those sh1ts down there” looking at the Pacetta’s stall further down Buchanan Street. He looked at our ‘Terrorist Supporters Off Our Streets’ banner and added “Yes, keep those terrorists off our streets” then “Oh god the Communists have a stall too, what a surprise!”
A German man who’s a lecturer at a university near Glasgow had a long conversation with us. He lives near Queens Park on the Southside of Glasgow and is a great Israel supporter, even displaying an Israeli flag in his window, which is a brave thing to do in that particular part of town where Israel haters abound. They love to say that Govanhill is a Zionist Free Zone, although it’s nothing of the sort. I won’t use the man’s name for fear of reprisals from the mob but he told me that every Monday he sees these useful idiots standing at the park gates on Victoria Road banging their pots and pans for Gaza and they also stick their pro-Hamas and ‘support the hunger strikers’ stickers on the shipping containers at the Queens Park arena. They love to stand on the street, looking up at his Israeli flag in the window, shouting “Free free Palestine” Pathetic creatures that they are.
We have Iranians who come to talk to us when they see our Lion and Sun flag and a young woman called Nesrin who lives in Glasgow was incredibly happy to see the flag and told us about Manoto a Persian channel based in London en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manoto I don’t often resort to Wikipedia for my information as we all know how entries can be doctored and maliciously edited but this one does seem bone fide. We always watch Mahyar Toussi www.youtube.com/@TousiTV but it’s also good to have another source.
Robi had a conversation with an Eritrean man who told him that radical Islam is a real problem in his country. He said that they burn monasteries and persecute Christians and they’re trying to take over all of Africa. He asked Robi about the Lion and Sun flag flying on our gazebo and Robi explained what it was and why we fly it at our stall and told him that the Israel haters support the Iranian regime that have slaughtered many thousands of their own people. The man told him “I like your stall, it’s about peace”
We’re also great supporters of the rights of the Kurdish people to have their own independent state and we have Kurdish flag bunting around our table that brings many Kurds to our stall. Some lovely children came to ask for the small flags that we also have and a lady that has now become a regular visitor came back again this week to thank us for supporting her people. There’s a great Jewish-Kurdish organisation in London run by our good friend Liat and we’ve been added to their WhatsApp group chat. If anyone wants to know more about the organisation, please contact us on Messenger.
Some good friends from the Glasgow Jewish community came to visit us today. Marnie, who’s always a welcome visitor and also Timothy along with his brother who lives in the States and his father Orry, who’s visiting from Israel. They only stayed for a short while and they had to drag Orry away from the stall as he would have loved to have stayed longer. We look forward to seeing Orry again the next he comes to visit Timothy and the family and you too Tim, don’t be a stranger.
Someone we haven’t seen for over a year because of her ill health, is the totally brilliant Liz. I’m sure you won’t remember me telling you about this lady who lives in Alexander Parade in Glasgow and used to have a stall in Paddy’s Market many years ago. She used to tell us about walking across the bridge to the Gorbals in the old days and visiting all the Kosher shops that used to be there.
She told us today another of her lovely stories about the second hand fur coats she had at her stall that she would collect up and take to Simons the furriers on Carlton Place every Friday. Apparently Simon would cut away the worn pieces of fur and remake the coats for sale. We laughed when she told us that she would be told “Hurry up Elizabeth, it’s Friday and we need to get home early” to which she replied “Aye and I need my money because I’m going to the dancing!”
Liz loves Israel and each time she comes to see us we’re completely overwhelmed by her generous donation that she insists that she wants us to have.
She said that she feels the tide is definitely turning against the pro-Pals and that her neighbours in the flats are Celtic supporters and they’re all sick of the demonstrations and marches. And we know many Celtic supporters who say the same.
As she left the stall we heard and then saw one of the aforementioned demos coming up Buchanan Street. “Free, free Palestine” “From Glasgow to Gaza, victory to the intifada” What a bunch of numpties with their banner and Venezuelan flag (yes really!) and from what we could see, there were very few of them on the march: Pinocchio Pacetta and a couple of others from her stall along with a grim and ugly looking bunch of rag tags wearing their culturally appropriated checked scarves (Amazon doing a roaring trade in keffiyehs we believe) Liz, you were right, the tide is definitely turning.
3 young teenagers came to the stall as we were packing up.
Robi spoke to them and they explained they had just come from the Communist stall who were so full of hate. They took a load of leaflets and bracelets and said they can see there is so much antisemitic bias against Israel and the Jews.
At the same time a Glasgow Uni graduate came by to say she was so ashamed of the university and how antisemitic it has become.
She supports Israel and is coming back to see us next week.
And to wind up this week’s ‘match report’ (as our friend Alasdair calls it) we couldn’t finish before mentioning the wonderful sisters Jean and Eileen. Jean is the fearless Union rep at her work where she wears her Israel badges and gives them away to others who also support Israel and Eileen who brings us cakes. And what cakes! This week it was special cheesecakes for Tommy who had been feeling very left out because Eileen makes them for his brother Sammy, so now he has some all for himself and Marie. And we weren’t forgotten either as Eileen produced her usual huge bag of lemon drizzle, brownies and ginger & banana cakes that we shared with everyone at the stall including the visitors who came to offer their support.
For those of you who are reading this and live near Glasgow, please do come and join us on Buchanan Street. It’s definitely the best place to spend a Saturday. ... See MoreSee Less
