Who would pick a pointless fight with an ally like the New Statesman and hand the Israel lobby an open goal just when Tel Aviv’s notorious propaganda chief, Mark Regev, is settling into his new role as Israel’s ambassador in London? Answer: the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), which describes itself as “the biggest organisation in the UK dedicated to securing Palestinian human rights”.
It boasts that “we can take on the might of governments, corporations, and the media – and we can win”.
Patrons include worthies such as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, film director Ken Loach and actress Julie Christie. The website doesn’t say who actually runs it .
But here’s the thing, in the PSC’s own words….
PSC commissioned an article from Salah Ajarma, the co-founder and Director of the Lajee Cultural Centre in Aida Refugee camp. The New Statesman published the piece as part of a two year partnership between the PSC and the New Statesman. Two pro-Israel blogs attacked the New Statesman for publishing the piece; shortly afterwards, the New Statesman deleted it without speaking to Salah or to PSC. They have since refused to offer any explanation or justification for the removal of the article.
The PSC described it as a disgraceful attack on freedom of expression, a clear case of censorship, and a deliberate attempt to silence Palestinian voices:
By doing this, the New Statesman have politically censored a human rights campaigner, who is living under very…