My letter to West Dunbartonshire Bed and Breakfast Proprietors, on their council’s boycott of Israeli goods

Here’s a copy of the email I sent to each Bed & Breakfast Proprietor in the council of West Dunbartonshire, regarding their council’s boycott, appealing to them to contact their council members to register their disapproval.

As you may know, in 2009 West Dunbartonshire Council passed a resolution which banned the council from purchasing any and all Israeli goods – a one-sided resolution which singles out Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, for condemnation, and which many believe may violate EU non-discrimination laws.

Since the controversy surrounding the motion, Councillor James Bollan, a fierce proponent of the ban, has gone on record defending Hamas (designated a terrorist group by the EU and US) – referring to them as “freedom fighters” –  and even refused to condemn explicitly anti-Semitic articles of the Hamas charter.

The international media, including The Daily Mail and The Jerusalem Post, have been covering and commenting on the implications of this discriminatory boycott, and have noted the stirrings of a counter-boycott movement aimed at scotch distillers located in West Dunbartonshire Council.

As a Bed & Breakfast Proprietor, and a professional in the Scottish hospitality industry, you no doubt continually strive to show the warmth, decency, and graciousness typically associated with West Dunbartonshire, and Scotland, to your guests.  So, I respectfully ask that you take into account the negative effects such a discriminatory ban may have on the reputation of your community, and further ask that you consider contacting West Dunbartonshire council members to register your objection.

Please understand that the Jewish people have a long and harrowing history with boycotts and, further, have learned that what begins as seemingly solitary discriminatory measures can often snowball into more powerful destructive movements.

Sincerely,

Adam Levick

Here’s a list of B&B Proprietors I contacted:

Susan Fleming

Scotscraig House

18 Park Road

Paisley

PA2 6W
scotscraighouse@btinternet.com

Alastair & Elsie Hunter

Easter Glentore Farm

Greengairs

Airdrie

Lanarkshire

ML6 7TJ
easterglentore@btinternet.com

Jim Weir & Michael McHugh 

The Millers House

Formakin Estate

Bishopton

PA7 5NX
weirmchugh@aol.com

Cameron House on Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond,

Dunbartonshire,

G83 8QZ
resortservices@cameronhouse.co.uk
customerservices@deverevenues.co.uk

Margaret Kay

Braeburn Cottage

West Auchencarroch Farm by Balloch

Loch Lomond

G83 9LU
info@braeburncottage.co.uk

Shiloh B&B

201 East Clyde Street 

Helensburgh

G84 7AJ
info@shiloh-bandb.co.uk
shiloh1@btopenworld.com

Trinity Bed & Breakfast 

5 Lusset Glen

Old Kilpatrick

G60 5DD

info@trinityaccommodation.co.uk

Positano B&B

79 Glasgow Road, 

Dumbarton G82 1RE, 

West Dunbartonshire
positano@blueyonder.co.uk
concetta.r@gmail.com

Tir-Na-N’og Guest House

davyandmags@live.co.uk

Helenor Brown

Ardvorlich House

Ardlui

Loch Lomond

G83 7DT

Scotland, UK

helenorbrown@hotmail.com

Millhall B&B                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Old Luss Road                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Balloch G83 8QP

enquiries@staylochlomond.com

Cathie McIlmun

Time Out

24 Balloch Road, Balloch

Alexandria

Dunbartonshire

ScotlandG83 8LE

timeoutbb@yahoo.co.uk

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