Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson MSP, has endorsed the International Shalom Festival which took place in Scotland this week, stating that she was “sure it will be a joyful celebration of Israel’s rich cultural diversity”.
The three-day festival, which took place at a high school in Edinburgh, featured an Israeli theatre company forced to cancel its show at the Edinburgh Fringe festival three years ago after anti-Israel protesters disrupted the preview performance.
Ms Davidson underlined that “only dialogue and engagement can lead to peace”, adding that the “International Shalom Festival lets Scotland show that art can cut across religious, political and ideological divides”.
The MSP for Edinburgh Central wished the festival “every success”, and said she is “proud of the fact that it allows Scots to show they support a path to peace which rejects the demonisation of any group”.
The artistic director of the International Shalom Festival, Hadar Galron, said that she hoped the event, which featured Israeli and Palestinian performers, would “build cultural bridges and celebrate coexistence and peace”.
