In solidarity with the people of Nablus, Palestine

Over 60 people crowded into a room in the Queen’s Hotel Dundee last week to mark the 45^th anniversary of the city’s twinning with the Palestinian city of Nablus.

Prominent speakers included Nehad Khanfar, the Chair of both FONSA (Friends of Nablus and Surrounding Areas) and of the Association of the Palestinian Community in the UK and Nadia El-Nakla, the Depute Lord Provost of Dundee.

Mike Arnott, Dundee TUC Secretary, also spoke, recognising the ‘immense pride’ Dundonians take in the decision to be twinned with Nablus, and offering retrospective thanks to those who brought it about and set up the Dundee-Nablus Twinning Association (DNTA).

Mike praised trade unionists Jack Stewart and John Gibson, saying that ‘the tireless activism of these two, over a number of years, saw them, among other exploits, ferrying Palestinian speakers up and down the country, including to an STUC Congress on the Isle of Rothesay, and saw security at the Houses of Parliament come within minutes of mistakenly blowing up John’s car’.

Mike recalled how ‘weeks after the twinning was signed, the Mayor of Nablus, Bassam Shaka’a, came to Dundee. Partly to seal the twinning, but also to use the expertise of the Dundee Limb Fitting Centre because, months before, his legs had been blown off in a car bomb attack by a settler terrorist, one of three similar attacks on West Bank Mayors’.

Solidarity actions over the years were highlighted: ‘2011 saw the Fire Brigades Union send two fire engines and then hundreds of pieces of firefighting equipment from Dundee to Nablus. It later arranged for firefighters from Nablus and other Palestinian cities to come to Scotland to train, then last year sent another fire engine to Nablus, packed with medical equipment and kids’ football kit. Sadly, the fate of this consignment has not been a positive one, due to Israeli customs’.

Mike concluded with a bitter acknowledgment and a positive statement of determination: ‘sadly, over the years, the position of Palestine and the Palestinians has not improved. The inability of our friends from Nablus often to join us in Dundee has been a symptom of that. Children, dancers, musicians, trade unionists and others have been refused documentation by the Israeli state to attend events here. But we persist. And ordinary people’s support here for the wider issue of Palestinian rights has never been stronger, especially following the last two years in Gaza … Tonight, we commit ourselves to continue to build solidarity with Palestine, with Nablus and with its people’.

Published 1 December 2025.

Picture credit: Dundee-Nablus Twinning Association