4 aug 2018
Via BNC official:
We, Palestinian cultural organizations, municipalities and human rights campaigns, call for the boycott of Meteor Festival in Israel, scheduled for September 6-8, 2018. We urge all participating artists to respect Palestinians’ non-violent resistance and withdraw from this complicit festival as a meaningful contribution to our struggle for freedom, justice and equality.
Naranja, the Israeli organisers of Meteor Festival, bring international artists to Israel to serve later as future ambassadors for the country. In 2009, just months after Israel killed over 1,400 Palestinians in Gaza, Naranja worked to “improve Israel’s image in Scandinavia”. Naranja say they want Meteor Festival to create an “alternative reality”. The reality for Palestinians is 70-year-old regime of occupation, colonization and apartheid.
Just last week, Israel effectively declared itself as an apartheid state by adopting the “Jewish Nation-State Law”, which constitutionally denies Palestinian citizens equal rights and legalizes their exclusion.
The Meteor festival recommends accommodation located in illegal Israeli settlements built in violation of international law in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Israel’s expanding illegal settlements steal the land and resources of millions of Palestinians living under military occupation. Israel’s bulldozers demolish Palestinian homes and villages, leaving families and entire communities homeless refugees in our own land.
Since 2004, Palestinian artists and cultural organizations have urged their international colleagues not to perform in Israel as long as it continues to violate Palestinian human rights with impunity. Artists played an important role in isolating Apartheid South Africa by refusing to play in Sun City.
Today, thousands of artists across the world support the Palestinian boycott call or have respected our nonviolent picket line, including Lorde, Ms Lauryn Hill, Thurston Moore, Shakira, Wolf Alice, Chuck D, Portishead, Brian Eno and Young Fathers.
The Israeli government uses international performances as a stamp of approval for its regime of oppression and ethnic cleansing and its violent attacks on Palestinian life and culture. Performing at an international music festival in Israel sends the message that Israel’s actions aren’t so bad after all. As the Washington Post remarked earlier this year, “From now on, if it weren’t the case already, merely scheduling a concert date in Israel will be considered a political act.”
Israel has confined two million Palestinians in Gaza under a cruel siege for over 10 years now. The UN has declared [pdf] the Gaza Strip as “unlivable.” When tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza peacefully protested for their UN-stipulated rights in March, Israeli snipers implemented a “shoot-to-kill-or-maim” and killed over 140 Palestinians and injured over 16,000, leaving many with life-changing injuries. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are among the rights organisations who have condemned Israel’s massacre in Gaza.
In the area surrounding the festival site are the ruins of dozens of Palestinian cities, towns and villages violently destroyed during the establishment of Israel on the rubbles of Palestine. More than 500 Palestinian population centres were systematically destroyed in this way during the Nakba (“catastrophe”). Many Palestinian communities within Israel are denied basic services, including electricity, water, schools and roads and suffer under a system of racial discrimination that is entrenched with more than 60 racist laws.
Against this oppression and dispossession, as all oppressed peoples, we resist. An important part of our resistance is through culture, music, poetry, literature, cinema, dance and theatre.
Israel’s response is to detain and arrest Palestinian artists at checkpoints, raid festivals, close Palestinian cinemas and ban Palestinian cultural events.
We appeal to artists who are scheduled to perform at Meteor to simply do no harm; to respect Palestinians’ non-violent picket line and to not lend your name to art-washing Israel’s crimes against Palestinians. Stand for freedom, justice and equality. Cancel your participation at Meteor Festival.
Signed:
We, Palestinian cultural organizations, municipalities and human rights campaigns, call for the boycott of Meteor Festival in Israel, scheduled for September 6-8, 2018. We urge all participating artists to respect Palestinians’ non-violent resistance and withdraw from this complicit festival as a meaningful contribution to our struggle for freedom, justice and equality.
Naranja, the Israeli organisers of Meteor Festival, bring international artists to Israel to serve later as future ambassadors for the country. In 2009, just months after Israel killed over 1,400 Palestinians in Gaza, Naranja worked to “improve Israel’s image in Scandinavia”. Naranja say they want Meteor Festival to create an “alternative reality”. The reality for Palestinians is 70-year-old regime of occupation, colonization and apartheid.
Just last week, Israel effectively declared itself as an apartheid state by adopting the “Jewish Nation-State Law”, which constitutionally denies Palestinian citizens equal rights and legalizes their exclusion.
The Meteor festival recommends accommodation located in illegal Israeli settlements built in violation of international law in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Israel’s expanding illegal settlements steal the land and resources of millions of Palestinians living under military occupation. Israel’s bulldozers demolish Palestinian homes and villages, leaving families and entire communities homeless refugees in our own land.
Since 2004, Palestinian artists and cultural organizations have urged their international colleagues not to perform in Israel as long as it continues to violate Palestinian human rights with impunity. Artists played an important role in isolating Apartheid South Africa by refusing to play in Sun City.
Today, thousands of artists across the world support the Palestinian boycott call or have respected our nonviolent picket line, including Lorde, Ms Lauryn Hill, Thurston Moore, Shakira, Wolf Alice, Chuck D, Portishead, Brian Eno and Young Fathers.
The Israeli government uses international performances as a stamp of approval for its regime of oppression and ethnic cleansing and its violent attacks on Palestinian life and culture. Performing at an international music festival in Israel sends the message that Israel’s actions aren’t so bad after all. As the Washington Post remarked earlier this year, “From now on, if it weren’t the case already, merely scheduling a concert date in Israel will be considered a political act.”
Israel has confined two million Palestinians in Gaza under a cruel siege for over 10 years now. The UN has declared [pdf] the Gaza Strip as “unlivable.” When tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza peacefully protested for their UN-stipulated rights in March, Israeli snipers implemented a “shoot-to-kill-or-maim” and killed over 140 Palestinians and injured over 16,000, leaving many with life-changing injuries. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are among the rights organisations who have condemned Israel’s massacre in Gaza.
In the area surrounding the festival site are the ruins of dozens of Palestinian cities, towns and villages violently destroyed during the establishment of Israel on the rubbles of Palestine. More than 500 Palestinian population centres were systematically destroyed in this way during the Nakba (“catastrophe”). Many Palestinian communities within Israel are denied basic services, including electricity, water, schools and roads and suffer under a system of racial discrimination that is entrenched with more than 60 racist laws.
Against this oppression and dispossession, as all oppressed peoples, we resist. An important part of our resistance is through culture, music, poetry, literature, cinema, dance and theatre.
Israel’s response is to detain and arrest Palestinian artists at checkpoints, raid festivals, close Palestinian cinemas and ban Palestinian cultural events.
We appeal to artists who are scheduled to perform at Meteor to simply do no harm; to respect Palestinians’ non-violent picket line and to not lend your name to art-washing Israel’s crimes against Palestinians. Stand for freedom, justice and equality. Cancel your participation at Meteor Festival.
Signed:
- Palestinian Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
- Ramallah Municipality
- Sareyyet Ramallah
- Yabous Cultural Centre
- Palestinian Performing Arts Network
- The Palestinian National Theatre/ Al- Hakawati
- Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society
- Society Community Development- KHOTWA
- Baladi Center For Culture and Arts
- Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center
- Jerusalem Arts Network “SHAFAQ”. The network includes:
- Al-Ma’mal Foundation for Contemporary Art
- The Edward Said National Conservatory of Music
- Palestinian Art Court-Al Hoash
- Palestinian National Theatre
- Yabous Cultural Center
- Palestinian Performing Arts Network (PPAN). The network includes:
- Freedom Theater
- Theatre Day Productions
- Al Harah Theater
- Ashtar Theater
- Yes Theatre
- Edward Said National Conservatory of Music
- Al-Kamandjati Association
- Magnificat Institute
- Popular Art Centre
- El Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe
- Palestinian Circus School
- Nawa for Culture and Arts Association
- Ohoud Association for Culture and Development
- Naqsh Popular Art Center
- Oushaq Art Centre
- Asayel Dance Troupe
- Ibda’a Cultural Center
- Ayyam Al Masrah
3 aug 2018
by Suraya Dadoo
The “threats” facing Israel are numerous and diverse: artists painting murals on walls; poetry on Facebook; even clowns and circus performers. The newest danger to the Zionist state is a South African celebrity who usually features in the entertainment section of the newspapers, rather than the politics pages. Last week, Israel banned South African entrepreneur and former model Shashi Naidoo for 10 years after she tried to enter the West Bank to educate herself about Israel’s military occupation of Palestine.
Naidoo decided to embark on the trip after she was caught in a social media storm when she copied and pasted anti-Palestinian propaganda on her Instagram account to defend Israel’s violent response to the Great Return March protests in the Gaza Strip. Following a massive backlash, Naidoo deleted the posts and issued an apology. On 20 June, she announced her intention to educate herself about the reality of the Israeli occupation by going on a self-funded educational tour of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Although she managed to visit Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, she didn’t make it to the West Bank. After two hours of interrogation by Israeli security at the border, and what Naidoo calls “mental warfare”, she was denied entry and banned for a decade.
The whole experience has been a steep learning curve for her. In a candid interview, she admitted that her entire understanding of Israel and Zionism was informed by her close interactions and relationships with Zionist Jews. “People spoke about Israel proudly, and Zionism was an important part of being Jewish,” she explained. “There was never any mention of occupation… I find it unfathomable that the people I knew – people who were so kind and loving — could ever be in support of this type of oppression. I’ve always heard that there was a conflict, but I had no idea about the Nakba, occupation, refugees or what everyday life was for Palestinians.”
Given her high-profile status, Israel’s banning of Naidoo was covered widely in the media in South Africa; it also touched a raw nerve for many of her fellow South Africans.
“When model and actress Shashi Naidoo was barred from entering Palestine this week I couldn’t help thinking, wait a minute, I think I’ve seen this movie before,” wrote veteran journalist Fred Khumalo in his weekly column for the Sowetan newspaper. “Naidoo’s experiences in the Middle East were a replay of what happened to hundreds of outspoken people who were barred from entering South Africa at the height of apar`theid. The government of the day was convinced that what it was doing — killing and jailing opponents, but also sending some into exile — was God’s plan and anyone who questioned it had to be punished.” His comments were written on the day that Naidoo landed back in South Africa.
“I did not know that my pursuit of knowledge would attract the label of ‘terrorist’ or ‘threat’ from the government of Israel,” the former model pointed out. “I now know that any person who has a different opinion to that of the State of Israel could be seen as a ‘threat’.”
Journalist Erin Bates and photographer Leeroy Jason accompanied Naidoo on the trip to document her learning experience. They made it through to the occupied West Bank, and went ahead with the journey that Naidoo would have taken had she been allowed in. According to Jason, it was Naidoo’s search for the truth that kept him and Bates inspired to continue the journey without her. They are now on a mission to share the truth about what’s happening under Israeli occupation. They got a small taste of Palestinian life while touring Hebron with the Breaking the Silence group, where tour leader Yehuda Shaul was violently attacked by illegal settlers.
Israel claims that Naidoo was denied entry because her trip was allegedly planned by the South African branch of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which Israel regards as an “existential threat”. Prior to this whole saga, Naidoo confesses that she didn’t even know what BDS was. Thanks to Israel, however, that has now changed. “I see boycotts as an important way of challenging Israel. Yes, I’m a supporter of BDS now, and I would encourage people to boycott Israel to get that country to end the occupation.”
Naidoo was offended by the offer of a return trip made by Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, but only if her hosts were approved by the Israeli government. She has pledged that she will only go back to a free Palestine.
Erdan’s offer of government-approved hosts is a replica of apartheid South Africa’s propaganda ploys. One of the most effective tools used by the former regime to obscure the apartheid system of government was its offer of trips to South Africa to allow those we now call “influencers” to see that it was really “not that bad”, and that calls for a boycott of South Africa were “excessive”. State officials would take visitors on carefully-scripted tours to show them how happy black people were — in tightly-controlled scenarios, of course — and how the condemnation of apartheid did not reflect this “success” story.
As long as you were hosted by a group that was approved by the government, stuck to the carefully-chosen itinerary and only spoke to the “good” natives, then you were welcome in apartheid South Africa. Being hosted by “terrorist” group like the African National Congress (ANC), venturing into the prohibited townships, and speaking to anyone calling for a boycott of South Africa earned you the label of “threat” and a permanent ban from entering the country.
The only real danger facing Israel is that the world is learning the truth about its brutal occupation and apartheid policies, despite attempts to suppress it. The real upshot of Shashi Naidoo’s banning is that it has stripped away Israel’s veneer of democratic respectability, leading many South Africans to ask a simple question: If Israel has nothing to hide, why does its government keep banning people from entering the occupied Palestinian territories?
- Suraya Dadoo is a researcher with Media Review Network in South Africa. Her article was published in MEMO.
The “threats” facing Israel are numerous and diverse: artists painting murals on walls; poetry on Facebook; even clowns and circus performers. The newest danger to the Zionist state is a South African celebrity who usually features in the entertainment section of the newspapers, rather than the politics pages. Last week, Israel banned South African entrepreneur and former model Shashi Naidoo for 10 years after she tried to enter the West Bank to educate herself about Israel’s military occupation of Palestine.
Naidoo decided to embark on the trip after she was caught in a social media storm when she copied and pasted anti-Palestinian propaganda on her Instagram account to defend Israel’s violent response to the Great Return March protests in the Gaza Strip. Following a massive backlash, Naidoo deleted the posts and issued an apology. On 20 June, she announced her intention to educate herself about the reality of the Israeli occupation by going on a self-funded educational tour of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Although she managed to visit Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, she didn’t make it to the West Bank. After two hours of interrogation by Israeli security at the border, and what Naidoo calls “mental warfare”, she was denied entry and banned for a decade.
The whole experience has been a steep learning curve for her. In a candid interview, she admitted that her entire understanding of Israel and Zionism was informed by her close interactions and relationships with Zionist Jews. “People spoke about Israel proudly, and Zionism was an important part of being Jewish,” she explained. “There was never any mention of occupation… I find it unfathomable that the people I knew – people who were so kind and loving — could ever be in support of this type of oppression. I’ve always heard that there was a conflict, but I had no idea about the Nakba, occupation, refugees or what everyday life was for Palestinians.”
Given her high-profile status, Israel’s banning of Naidoo was covered widely in the media in South Africa; it also touched a raw nerve for many of her fellow South Africans.
“When model and actress Shashi Naidoo was barred from entering Palestine this week I couldn’t help thinking, wait a minute, I think I’ve seen this movie before,” wrote veteran journalist Fred Khumalo in his weekly column for the Sowetan newspaper. “Naidoo’s experiences in the Middle East were a replay of what happened to hundreds of outspoken people who were barred from entering South Africa at the height of apar`theid. The government of the day was convinced that what it was doing — killing and jailing opponents, but also sending some into exile — was God’s plan and anyone who questioned it had to be punished.” His comments were written on the day that Naidoo landed back in South Africa.
“I did not know that my pursuit of knowledge would attract the label of ‘terrorist’ or ‘threat’ from the government of Israel,” the former model pointed out. “I now know that any person who has a different opinion to that of the State of Israel could be seen as a ‘threat’.”
Journalist Erin Bates and photographer Leeroy Jason accompanied Naidoo on the trip to document her learning experience. They made it through to the occupied West Bank, and went ahead with the journey that Naidoo would have taken had she been allowed in. According to Jason, it was Naidoo’s search for the truth that kept him and Bates inspired to continue the journey without her. They are now on a mission to share the truth about what’s happening under Israeli occupation. They got a small taste of Palestinian life while touring Hebron with the Breaking the Silence group, where tour leader Yehuda Shaul was violently attacked by illegal settlers.
Israel claims that Naidoo was denied entry because her trip was allegedly planned by the South African branch of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which Israel regards as an “existential threat”. Prior to this whole saga, Naidoo confesses that she didn’t even know what BDS was. Thanks to Israel, however, that has now changed. “I see boycotts as an important way of challenging Israel. Yes, I’m a supporter of BDS now, and I would encourage people to boycott Israel to get that country to end the occupation.”
Naidoo was offended by the offer of a return trip made by Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, but only if her hosts were approved by the Israeli government. She has pledged that she will only go back to a free Palestine.
Erdan’s offer of government-approved hosts is a replica of apartheid South Africa’s propaganda ploys. One of the most effective tools used by the former regime to obscure the apartheid system of government was its offer of trips to South Africa to allow those we now call “influencers” to see that it was really “not that bad”, and that calls for a boycott of South Africa were “excessive”. State officials would take visitors on carefully-scripted tours to show them how happy black people were — in tightly-controlled scenarios, of course — and how the condemnation of apartheid did not reflect this “success” story.
As long as you were hosted by a group that was approved by the government, stuck to the carefully-chosen itinerary and only spoke to the “good” natives, then you were welcome in apartheid South Africa. Being hosted by “terrorist” group like the African National Congress (ANC), venturing into the prohibited townships, and speaking to anyone calling for a boycott of South Africa earned you the label of “threat” and a permanent ban from entering the country.
The only real danger facing Israel is that the world is learning the truth about its brutal occupation and apartheid policies, despite attempts to suppress it. The real upshot of Shashi Naidoo’s banning is that it has stripped away Israel’s veneer of democratic respectability, leading many South Africans to ask a simple question: If Israel has nothing to hide, why does its government keep banning people from entering the occupied Palestinian territories?
- Suraya Dadoo is a researcher with Media Review Network in South Africa. Her article was published in MEMO.
31 july 2018
Following a global campaign, Adidas is no longer sponsoring football teams in illegal Israeli settlements. Palestinians call on new sponsor Puma to end complicity with Israel’s violations of international law.
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel welcomes the news that Adidas is no longer sponsoring the Israel Football Association (IFA).
Last March, over 130 Palestinian football clubs called on the German sportswear manufacturer to end its sponsorship of the IFA over its complicity with the oppression of the Palestinian people. The IFA includes six Israeli football teams based in illegal Israeli settlements that rob Palestinians of land and resources. Israeli settlements are considered a war crime under international law.
A spirited global campaign followed, with human rights supporters around the world calling on Adidas to end its sponsorship of matches on stolen Palestinian land. In June, over 16,000 signatures on an international petition were delivered to Adidas satellite headquarters in Amsterdam.
In a reply to the Palestinian clubs, Adidas stated it had raised the issue of Israeli settlement teams with FIFA. Adidas, one of FIFA’s main partners, noted the need for the world governing body of football to “adjudicate on the question of the Israeli settlement teams, by following the tenets of international law and their human rights policy.”
Major international organizations such as Human Rights Watch, UN experts and 175 lawmakers have all urged FIFA to resolve the issue of Israeli settlement clubs.
This is not the first time Adidas has ended sponsorship of complicit Israeli entities. Following widespread protests, calls for boycott and government condemnations, Adidas stopped sponsoring the so-called “Jerusalem marathon,” whose route includes illegal Israeli settlements and encroaches on occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem.
Israel’s brand has become increasingly toxic following its wide scale massacres of Palestinians in Gaza peacefully protesting for their UN-sanctioned rights. Israel has killed nearly 150 Palestinians, including journalists, medics and over 20 children since the end of March.
More than 50 Palestinian athletes are among the over ten thousand injured by Israel’s shoot-to-kill-or-maim policy in Gaza, leaving many with live changing disabilities, cutting short promising sports careers.
A warning to Puma
Another German sportswear company, Puma, has replaced Adidas as sponsor of the IFA under a four-year deal.
By sponsoring the IFA, Puma is associating its global brand with Israel’s expanding settlement enterprise, whose illegal land grabs and home demolitions are driving out indigenous Palestinians through gradual ethnic cleansing. The iconic leaping cat is sports-washing Israel’s military occupation and violations of Palestinians rights.
Puma’s Code of Ethics maintains it has a commitment to human rights and pays “close attention to the concerns expressed by international institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and representatives of civil society.”
As a signatory of the UN Global Compact, Puma also has an obligation to make sure that it is “not complicit in human rights abuses.”
International consensus is clear. Israeli settlements are illegal [pdf]. Puma is exposing itself to global boycott campaigns by conscientious consumers supporting human rights.
We call on Puma to end its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA) as long as it is involved in Israel’s grave violations of international law and oppression of Palestinians.
The cat should take a leap for Palestinian rights.
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel welcomes the news that Adidas is no longer sponsoring the Israel Football Association (IFA).
Last March, over 130 Palestinian football clubs called on the German sportswear manufacturer to end its sponsorship of the IFA over its complicity with the oppression of the Palestinian people. The IFA includes six Israeli football teams based in illegal Israeli settlements that rob Palestinians of land and resources. Israeli settlements are considered a war crime under international law.
A spirited global campaign followed, with human rights supporters around the world calling on Adidas to end its sponsorship of matches on stolen Palestinian land. In June, over 16,000 signatures on an international petition were delivered to Adidas satellite headquarters in Amsterdam.
In a reply to the Palestinian clubs, Adidas stated it had raised the issue of Israeli settlement teams with FIFA. Adidas, one of FIFA’s main partners, noted the need for the world governing body of football to “adjudicate on the question of the Israeli settlement teams, by following the tenets of international law and their human rights policy.”
Major international organizations such as Human Rights Watch, UN experts and 175 lawmakers have all urged FIFA to resolve the issue of Israeli settlement clubs.
This is not the first time Adidas has ended sponsorship of complicit Israeli entities. Following widespread protests, calls for boycott and government condemnations, Adidas stopped sponsoring the so-called “Jerusalem marathon,” whose route includes illegal Israeli settlements and encroaches on occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem.
Israel’s brand has become increasingly toxic following its wide scale massacres of Palestinians in Gaza peacefully protesting for their UN-sanctioned rights. Israel has killed nearly 150 Palestinians, including journalists, medics and over 20 children since the end of March.
More than 50 Palestinian athletes are among the over ten thousand injured by Israel’s shoot-to-kill-or-maim policy in Gaza, leaving many with live changing disabilities, cutting short promising sports careers.
A warning to Puma
Another German sportswear company, Puma, has replaced Adidas as sponsor of the IFA under a four-year deal.
By sponsoring the IFA, Puma is associating its global brand with Israel’s expanding settlement enterprise, whose illegal land grabs and home demolitions are driving out indigenous Palestinians through gradual ethnic cleansing. The iconic leaping cat is sports-washing Israel’s military occupation and violations of Palestinians rights.
Puma’s Code of Ethics maintains it has a commitment to human rights and pays “close attention to the concerns expressed by international institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and representatives of civil society.”
As a signatory of the UN Global Compact, Puma also has an obligation to make sure that it is “not complicit in human rights abuses.”
International consensus is clear. Israeli settlements are illegal [pdf]. Puma is exposing itself to global boycott campaigns by conscientious consumers supporting human rights.
We call on Puma to end its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA) as long as it is involved in Israel’s grave violations of international law and oppression of Palestinians.
The cat should take a leap for Palestinian rights.
29 july 2018
The City Councils of Naples, Turin, Bologna, Florence and Pisa have all demanded their respective state governments and the international community to impose military embargo against Israel and to hold it accountable for its repeated crimes against Palestinians.
The cities called for this action in compliance with the European Union Code of Conduct on arms exports as Italy is considered one of the main arms exporters to Israel.
The BDS group in Italy urged all Italian City Councils to join the military embargo campaign and to the take real actions to guarantee respect for Italian as well as international humanitarian laws.
For its part, the BDS National Committee in Gaza hailed the Italian cities for their decisions to military boycott Israel, which is one of the most important forms of solidarity with the Palestinian people and of supporting popular peaceful resistance against the Israeli occupation.
The cities called for this action in compliance with the European Union Code of Conduct on arms exports as Italy is considered one of the main arms exporters to Israel.
The BDS group in Italy urged all Italian City Councils to join the military embargo campaign and to the take real actions to guarantee respect for Italian as well as international humanitarian laws.
For its part, the BDS National Committee in Gaza hailed the Italian cities for their decisions to military boycott Israel, which is one of the most important forms of solidarity with the Palestinian people and of supporting popular peaceful resistance against the Israeli occupation.
22 july 2018
39 Jewish groups from across the world have defended the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement in an open letter released recently.
These left-wing Jewish groups, which are from Sweden, Britain, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, New Zealand, The Netherlands, US, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa and other countries, affirmed that “BDS should not be defined as anti-Semitic.”
“As social justice organizations from around the world, we write this letter with growing alarm regarding the targeting of organizations that support Palestinian rights in general and the nonviolent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, in particular. These attacks too often take the form of cynical and false accusations of anti-Semitism that dangerously conflate anti-Jewish racism with opposition to Israel’s policies and system of occupation and apartheid.”
“We live in a frightening era, with growing numbers of authoritarian and xenophobic regimes worldwide, foremost among them the Trump administration, allying themselves with Israel’s far right government while making common cause with deeply anti-Semitic and racist white supremacist groups and parties.”
The 39 Jewish groups stated that “from our own histories we are all too aware of the dangers of increasingly fascistic and openly racist governments and political parties.”
Their letter underlines that “it is more important than ever to distinguish between the hostility to or prejudice against Jews on the one hand and legitimate critiques of Israeli policies and system of injustice on the other.”
The letter also states that “the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, which is increasingly being adopted or considered by western governments, is worded in such a way as to be easily adopted or considered by western governments to intentionally equate legitimate criticisms of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian rights with anti-Semitism, as a means to suppress the former.”
“This conflation undermines both the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality and the global struggle against anti-Semitism. It also serves to shield Israel from being held accountable to universal standards of human rights and international law,” the letter asserts further.
The organizations that signed the letter include Academia4equality (Israel), Boycott from Within (Israeli citizens for BDS), Coalition of Women for Peace (Israel), Collectif Judéo Arabe et Citoyen pour la Palestine (France), Dayenu: New Zealand Jews Against Occupation (New Zealand), Een Ander Joods Geluid (A Different Jewish Voice) (The Netherlands), Een Andere Joodse Stem – Another Jewish Voice (Flanders, Belgium), European Jews for a Just Peace, and Free Speech on Israel (UK).
These left-wing Jewish groups, which are from Sweden, Britain, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, New Zealand, The Netherlands, US, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa and other countries, affirmed that “BDS should not be defined as anti-Semitic.”
“As social justice organizations from around the world, we write this letter with growing alarm regarding the targeting of organizations that support Palestinian rights in general and the nonviolent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, in particular. These attacks too often take the form of cynical and false accusations of anti-Semitism that dangerously conflate anti-Jewish racism with opposition to Israel’s policies and system of occupation and apartheid.”
“We live in a frightening era, with growing numbers of authoritarian and xenophobic regimes worldwide, foremost among them the Trump administration, allying themselves with Israel’s far right government while making common cause with deeply anti-Semitic and racist white supremacist groups and parties.”
The 39 Jewish groups stated that “from our own histories we are all too aware of the dangers of increasingly fascistic and openly racist governments and political parties.”
Their letter underlines that “it is more important than ever to distinguish between the hostility to or prejudice against Jews on the one hand and legitimate critiques of Israeli policies and system of injustice on the other.”
The letter also states that “the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, which is increasingly being adopted or considered by western governments, is worded in such a way as to be easily adopted or considered by western governments to intentionally equate legitimate criticisms of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian rights with anti-Semitism, as a means to suppress the former.”
“This conflation undermines both the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality and the global struggle against anti-Semitism. It also serves to shield Israel from being held accountable to universal standards of human rights and international law,” the letter asserts further.
The organizations that signed the letter include Academia4equality (Israel), Boycott from Within (Israeli citizens for BDS), Coalition of Women for Peace (Israel), Collectif Judéo Arabe et Citoyen pour la Palestine (France), Dayenu: New Zealand Jews Against Occupation (New Zealand), Een Ander Joods Geluid (A Different Jewish Voice) (The Netherlands), Een Andere Joodse Stem – Another Jewish Voice (Flanders, Belgium), European Jews for a Just Peace, and Free Speech on Israel (UK).
