18 dec 2012
Italian Town Councils Take a Stand for Palestinian Rights, Oppose Companies Violating International Law
Province of Bologna: Sasso Marconi votes against the participation of Pizzarotti & C. Spa in the construction of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high-speed railway that crosses the occupied Palestinian territories. Medicina commits to take measures to prevent relationships with companies that violate international law.
Coalition Stop That Train said in a press release that as the Israeli government continues unabated in its violations of international law, announcing plans for the construction of an additional 3,000 housing units in the West Bank in response to Palestine obtaining recognition as an observer to the UN, two Italian town councils take concrete steps to hold complicit companies accountable.
Following Rho (MI), Naples, Corchiano (VT), the Town Council of Sasso Marconi, in the province of Bologna, voted to condemn Pizzarotti & C. Spa for the company's participation in the high-speed train between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Pizzarotti, in partnership with Israeli company Shapir, was contracted by the Israeli Railways for the construction of a section of the railway that crosses the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The motion, approved November 28, 2012, expresses moral and political condemnation for the construction of the railway in violation of international law and calls on Pizzarotti to withdraw from the project, following the example of German railways Deutsche Bahn. The motion also calls on the Italian Government to make a formal request to the state of Israel to respect international law and commits the Mayor and his administration to consider the possibility of including a clause in the city's procurement regulations providing for exclusion of companies and economic entities operating in violation of human rights or international law.
The Town Council of Medicina voted a motion the previous day condemning the recent Israeli attack on Gaza, expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. The motion called on the Italian Government and Parliament to support the Palestinian bid for recognition as a "non-member State" of the UN and to commit to "ending the siege on Gaza, stopping Israel's colonial expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank and demolishing the Wall." In addition, the Town Council pledged to "urgently evaluate policy measures designed to avoid relationships between the City of Medicina and companies operating in Israel in violation of international treaties and UN resolutions."
The stands taken by Bologna province town councils are an important example of actions furthering respect for human rights and international law in Palestine as advocated by the Stop That Train Coalition, which launched a campaign to stop illegal activities in the construction of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem railway. The "Pizzarotti Free Cities" initiative aims to ensure that the company is excluded from public contracts as long as it is complicit in violations of Palestinian rights.
Stop That Train is part of BDS Italia, a movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel, made up of associations and groups throughout Italy endorsing the 2005 call by Palestinian civil society promoting BDS campaigns and initiatives on the national and local level.
Stop the Train thanks the councils of Sasso Marconi and Medicina for this important contribution to peace and justice in Palestine.
Coalition Stop That Train said in a press release that as the Israeli government continues unabated in its violations of international law, announcing plans for the construction of an additional 3,000 housing units in the West Bank in response to Palestine obtaining recognition as an observer to the UN, two Italian town councils take concrete steps to hold complicit companies accountable.
Following Rho (MI), Naples, Corchiano (VT), the Town Council of Sasso Marconi, in the province of Bologna, voted to condemn Pizzarotti & C. Spa for the company's participation in the high-speed train between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Pizzarotti, in partnership with Israeli company Shapir, was contracted by the Israeli Railways for the construction of a section of the railway that crosses the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The motion, approved November 28, 2012, expresses moral and political condemnation for the construction of the railway in violation of international law and calls on Pizzarotti to withdraw from the project, following the example of German railways Deutsche Bahn. The motion also calls on the Italian Government to make a formal request to the state of Israel to respect international law and commits the Mayor and his administration to consider the possibility of including a clause in the city's procurement regulations providing for exclusion of companies and economic entities operating in violation of human rights or international law.
The Town Council of Medicina voted a motion the previous day condemning the recent Israeli attack on Gaza, expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. The motion called on the Italian Government and Parliament to support the Palestinian bid for recognition as a "non-member State" of the UN and to commit to "ending the siege on Gaza, stopping Israel's colonial expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank and demolishing the Wall." In addition, the Town Council pledged to "urgently evaluate policy measures designed to avoid relationships between the City of Medicina and companies operating in Israel in violation of international treaties and UN resolutions."
The stands taken by Bologna province town councils are an important example of actions furthering respect for human rights and international law in Palestine as advocated by the Stop That Train Coalition, which launched a campaign to stop illegal activities in the construction of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem railway. The "Pizzarotti Free Cities" initiative aims to ensure that the company is excluded from public contracts as long as it is complicit in violations of Palestinian rights.
Stop That Train is part of BDS Italia, a movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel, made up of associations and groups throughout Italy endorsing the 2005 call by Palestinian civil society promoting BDS campaigns and initiatives on the national and local level.
Stop the Train thanks the councils of Sasso Marconi and Medicina for this important contribution to peace and justice in Palestine.
14 dec 2012
New Zealand divests from companies of Israeli settlement-builder Lev Leviev
The New Zealand Superannuation Fund, which invests money on behalf of New Zealand’s government, announced on December 12 that it is divesting from Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev’s company Africa Israel and its construction subsidiary Danya Cebus over their construction of Israeli settlements.
The announcement came amidst heightened international criticism of Israeli settlement expansion.
The move also follows a 2010 decision by the Norwegian government to divest from Africa Israel, and a 2009 decision by the British government not to do business with the company. The organizations Oxfam America, CARE and UNICEF have also severed ties with Leviev.
The announcement came as Adalah-NY is petitioning the New York City anti-hunger nonprofit City Harvest to publicly disavow Leviev, and is preparing for its sixth annual anti-apartheid caroling protest outside Leviev’s Madison Avenue jewelry store this Saturday.
Adalah-NY launched a campaign for the boycott of and divestment from Leviev’s companies in 2007.
The New Zealand fund, which invests $20 billion for the government of New Zealand, announced that it would exclude Africa Israel and Danya Cebus, along with the Israeli companies Elbit Systems Limited and Shikun and Binui because the companies are involved in Israeli settlement construction and building Israel’s wall on Palestinian land in violation of international law.
In a press release the New Zealand fund explained, “Africa Israel and its subsidiary Danya Cebus have been excluded because of their involvement in the construction of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The settlements have been cited as illegal under international law, and the Fund considers the companies’ involvement to be inconsistent with the United Nations Global Compact.”
Hazem Jamjoum from Adalah-NY stated, “We are very heartened to see the growing momentum to boycott and divest from Leviev’s companies.
This announcement by New Zealand’s Superannuation Fund is a victory and yet another sign of the growing strength of the worldwide BDS movement which aims to pressure Israel through boycott, divestment and sanctions to respect Palestinian rights. We hope that City Harvest understands the seriousness of the human right issues at stake and follows this fund's lead.”
Daniel Strum from Adalah-NY and the We Divest National Coordination Committee added: "Both Africa Israel and Elbit Systems Limited are also part of US pension giant TIAA-CREF's investment portfolio. We strongly urge TIAA-CREF to follow the examples of Norway and New Zealand and divest from these two companies and others that support Israeli human rights violations."
From 2000-2008, Leviev’s flagship company Africa Israel built homes in the settlements of Har Homa, Maale Adumim (two projects), Adam, and in Mattityahu East on the land of the West Bank village of Bil’in. In November, 2010 Africa Israel made ambiguous statements, suggesting it would not build more settlements, seemingly as a result of international pressure.
However, in June, 2012, Adalah-NY released extensive information showing that a subsidiary of Leviev’s company Africa-Israel is building homes in the settlement of Gilo. Additionally, a separate Leviev-owned company, Leader Management and Development, continues to develop the Zufim settlement on the land of the West Bank village of Jayyous (see documentation). Leviev has also been a major donor to the Land Redemption Fund, an organization dedicated to seizing Palestinian land for Israeli settlement expansion.
Leviev’s companies have also been accused of involvement in human rights abuses and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
A number of media reports have stated that Leviev has hosted fundraisers for City Harvest, leading to two letters (First Letter, Second Letter) and an email campaign calling on City Harvest to publicly disavow Leviev.
This Saturday at 1 PM, for the sixth consecutive year, human rights advocates will perform holiday carol parodies calling for the boycott of Leviev outside his Madison Avenue jewelry store.
The announcement came amidst heightened international criticism of Israeli settlement expansion.
The move also follows a 2010 decision by the Norwegian government to divest from Africa Israel, and a 2009 decision by the British government not to do business with the company. The organizations Oxfam America, CARE and UNICEF have also severed ties with Leviev.
The announcement came as Adalah-NY is petitioning the New York City anti-hunger nonprofit City Harvest to publicly disavow Leviev, and is preparing for its sixth annual anti-apartheid caroling protest outside Leviev’s Madison Avenue jewelry store this Saturday.
Adalah-NY launched a campaign for the boycott of and divestment from Leviev’s companies in 2007.
The New Zealand fund, which invests $20 billion for the government of New Zealand, announced that it would exclude Africa Israel and Danya Cebus, along with the Israeli companies Elbit Systems Limited and Shikun and Binui because the companies are involved in Israeli settlement construction and building Israel’s wall on Palestinian land in violation of international law.
In a press release the New Zealand fund explained, “Africa Israel and its subsidiary Danya Cebus have been excluded because of their involvement in the construction of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The settlements have been cited as illegal under international law, and the Fund considers the companies’ involvement to be inconsistent with the United Nations Global Compact.”
Hazem Jamjoum from Adalah-NY stated, “We are very heartened to see the growing momentum to boycott and divest from Leviev’s companies.
This announcement by New Zealand’s Superannuation Fund is a victory and yet another sign of the growing strength of the worldwide BDS movement which aims to pressure Israel through boycott, divestment and sanctions to respect Palestinian rights. We hope that City Harvest understands the seriousness of the human right issues at stake and follows this fund's lead.”
Daniel Strum from Adalah-NY and the We Divest National Coordination Committee added: "Both Africa Israel and Elbit Systems Limited are also part of US pension giant TIAA-CREF's investment portfolio. We strongly urge TIAA-CREF to follow the examples of Norway and New Zealand and divest from these two companies and others that support Israeli human rights violations."
From 2000-2008, Leviev’s flagship company Africa Israel built homes in the settlements of Har Homa, Maale Adumim (two projects), Adam, and in Mattityahu East on the land of the West Bank village of Bil’in. In November, 2010 Africa Israel made ambiguous statements, suggesting it would not build more settlements, seemingly as a result of international pressure.
However, in June, 2012, Adalah-NY released extensive information showing that a subsidiary of Leviev’s company Africa-Israel is building homes in the settlement of Gilo. Additionally, a separate Leviev-owned company, Leader Management and Development, continues to develop the Zufim settlement on the land of the West Bank village of Jayyous (see documentation). Leviev has also been a major donor to the Land Redemption Fund, an organization dedicated to seizing Palestinian land for Israeli settlement expansion.
Leviev’s companies have also been accused of involvement in human rights abuses and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
A number of media reports have stated that Leviev has hosted fundraisers for City Harvest, leading to two letters (First Letter, Second Letter) and an email campaign calling on City Harvest to publicly disavow Leviev.
This Saturday at 1 PM, for the sixth consecutive year, human rights advocates will perform holiday carol parodies calling for the boycott of Leviev outside his Madison Avenue jewelry store.
12 dec 2012
Gaza bans services given by Israeli phone and internet firms
The Palestinian ministry of communications and information technology in Gaza decided to prohibit any dealing with Israeli companies operating in the field of telecommunications and the internet.
In a press release, the ministry called on all telecommunication and internet companies in the Gaza Strip not to deal with Israeli companies and the services they offer in this regard whatever the techniques used.
The ministry said the services provided by Israeli companies are suspicious and pose a threat to the internal security in Gaza.
"This decision was taken as part of the efforts being made by the ministry of communications and information technology to protect our society from the dangers of pornographic sites on the internet and via mobile phones, and to protect the Palestinian companies that provide these services from unfair competition by Israeli companies," the ministry stated.
In a press release, the ministry called on all telecommunication and internet companies in the Gaza Strip not to deal with Israeli companies and the services they offer in this regard whatever the techniques used.
The ministry said the services provided by Israeli companies are suspicious and pose a threat to the internal security in Gaza.
"This decision was taken as part of the efforts being made by the ministry of communications and information technology to protect our society from the dangers of pornographic sites on the internet and via mobile phones, and to protect the Palestinian companies that provide these services from unfair competition by Israeli companies," the ministry stated.
6 dec 2012
EU to impose restrictions on settlement products
The European Union has threatened to impose economic sanctions on the Israeli government, including restrictions on products of the Jewish settlements illegaly built on occupied Palestinian land, in response to the continuing construction projects and settlement expansion in the occupied territories.
Ma'ariv Hebrew newspaper stated on Thursday that there are European efforts to enact a law to restrict settlements' products through labeling them to distinguish them from other products in the European markets, protesting against the Israeli government's decision to build three thousand new housing units in the West Bank and the occupied city of Jerusalem.
The newspaper pointed out that the European Union will present a draft law to the Council of EU foreign ministers to approve the law.
Ma'ariv Hebrew newspaper stated on Thursday that there are European efforts to enact a law to restrict settlements' products through labeling them to distinguish them from other products in the European markets, protesting against the Israeli government's decision to build three thousand new housing units in the West Bank and the occupied city of Jerusalem.
The newspaper pointed out that the European Union will present a draft law to the Council of EU foreign ministers to approve the law.
3 dec 2012
Al-Risheq appreciates the Egyptian sports position to boycott the Israeli entity
Izzat al-Risheq, a member of Hamas's politburo, appreciated the position of Farouq al-Amiri, the Egyptian Minister of sport, to boycott a match between the Egyptian national hockey team and the Israeli team.
Al-Rishq thanked, in his Facebook page, the Egyptian sport and called for more boycotts of the Israeli entity.
Al-Rishq stressed that Hamas "welcomes the decision issued by the Egyptian Minister of sports to boycott the hockey match between the Egyptian national hockey team and the Israeli team in the world championship for the sport of hockey held in Uruguay.
The Egypt's national hockey team decided to boycott a hockey match which was scheduled to be held last Friday between the Egyptian team and its Israeli counterpart, in Uruguay, in the world championship for the sport of hockey.
Al-Rishq thanked, in his Facebook page, the Egyptian sport and called for more boycotts of the Israeli entity.
Al-Rishq stressed that Hamas "welcomes the decision issued by the Egyptian Minister of sports to boycott the hockey match between the Egyptian national hockey team and the Israeli team in the world championship for the sport of hockey held in Uruguay.
The Egypt's national hockey team decided to boycott a hockey match which was scheduled to be held last Friday between the Egyptian team and its Israeli counterpart, in Uruguay, in the world championship for the sport of hockey.
2 dec 2012
Footballers Condemn Plans to Hold U21 European Championship in Israel
Football players in major European leagues have condemned plans to hold the Under-21 European championship in Israel next year, saying it will be seen as a "reward" for this month's assault on Gaza in which Israel bombed sports facilities.
The signatories, who include Eden Hazard of Chelsea, Abou Diaby of Arsenal and five Newcastle players – Papiss Cissé, Cheick Tioté, Sylvain Marveaux, Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba – also criticised Israel's continued detention without charge or trial of two Palestinian footballers.
Didier Drogba and Frédéric Kanouté were also signatories.
Full statement below also available here.
We, as European football players, express our solidarity with the people of Gaza who are living under siege and denied basic human dignity and freedom. The latest Israeli bombardment of Gaza, resulting in the death of over a hundred civilians, was yet another stain on the world's conscience.
We are informed that on 10 November 2012 the Israeli army bombed a sports stadium in Gaza, resulting in the death of four young people playing football, Mohamed Harara and Ahmed Harara, 16 and 17 years old; Matar Rahman and Ahmed Al Dirdissawi, 18 years old.
We are also informed that since February 2012 two footballers with the club Al Amari, Omar Rowis, 23, and Mohammed Nemer, 22, have been detained in Israel without charge or trial.
It is unacceptable that children are killed while they play football. Israel hosting the UEFA Under-21 European Championship, in these circumstances, will be seen as a reward for actions that are contrary to sporting values.
Despite the recent ceasefire, Palestinians are still forced to endure a desperate existence under occupation, they must be protected by the international community. All people have the right to a life of dignity, freedom and security. We hope that a just settlement will finally emerge.
Signed by:
The signatories, who include Eden Hazard of Chelsea, Abou Diaby of Arsenal and five Newcastle players – Papiss Cissé, Cheick Tioté, Sylvain Marveaux, Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba – also criticised Israel's continued detention without charge or trial of two Palestinian footballers.
Didier Drogba and Frédéric Kanouté were also signatories.
Full statement below also available here.
We, as European football players, express our solidarity with the people of Gaza who are living under siege and denied basic human dignity and freedom. The latest Israeli bombardment of Gaza, resulting in the death of over a hundred civilians, was yet another stain on the world's conscience.
We are informed that on 10 November 2012 the Israeli army bombed a sports stadium in Gaza, resulting in the death of four young people playing football, Mohamed Harara and Ahmed Harara, 16 and 17 years old; Matar Rahman and Ahmed Al Dirdissawi, 18 years old.
We are also informed that since February 2012 two footballers with the club Al Amari, Omar Rowis, 23, and Mohammed Nemer, 22, have been detained in Israel without charge or trial.
It is unacceptable that children are killed while they play football. Israel hosting the UEFA Under-21 European Championship, in these circumstances, will be seen as a reward for actions that are contrary to sporting values.
Despite the recent ceasefire, Palestinians are still forced to endure a desperate existence under occupation, they must be protected by the international community. All people have the right to a life of dignity, freedom and security. We hope that a just settlement will finally emerge.
Signed by:
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Gael Angoula, Bastia Sporting Club (France)
Karim Ait-Fana, Montpellier HSC (France) André Ayew, Olympique de Marseille (France) Jordan Ayew, Olympique de Marseille (France) Demba Ba, Newcastle United (UK) Abdoulaye Baldé, AC Lumezzane (Italia) Chahir Belghazouani, AC Ajaccio (France) Leon Best, Blackburn Rovers Football Club (UK) Ryad Boudebouz, Football Club Sochaux Montbéliard (France) Yacine Brahimi, Granada Football Club (Spain) Jonathan Bru, Melbourne Victory (Australia) Yohan Cabaye, Newcastle United (UK) Aatif Chahechouche, Sivasspor Kulübü (Turkey) Pascal Chimbonda, Doncaster Rovers Football Club (UK) Papiss Cissé, Newcastle United (UK) Omar Daf, Football Club Sochaux Montbéliard (France) Issiar Dia, Lekhwiya (Qatar) Abou Diaby, Arsenal Football Club (UK) Alou Diarra, Olympique de Marseille (France) Soulaymane Diawara, Olympique de Marseille (France) Samba Diakité, Queens Park Rangers (UK) Pape Diop, West Ham United (UK) Abdoulaye Doucouré, Stade Rennais Football Club (France) Didier Drogba, Shanghaï Shenhua (China) Ibrahim Duplus, Football Club Sochaux Montbéliard (France) Soudani El-Arabi Hilal, Vitoria Sport Club Guimares (Portugal) Jires Kembo Ekoko, Al Ain Football Club (United Arab Emirates) Nathan Ellington, Ipswich Town Football Club (UK) Rod Fanni, Olympique de Marseille (France) Doudou Jacques Faty, Sivassport Kulübü (Turkey) Ricardo Faty, AC Ajaccio (France) |
Chris Gadi, Olympique de Marseille (France)
Remi Gomis, FC Valenciennes (France) Florent Hanin, SC Braga (Portugal) Eden Hazard, Chelsea Football Club (UK) Charles Kaboré, Olympique de Marseille (France) Diomansy Kamara, Eskisehispor Kulübü (Turkey) Frédéric Kanouté, Beijin Guoan (China) Anthony Le Tallec, AJ Auxerre (France) Djamal Mahamat, Sporting Braga (Portugal) Steve Mandanda, Olympique de Marseille (France) Kader Manganne, Al Hilal Riyad Football Club (Saudi Arabia) Sylvain Marveaux, Newcastle United (UK) Nicolas Maurice-Belay, FC Girondins de Bordeaux (France) Cheikh M'bengué, Toulouse Football Club (France) Jérémy Menez, Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (France) Arnold Mvuemba, Olympique Lyonnais (France) Laurent Nardol, Chartres Football Club (France) Mahamadou N'diaye, Vitoria Sport Club Guimares (Portugal) Mamadou Niang, Al-Sadd SC (Qatar) Mbaye Niang, SM Caen (France) Fabrice Numeric, FK Slovan Duslo Sala (Slovakia) Billel Omrani, Olympique de Marseille (France) Lamine Sané, FC Girondins de Bordeaux (France) Mamady Sidibé, Stoke City Football Club (UK) Momo Sissoko, Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (France) Cheikh Tioté, Newcastle United (UK) AdamaTraoré, Melbourne Victory (Australia) Armand Traoré, Queen Park Rangers FC (UK) Djimi Traore, Olympique de Marseille (France) Moussa Sow, Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü (Turkey) Hassan Yebda, Granada Football Club (Spain) |
30 nov 2012
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Stevie Wonder cancels show at Israel army fundraiser
Veteran singer and United Nations Messenger of Peace Stevie Wonder has canceled a planned performance for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces after several organizations asked him not to perform.
The soul singer, 62, was scheduled to sing at a Dec. 6 fundraising gala in Los Angeles hosted by the FIDF, an organization set up to help those serving in the Israeli army and families of fallen soldiers. "Given the current and very delicate situation in the Middle East, and with a heart that has always cried out for world unity, I will not be performing at the FIDF Gala," Wonder said in a statement by his spokeswoman. |
Wonder said he would make contributions to organizations that support Israeli and Palestinian children with disabilities.
The singer added that as a Messenger of Peace, a title he's held since 2009, "I am and have always been against war, any war, anywhere."
According to a statement from the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, a coalition that aims to change US policy toward Palestine and Israel and support human rights and equality, Wonder's decision came after a "growing outcry" from several organizations and three international signed petitions.
The protest is part of a cultural boycott led by organizations that oppose Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, the statement said.
The singer added that as a Messenger of Peace, a title he's held since 2009, "I am and have always been against war, any war, anywhere."
According to a statement from the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, a coalition that aims to change US policy toward Palestine and Israel and support human rights and equality, Wonder's decision came after a "growing outcry" from several organizations and three international signed petitions.
The protest is part of a cultural boycott led by organizations that oppose Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, the statement said.
29 nov 2012
Sweden: Recognize Palestine, boycott settlement products
By Gabriel Wikström and Evin Incir
Today President Mahmoud Abbas will go before the UN General Assembly to request Palestinian observer status in the UN.
Abbas' initiative is an important step toward ending the oppression and the unstable situation in the region. When UNESCO voted on a Palestinian membership in 2011, Sweden was one of 14 countries that voted against it. The Swedish conservative/liberal government has also been divided on the issue of upgrading the Palestinian status in the UN.
The Palestinian people have lived under oppression and occupation for too long.
SSU, the Social Democratic Youth of Sweden, demands that the Swedish government supports the Palestinians by voting in favor of their request for observer status at the UN. Peace and freedom between Israel and Palestine can only be reached through a free and independent Palestinian state.
As part of a peaceful solution we also welcome all demands, from among others our mother party - the Social Democratic Party of Sweden - to label Israeli settlements products. However, we as young Social Democrats want to go one step further. We want to see a total boycott of all settlement products.
The root of the current situation and the oppression is the Israeli occupation.
The ceasefire that was reached after last week's escalation of violence was saluted by us. But for the ceasefire to be permanent it requires an end to the Israeli occupation and recognition of a free and sovereign Palestinian state.
Also, the Israeli settlements must end, as well as other violations of international law as for example transformation of Gaza strip into the world's largest outdoor prison. The international community has a great responsibility to pressure Israel to respect a two-state solution according to the 1967 borders.
It is a long way to go and many steps need to be taken before peace can be reached. Sweden also has to contribute to the realization of harmony in the region. Partly by voting in favor of a Palestinian observer status at the UN and partly by marking our position against Israel's violations of international law through boycotting Israeli settlement products.
These are two small but important steps as part of a long road towards peace in Israel and Palestine.
Gabriel Wikström is president of the SSU and Evin Incir is responsible for international relations and foreign policy.
Today President Mahmoud Abbas will go before the UN General Assembly to request Palestinian observer status in the UN.
Abbas' initiative is an important step toward ending the oppression and the unstable situation in the region. When UNESCO voted on a Palestinian membership in 2011, Sweden was one of 14 countries that voted against it. The Swedish conservative/liberal government has also been divided on the issue of upgrading the Palestinian status in the UN.
The Palestinian people have lived under oppression and occupation for too long.
SSU, the Social Democratic Youth of Sweden, demands that the Swedish government supports the Palestinians by voting in favor of their request for observer status at the UN. Peace and freedom between Israel and Palestine can only be reached through a free and independent Palestinian state.
As part of a peaceful solution we also welcome all demands, from among others our mother party - the Social Democratic Party of Sweden - to label Israeli settlements products. However, we as young Social Democrats want to go one step further. We want to see a total boycott of all settlement products.
The root of the current situation and the oppression is the Israeli occupation.
The ceasefire that was reached after last week's escalation of violence was saluted by us. But for the ceasefire to be permanent it requires an end to the Israeli occupation and recognition of a free and sovereign Palestinian state.
Also, the Israeli settlements must end, as well as other violations of international law as for example transformation of Gaza strip into the world's largest outdoor prison. The international community has a great responsibility to pressure Israel to respect a two-state solution according to the 1967 borders.
It is a long way to go and many steps need to be taken before peace can be reached. Sweden also has to contribute to the realization of harmony in the region. Partly by voting in favor of a Palestinian observer status at the UN and partly by marking our position against Israel's violations of international law through boycotting Israeli settlement products.
These are two small but important steps as part of a long road towards peace in Israel and Palestine.
Gabriel Wikström is president of the SSU and Evin Incir is responsible for international relations and foreign policy.
52 leading international figures call for a Military Embargo on Israel
Occupied Palestine - On the eve of the International Day of Solidarity with the People of Palestine, 52 international notables issued a statement calling for “urgent … international action towards a mandatory, comprehensive military embargo against Israel.” Though directly motivated by Israel’s latest war of aggression against the 1.6 million Palestinians in the occupied and besieged Gaza Strip, the statement is also a reaction to Israel’s decades-old military occupation and persistent denial of the UN-sanctioned rights of the Palestinian people.
Expressing horror at Israel’s latest bloodbath in Gaza which claimed 160 Palestinian lives, including 34 children, the statement argues that this recurring brutality has been allowed to continue due to the impunity Israel enjoys. It highlighted the particular complicity of the US, the EU, India, Brazil and South Korea, as Israel’s key military partners and enablers.
The statement signed by Nobel Peace laureates Mairead Maguire and Adolfo Perez Esquível, former Pink Floyd front man Roger Waters, Directors Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker, international best-seller Naomi Klein and co-drafter of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Holocaust survivor Stéphane Hessel, among others, adds that “Israel’s attempt to justify this kind of illegal use of belligerent and disproportionate military force as “self-defence” does not stand up to legal – or moral – scrutiny, as states cannot invoke self-defence for acts that serve to defend an unlawful situation which they have created in the first place.”
This appeal echoes the Palestinian civil society call for a military embargo on Israel issued last year and draws parallels to the effective action taken against apartheid South Africa as a practical means to pressure Israel to fall in line with international law.
The full text of the Statement follows.
Now is the time for a military embargo on Israel!
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” –Nelson Mandela
Horrified at the latest round of Israeli aggression against the 1.5 million Palestinians in the besieged and occupied Gaza Strip and conscious of the impunity that has enabled this new chapter in Israel’s decades-old violations of international law and Palestinian rights, we believe there is an urgent need for international action towards a mandatory, comprehensive military embargo against Israel. Such a measure has been subject to several UN resolutions1 and is similar to the arms embargo imposed against apartheid South Africa in the past.
Israel’s unchecked belligerence and persistent denial of basic human rights and self-determination to the Palestinian people call for a concerted effort by international civil society to force world governments to end the links of complicity. This impunity has allowed Israel to continue its occupation, colonization and denial of Palestinian refugees their UN-sanctioned rights.
While the United States has been the largest sponsor of Israel, supplying billions of dollars of advanced military hardware every year, the role of the European Union must not go unnoticed, in particular its hefty subsidies to Israel’s military complex through its research programs. Similarly, the growing military ties between Israel and the emerging economies of Brazil, India and South Korea are unconscionable given their nominal support for Palestinian freedom.
Military ties with Israel have fueled relentless acts of aggression. Israel continues to entrench its subjugation of Palestinians while provoking or initiating armed conflict with its neighbors in the region.
Israel’s attempt to justify this kind of illegal use of belligerent and disproportionate military force as “self-defence” does not stand up to legal – or moral – scrutiny, as states cannot invoke self-defence for acts that serve to defend an unlawful situation which they have created in the first place2.
We therefore support the call from Palestinian civil society for an urgent and comprehensive military embargo on Israel as an effective, non-violent measure to stop Israel’s wars and repression and to bring about Israel’s compliance with its obligations under international law. This is now a moral and legal imperative to achieve a just and comprehensive peace.
Contact: Zaid Shuaibi, mobile: 0599.830.322
1 See, for example UN General Assembly Resolution 3414 (1975): “[the UNGA] Requests all states to desist from supplying Israel with any military or economic aid as long as it continues to occupy Arab territories and deny the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people”. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=43376#.UKEIxYdyGSo
2 According to the basic tenet of international law, ex injuria non oritur ius (a legal right or entitlement cannot arise from an unlawful act ) http://www.definitions.uslegal.com/e/ex-injuria-jus-non-oritur/
Initial List of Signatories (alphabetical order):
Udi Aloni, filmmaker, Israel
Anthony Arnove, editor and writer, US
Etienne Balibar, academic, France
Robert Ballagh, artist and president of the Ireland Institute for Historical and Cultural Studies, Ireland
Walden Bello, academic, author and member of Senate, Philippines
Shyam Benegal, director and screenwriter, India
John Berger, author, critic, UK
Howard Brenton, playwright and screenwriter, UK
Judith Butler, academic, United States
Clayborne Carson, Director, Martin Luther King, Jr. Research & Education Institute, Stanford University, USA
Noam Chomsky, academic, USA
Caryl Churchill, dramatist, UK
Angela Davis, scholar and author, US
Raymond Deane, composer, Ireland
Danilo Dolci, sociologist, Italy
John Dugard, professor of international law, South Africa
Felim Egan, artist, Ireland
Adolfo Perez Esquível, Nobel Peace Laureate 1980, Argentina
Dror Feiler, musician and artist, Sweden
Don Andrea Gallo, presbyter, Italy
Charles Glass, journalist, US
Margherita Hack, astrophysicist, Italy
Denis J. Halliday, former UN Assistant Secretary-General (1994-98), Ireland
Stéphane Hessel, diplomat, Holocaust survivor and co-author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, France
Tor B Jørgensen, Bishop, Norway
Christian Juhl, member of Parliament, Denmark
Ronnie Kasrils, politician, South Africa
Aki Kaurismäki, screenwriter and film director, Finland
Marcel Khalife, musician, Lebanon
Naomi Klein, writer and activist, Canada
Paul Laverty, filmmaker, UK
Taeho Lee, Secretary General, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, South Korea
Ken Loach, filmmaker, UK
Vibeke Løkkeberg, actress and director, Norway
Mike Leigh OBE, Director, UK (Palm D’Or 1996)
Jean-Marc Levy-Leblond, academic, France
Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate 1976, Ireland
Michael Mansfield, lawyer, UK
Miriam Margolyes, actress, UK
Cynthia McKinney, politician, United States
Saeed Mirza, filmmaker, India
Luisa Morgantini, former president of the European Parliament
Bjørnar Moxnes, member of Oslo city council
Suzanne Osten, writer and director, Sweden
Nurit Peled, professor of language, Israel
John Pilger, journalist, author, filmmaker, Australia
Ahdaf Soueif, writer, Egypt/UK
Alice Walker, author, US
Roger Waters, musician, UK
John Williams, musician, UK
Vincenzo Vita, senator, Italy
Slavoj Zizek, philosopher, Slovenia
Expressing horror at Israel’s latest bloodbath in Gaza which claimed 160 Palestinian lives, including 34 children, the statement argues that this recurring brutality has been allowed to continue due to the impunity Israel enjoys. It highlighted the particular complicity of the US, the EU, India, Brazil and South Korea, as Israel’s key military partners and enablers.
The statement signed by Nobel Peace laureates Mairead Maguire and Adolfo Perez Esquível, former Pink Floyd front man Roger Waters, Directors Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker, international best-seller Naomi Klein and co-drafter of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Holocaust survivor Stéphane Hessel, among others, adds that “Israel’s attempt to justify this kind of illegal use of belligerent and disproportionate military force as “self-defence” does not stand up to legal – or moral – scrutiny, as states cannot invoke self-defence for acts that serve to defend an unlawful situation which they have created in the first place.”
This appeal echoes the Palestinian civil society call for a military embargo on Israel issued last year and draws parallels to the effective action taken against apartheid South Africa as a practical means to pressure Israel to fall in line with international law.
The full text of the Statement follows.
Now is the time for a military embargo on Israel!
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” –Nelson Mandela
Horrified at the latest round of Israeli aggression against the 1.5 million Palestinians in the besieged and occupied Gaza Strip and conscious of the impunity that has enabled this new chapter in Israel’s decades-old violations of international law and Palestinian rights, we believe there is an urgent need for international action towards a mandatory, comprehensive military embargo against Israel. Such a measure has been subject to several UN resolutions1 and is similar to the arms embargo imposed against apartheid South Africa in the past.
Israel’s unchecked belligerence and persistent denial of basic human rights and self-determination to the Palestinian people call for a concerted effort by international civil society to force world governments to end the links of complicity. This impunity has allowed Israel to continue its occupation, colonization and denial of Palestinian refugees their UN-sanctioned rights.
While the United States has been the largest sponsor of Israel, supplying billions of dollars of advanced military hardware every year, the role of the European Union must not go unnoticed, in particular its hefty subsidies to Israel’s military complex through its research programs. Similarly, the growing military ties between Israel and the emerging economies of Brazil, India and South Korea are unconscionable given their nominal support for Palestinian freedom.
Military ties with Israel have fueled relentless acts of aggression. Israel continues to entrench its subjugation of Palestinians while provoking or initiating armed conflict with its neighbors in the region.
Israel’s attempt to justify this kind of illegal use of belligerent and disproportionate military force as “self-defence” does not stand up to legal – or moral – scrutiny, as states cannot invoke self-defence for acts that serve to defend an unlawful situation which they have created in the first place2.
We therefore support the call from Palestinian civil society for an urgent and comprehensive military embargo on Israel as an effective, non-violent measure to stop Israel’s wars and repression and to bring about Israel’s compliance with its obligations under international law. This is now a moral and legal imperative to achieve a just and comprehensive peace.
Contact: Zaid Shuaibi, mobile: 0599.830.322
1 See, for example UN General Assembly Resolution 3414 (1975): “[the UNGA] Requests all states to desist from supplying Israel with any military or economic aid as long as it continues to occupy Arab territories and deny the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people”. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=43376#.UKEIxYdyGSo
2 According to the basic tenet of international law, ex injuria non oritur ius (a legal right or entitlement cannot arise from an unlawful act ) http://www.definitions.uslegal.com/e/ex-injuria-jus-non-oritur/
Initial List of Signatories (alphabetical order):
Udi Aloni, filmmaker, Israel
Anthony Arnove, editor and writer, US
Etienne Balibar, academic, France
Robert Ballagh, artist and president of the Ireland Institute for Historical and Cultural Studies, Ireland
Walden Bello, academic, author and member of Senate, Philippines
Shyam Benegal, director and screenwriter, India
John Berger, author, critic, UK
Howard Brenton, playwright and screenwriter, UK
Judith Butler, academic, United States
Clayborne Carson, Director, Martin Luther King, Jr. Research & Education Institute, Stanford University, USA
Noam Chomsky, academic, USA
Caryl Churchill, dramatist, UK
Angela Davis, scholar and author, US
Raymond Deane, composer, Ireland
Danilo Dolci, sociologist, Italy
John Dugard, professor of international law, South Africa
Felim Egan, artist, Ireland
Adolfo Perez Esquível, Nobel Peace Laureate 1980, Argentina
Dror Feiler, musician and artist, Sweden
Don Andrea Gallo, presbyter, Italy
Charles Glass, journalist, US
Margherita Hack, astrophysicist, Italy
Denis J. Halliday, former UN Assistant Secretary-General (1994-98), Ireland
Stéphane Hessel, diplomat, Holocaust survivor and co-author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, France
Tor B Jørgensen, Bishop, Norway
Christian Juhl, member of Parliament, Denmark
Ronnie Kasrils, politician, South Africa
Aki Kaurismäki, screenwriter and film director, Finland
Marcel Khalife, musician, Lebanon
Naomi Klein, writer and activist, Canada
Paul Laverty, filmmaker, UK
Taeho Lee, Secretary General, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, South Korea
Ken Loach, filmmaker, UK
Vibeke Løkkeberg, actress and director, Norway
Mike Leigh OBE, Director, UK (Palm D’Or 1996)
Jean-Marc Levy-Leblond, academic, France
Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate 1976, Ireland
Michael Mansfield, lawyer, UK
Miriam Margolyes, actress, UK
Cynthia McKinney, politician, United States
Saeed Mirza, filmmaker, India
Luisa Morgantini, former president of the European Parliament
Bjørnar Moxnes, member of Oslo city council
Suzanne Osten, writer and director, Sweden
Nurit Peled, professor of language, Israel
John Pilger, journalist, author, filmmaker, Australia
Ahdaf Soueif, writer, Egypt/UK
Alice Walker, author, US
Roger Waters, musician, UK
John Williams, musician, UK
Vincenzo Vita, senator, Italy
Slavoj Zizek, philosopher, Slovenia
30 oct 2012
22 groups call for EU ban on Israeli settler products
By Claire Davenport
Twenty-two religious groups and charities have called on the European Union to ban products made by Israeli settlers in the occupied territories, saying a boycott would undercut their economic reason for staying there.
The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner but imports 15 times more from West Bank-based Israeli settlers than from Palestinians, a group of 22 non-governmental organizations said Tuesday.
"European consumers are unwittingly supporting the settlements and the attendant violations of human rights," the groups said in a report that called for a ban or, at the very least, strict labeling rules.
The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem and say settlements deny them a joined-up viable territory. About 311,000 Israeli settlers and 2.5 million Palestinians live in the West Bank.
The EU says settlements Israel has built on land it captured in the 1967 Middle East war are illegal under international law.
But the NGOs say EU consumption of Israeli cosmetics, dates, herbs and other products made in settler areas undermines the integrity of the EU position.
The 22 NGOs included Christian Aid, Ireland's Trocaire, the Methodist Church in Britain, the Church of Sweden, France's Terre Solidaire and Germany's medico international.
Other religious NGOs in Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland also took part.
The report urged clearer labeling rules to help consumers identify the origin of produce. Such rules already exist in Denmark and Britain.
But the NGOs said a more effective solution would be to impose a ban on all settler products, a move that only one EU member state, Ireland, has so far asked for.
An official from Israel's foreign ministry said the report's figures were "cherry picked" to serve a political agenda.
"There are no official statistics on exports from the settlements," said Yigal Palmor, a foreign ministry spokesman. "They are only approximations."
The Israeli trade ministry said West Bank-produced exports accounted for only 1 percent of total EU-bound exports, which are around $70 million per year.
Labeling
Israeli settler produce has already divided the United States and the United Nations.
On Oct. 25, the UN's special rapporteur Richard Falk called for a boycott of companies linked to Israeli settlements, but a US representative at the United Nations called the statement "irresponsible".
Critics say labeling and a boycott would not help Palestinians overcome the significant barriers they face when trying to export their own products.
Palestinian produce from the West Bank destined for Israel or for export must pass through Israeli checkpoints and is subject to lengthy checks and procedures.
Israel says such checks are necessary for security reasons, but the NGOs say they increase costs and decrease profitability.
The NGOs also criticized an Israeli ban on fertilizer use -- ostensibly because it can be used in explosives -- and said the Palestinians had inadequate access to water.
The value of Palestinian exports generated half the territories' gross domestic product in the 1980s but accounted for less than 15 percent in 2010, figures from the International Monetary Fund show.
However, the Manufacturers Association of Israel says that EU trade with their companies in the settlements is higher than that of their Palestinian counterparts because the Israeli businesses are more active.
Palmor, the foreign ministry spokesman, said Israel had offered the Palestinians access to water networks but said many had refused because they wanted to be self-sufficient.
"In a modern economy you can't have every village drilling for themselves," he said.
The EU has accused Israel of deliberately curbing economic development in the occupied West Bank. In May, EU foreign ministers said such a policy made it impossible to create a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
"Israeli restrictions remain a major impediment to sustainable economic growth," a spokesman for EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said on Monday by email.
Settlements built on territory Israel captured in the 1967 war are a major obstacle to the resumption of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
The talks have been stalled since late 2010 over the issue of settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Visiting Israel last week, Ashton said settlements "threaten to make a two-state solution impossible".
Israel cites historical and Biblical links to the West Bank and Jerusalem, saying the future of settlements should be decided in peace negotiations.
But President Mahmoud Abbas is seeking full statehood recognition at the United Nations, claiming the land that Israel seized in the 1967 war is Palestinian territory. He wants East Jerusalem to be the capital of a new state.
Twenty-two religious groups and charities have called on the European Union to ban products made by Israeli settlers in the occupied territories, saying a boycott would undercut their economic reason for staying there.
The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner but imports 15 times more from West Bank-based Israeli settlers than from Palestinians, a group of 22 non-governmental organizations said Tuesday.
"European consumers are unwittingly supporting the settlements and the attendant violations of human rights," the groups said in a report that called for a ban or, at the very least, strict labeling rules.
The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem and say settlements deny them a joined-up viable territory. About 311,000 Israeli settlers and 2.5 million Palestinians live in the West Bank.
The EU says settlements Israel has built on land it captured in the 1967 Middle East war are illegal under international law.
But the NGOs say EU consumption of Israeli cosmetics, dates, herbs and other products made in settler areas undermines the integrity of the EU position.
The 22 NGOs included Christian Aid, Ireland's Trocaire, the Methodist Church in Britain, the Church of Sweden, France's Terre Solidaire and Germany's medico international.
Other religious NGOs in Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland also took part.
The report urged clearer labeling rules to help consumers identify the origin of produce. Such rules already exist in Denmark and Britain.
But the NGOs said a more effective solution would be to impose a ban on all settler products, a move that only one EU member state, Ireland, has so far asked for.
An official from Israel's foreign ministry said the report's figures were "cherry picked" to serve a political agenda.
"There are no official statistics on exports from the settlements," said Yigal Palmor, a foreign ministry spokesman. "They are only approximations."
The Israeli trade ministry said West Bank-produced exports accounted for only 1 percent of total EU-bound exports, which are around $70 million per year.
Labeling
Israeli settler produce has already divided the United States and the United Nations.
On Oct. 25, the UN's special rapporteur Richard Falk called for a boycott of companies linked to Israeli settlements, but a US representative at the United Nations called the statement "irresponsible".
Critics say labeling and a boycott would not help Palestinians overcome the significant barriers they face when trying to export their own products.
Palestinian produce from the West Bank destined for Israel or for export must pass through Israeli checkpoints and is subject to lengthy checks and procedures.
Israel says such checks are necessary for security reasons, but the NGOs say they increase costs and decrease profitability.
The NGOs also criticized an Israeli ban on fertilizer use -- ostensibly because it can be used in explosives -- and said the Palestinians had inadequate access to water.
The value of Palestinian exports generated half the territories' gross domestic product in the 1980s but accounted for less than 15 percent in 2010, figures from the International Monetary Fund show.
However, the Manufacturers Association of Israel says that EU trade with their companies in the settlements is higher than that of their Palestinian counterparts because the Israeli businesses are more active.
Palmor, the foreign ministry spokesman, said Israel had offered the Palestinians access to water networks but said many had refused because they wanted to be self-sufficient.
"In a modern economy you can't have every village drilling for themselves," he said.
The EU has accused Israel of deliberately curbing economic development in the occupied West Bank. In May, EU foreign ministers said such a policy made it impossible to create a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
"Israeli restrictions remain a major impediment to sustainable economic growth," a spokesman for EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said on Monday by email.
Settlements built on territory Israel captured in the 1967 war are a major obstacle to the resumption of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
The talks have been stalled since late 2010 over the issue of settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Visiting Israel last week, Ashton said settlements "threaten to make a two-state solution impossible".
Israel cites historical and Biblical links to the West Bank and Jerusalem, saying the future of settlements should be decided in peace negotiations.
But President Mahmoud Abbas is seeking full statehood recognition at the United Nations, claiming the land that Israel seized in the 1967 war is Palestinian territory. He wants East Jerusalem to be the capital of a new state.
27 oct 2012
Israel criticizes Falk for boycott call
The Israeli government criticized UN special rapporteur on human rights in occupied Palestinian territories, Richard Falk, after he had urged a boycott of companies working in or dealing with Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian land.
Falk submitted his report, which documented the Israeli ongoing violations against Palestinians in the occupied territories, during the UN General Assembly meeting on Friday in New York.
US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, rejected Falk's report, while the Israeli UN mission described it as "grossly biased" and "completely divorced from reality."
"Mr. Falk's recommendations do nothing to further a peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and indeed poison the environment for peace," Rice said.
Falk had pointed out in his report that the Israeli settlement policy violates international humanitarian laws, and called on the UNGA to issue a resolution that requires boycotting the Israeli and international companies tied to Jewish settlements.
Falk lists 13 companies in his report to the UNGA, but notes that this is a small portion of the businesses operating or dealing in the Jewish settlements.
Falk submitted his report, which documented the Israeli ongoing violations against Palestinians in the occupied territories, during the UN General Assembly meeting on Friday in New York.
US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, rejected Falk's report, while the Israeli UN mission described it as "grossly biased" and "completely divorced from reality."
"Mr. Falk's recommendations do nothing to further a peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and indeed poison the environment for peace," Rice said.
Falk had pointed out in his report that the Israeli settlement policy violates international humanitarian laws, and called on the UNGA to issue a resolution that requires boycotting the Israeli and international companies tied to Jewish settlements.
Falk lists 13 companies in his report to the UNGA, but notes that this is a small portion of the businesses operating or dealing in the Jewish settlements.
Resheq calls for boycotting all companies operating in WB settlements
Political bureau member of Hamas Ezzet Al-Resheeq has called on the UN to boycott all companies operating in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
He said that the UN special rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories Richard Falk had called for such a step and the UN should be wise enough to abide by the proposal of its own official.
Resheq urged all Arab and Islamic countries to boycott the companies operating in or having links to Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
He told Quds Press on Friday that his movement appreciated and supported the call by Falk in this regard.
Falk had described the status of those settlements in a statement on Thursday as “illegal” and called for boycotting all companies working in those settlements or dealing with them until their activities are in complete harmony with the international humanitarian law.
He said that the UN special rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories Richard Falk had called for such a step and the UN should be wise enough to abide by the proposal of its own official.
Resheq urged all Arab and Islamic countries to boycott the companies operating in or having links to Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
He told Quds Press on Friday that his movement appreciated and supported the call by Falk in this regard.
Falk had described the status of those settlements in a statement on Thursday as “illegal” and called for boycotting all companies working in those settlements or dealing with them until their activities are in complete harmony with the international humanitarian law.
26 oct 2012
24 oct 2012
4 arrested, several injured in Israeli boycott protest
Activists hold Palestinian flags as they march through a supermarket in the illegal settlement of Modiin Illit on Oct. 24
Around 150 protestors demonstrated on Wednesday in front of an Israeli chain store east of Ramallah, the Popular Struggle Committee said.
Four activists were detained and several injured as Israeli police and soldiers broke up the demonstration, a statement said.
Palestinian, international and Israeli protesters gathered outside of a branch of the Rami Levi store, chanting slogans and carrying banners calling for a boycott of Israeli products.
"As long as there is no justice to Palestinians, Israeli and settler daily life can’t continue on as normal," the committee said.
Basim Tamimi, the head of the Popular Committee of Nabi Saleh, was beaten and suffered broken ribs and several other people were injured, the popular committee said.
The protest took place near the village of Mikhmas, east of Ramallah. There are several Rami Levi stores in the occupied West Bank, which attract both Israeli and Palestinian customers.
Around 150 protestors demonstrated on Wednesday in front of an Israeli chain store east of Ramallah, the Popular Struggle Committee said.
Four activists were detained and several injured as Israeli police and soldiers broke up the demonstration, a statement said.
Palestinian, international and Israeli protesters gathered outside of a branch of the Rami Levi store, chanting slogans and carrying banners calling for a boycott of Israeli products.
"As long as there is no justice to Palestinians, Israeli and settler daily life can’t continue on as normal," the committee said.
Basim Tamimi, the head of the Popular Committee of Nabi Saleh, was beaten and suffered broken ribs and several other people were injured, the popular committee said.
The protest took place near the village of Mikhmas, east of Ramallah. There are several Rami Levi stores in the occupied West Bank, which attract both Israeli and Palestinian customers.
9 oct 2012
Italians Protest Weapons Sales to Israel
BDS Italia said in a press release that on Saturday, October 13, 2012, a national demonstration will be held in Varese, Italy, where most of the country's military aircraft production is located, to denounce the weapons industry, in particular the sale of 30 M-346 trainer jets to Israel. The protest will take place at the Alenia Aermacchi headquarters, manufacturer of the M-346 and part of Finmeccanica Group, one of the world's top weapons producers.
The M-346, defined as a "technologically advanced trainer jet," is in fact designed to be armed with missiles or bombs. These weapons will undoubtedly be "tested" first and foremost on Palestinians. As a trainer jet, the M-346 is designed to prepare fighter pilots in the use of the most "technologically sophisticated" attack aircraft, such as the "netcentric" and "invisible" F-35 from US weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Israel has signed on to purchase 19 F-35 fighter jets, with an option for 56, and Italy is also unfortunately in line to purchase the combat aircraft for future wars.
Recently, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stopped off at Alenia Aermacchi headquarters near Varese during his semi-secret tour of Italy, which was soon followed by the signing of the M-346 contract.
Local and national politicians, from center-left to center-right, have promoted the deal, conveniently "overlooking" the December 2008 - January 2009 "Operation Cast Lead", which saw Israel's "air power" rain down on the unarmed civilian Palestinian population, killing 1400, of which 400 children. A brutal military action, in which Israel used new unknown weapons as well as those already prohibited by international conventions (white phosphorus, DIME bombs, depleted uranium) and committed war crimes and crimes against humanity as documented in the UN "Goldstone Report".
In addition to halting the sale of M-346 jets to Israel, the demands of the demonstration include suspension of the military cooperation agreement between Italy and Israel signed in 2005.
In recent years, local groups in Varese have denounced the chronic dependence of their territory on war production, organizing assemblies and protests against Agusta Westland (helicopters) and Alenia Aermacchi (aircraft) and, more recently, the F-35.
The demonstration also calls on workers at AleniaAermacchi and all weapons producers to rejects employment based threats and to work to convert factories from producing instruments of death to socially beneficial and environmentally friendly products.
Moreover, local groups have called this national demonstration in opposition to the practice of war, which has intensified over the last 20 years, where military action is called "peace", justified as an instrument of "preventive security" and to "export democracy", and even defined as "humanitarian."
"Humanitarian war" is instead an oxymoron: war causes nothing but death, injuries, destruction, generating hatred, resentment and revenge, it is the most inhumane act imaginable.
There will never be peace as long as the most profitable industry is that of producing weapons and instruments of death.
Participants include Father Alex Zanotelli, Prof. Massimo De Santi, Prof. Mauro Cristaldi, dr Mario Agostinelli and former Vice President of European Parliament Luisi Morgantini.
The M-346, defined as a "technologically advanced trainer jet," is in fact designed to be armed with missiles or bombs. These weapons will undoubtedly be "tested" first and foremost on Palestinians. As a trainer jet, the M-346 is designed to prepare fighter pilots in the use of the most "technologically sophisticated" attack aircraft, such as the "netcentric" and "invisible" F-35 from US weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Israel has signed on to purchase 19 F-35 fighter jets, with an option for 56, and Italy is also unfortunately in line to purchase the combat aircraft for future wars.
Recently, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stopped off at Alenia Aermacchi headquarters near Varese during his semi-secret tour of Italy, which was soon followed by the signing of the M-346 contract.
Local and national politicians, from center-left to center-right, have promoted the deal, conveniently "overlooking" the December 2008 - January 2009 "Operation Cast Lead", which saw Israel's "air power" rain down on the unarmed civilian Palestinian population, killing 1400, of which 400 children. A brutal military action, in which Israel used new unknown weapons as well as those already prohibited by international conventions (white phosphorus, DIME bombs, depleted uranium) and committed war crimes and crimes against humanity as documented in the UN "Goldstone Report".
In addition to halting the sale of M-346 jets to Israel, the demands of the demonstration include suspension of the military cooperation agreement between Italy and Israel signed in 2005.
In recent years, local groups in Varese have denounced the chronic dependence of their territory on war production, organizing assemblies and protests against Agusta Westland (helicopters) and Alenia Aermacchi (aircraft) and, more recently, the F-35.
The demonstration also calls on workers at AleniaAermacchi and all weapons producers to rejects employment based threats and to work to convert factories from producing instruments of death to socially beneficial and environmentally friendly products.
Moreover, local groups have called this national demonstration in opposition to the practice of war, which has intensified over the last 20 years, where military action is called "peace", justified as an instrument of "preventive security" and to "export democracy", and even defined as "humanitarian."
"Humanitarian war" is instead an oxymoron: war causes nothing but death, injuries, destruction, generating hatred, resentment and revenge, it is the most inhumane act imaginable.
There will never be peace as long as the most profitable industry is that of producing weapons and instruments of death.
Participants include Father Alex Zanotelli, Prof. Massimo De Santi, Prof. Mauro Cristaldi, dr Mario Agostinelli and former Vice President of European Parliament Luisi Morgantini.
4 oct 2012
EU considering initiative to label settlement produce
France and the UK are among several European countries backing a proposal to force stores to label settlement produce, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported Wednesday.
Danish Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal is pushing the initiative, Haaretz said, based on a decision by EU foreign ministers in May to implement existing legislation regarding goods produced in settlements.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are illegal under international law.
Israel is closely following an event planned for Oct. 23 in Brussels at which EU diplomats and NGOs will discuss guidelines for labeling settlement produce, Haaretz said.
Danish Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal is pushing the initiative, Haaretz said, based on a decision by EU foreign ministers in May to implement existing legislation regarding goods produced in settlements.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are illegal under international law.
Israel is closely following an event planned for Oct. 23 in Brussels at which EU diplomats and NGOs will discuss guidelines for labeling settlement produce, Haaretz said.
30 sept 2012
Gaza official: Israel fruit ban helps 'nutritional' local produce
Gaza Ministry of Agriculture undersecretary Ibrahim Al-Qudra said Sunday that they are restricting Israeli fruit imports due to quality control issues, as well as protection of the local market.
In recent days ministry officials announced that no fruits would be imported from Israel, with the exception of apples and bananas, to help local farmers.
Al-Qudra told reporters that local products have a better nutritional value than those imported from Israel.
He also noted the danger to the local agricultural sector of cheap imports.
In recent days ministry officials announced that no fruits would be imported from Israel, with the exception of apples and bananas, to help local farmers.
Al-Qudra told reporters that local products have a better nutritional value than those imported from Israel.
He also noted the danger to the local agricultural sector of cheap imports.
26 sept 2012
Quakers Divest from Veolia and Hewlett Packard!
The US Campaign is thrilled to announce that the Quaker Friends Fiduciary Corporation (FFC) has become the first U.S. national fund to divest from Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Veolia Environment following concerns expressed by Palestinian rights advocates about the companies' involvement in the Israeli occupation. At last count, FFC held investments of more than $250,000 in HP and more than $140,000 in Veolia.
FFC handles investments for over 300 Quaker meetings, schools, organizations, trusts, and endowments around the U.S., with over $200 million in assets. According to the Executive Director of FFC, Hewlett Packard was dropped for providing information technology consulting services to the Israeli Navy, while Veolia Environment was removed due to "environmental and social concerns."
The decision followed advocacy from member group Palestine Israel Action Group of the Ann Arbor Friends Meeting (AAFM), which also successfully urged FFC to divest its $900,000 in Caterpillar shares in May.
FFC has a "zero tolerance for weapons and weapons components" and said, "We are uncomfortable defending our position on this stock." Caterpillar produces and sells bulldozers to Israel that are weaponized and used to violate Palestinian rights and destroy Palestinian homes, schools, hospitals, olive groves, and lives.
The US Campaign commends AAFM and FFC, which made its recent decision, in line with FFC's principled commitment to investment in companies that "contribute positively to a peaceful, sustainable world."
HP maintains a biometric ID system used in Israeli checkpoints for racial profiling; manages the Israeli Navy's IT infrastructure; and supplies the Israeli army with other equipment and services used to maintain its military occupation. Veolia is involved in a light rail linking illegal Israeli settlements with cities in Israel; it operates segregated bus lines through the occupied West Bank; and it operates a landfill and a waste water system that dumps Israeli waste on Palestinian land.
2012 will truly be remembered as a landmark year of victories in the global campaign to hold corporations accountable for profiting from Israel's violations of Palestinian human rights and international law:
Earlier this month, the dining services of Earlham College, another Quaker institution, stopped selling Sabra products in response to concerns from students and faculty about the company's links to the Israeli army. Other campuses have de-shelved Sabra recently. BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) Earlham, a member group of the US Campaign, continues its exciting campaign to convince the college to divest from Caterpillar, Motorola, and HP.
Shortly thereafter, the Student Union of the massive University of California (UC) system voted to protect students' rights to advocate BDS on campus and demanded that UC stop profiting from Israel's abuses of Palestinian rights. The motion passed by a vote of 12 to 0 (with 2 abstentions).
And of course, Morgan Stanley Capital Investment decided this year to remove the company from its list of socially responsible companies, prompting financial giant TIAA-CREF to divest more than $72 million in Caterpillar shares previously held in TIAA-CREF's Social Choice Fund (though the company still holds Caterpillar shares in other funds). This was a major victory for the We Divest Campaign (http://wedivest.org/), the largest coalition-led U.S. divestment campaign in the country, which calls on TIAA-CREF to divest from companies involved in the Israeli occupation, including Veolia and HP.
These are just a few of the extraordinary victories this year in the movement to end U.S. institutional support for Israel's violations of Palestinian rights. Many more are surely on the way, as many campaigns forge ahead.
This Thursday, September 27, 2012, the Minnesota Court of Appeals will hear arguments in an appeal brought by member group Minnesota Break the Bonds Campaign against the Minnesota State Board of Investment. In the California Bay Area, a new campaign to Stop HP -- led by member groups Friends of Sabeel, UC Berkeley Students for Justice in Palestine, Bay Area Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid, American Friends Service Committee, Global Exchange, Middle East Children's Alliance, Jewish Voice for Peace and others -- is collecting pledges from individuals and organizations to boycott the company until it ends its complicity with the Israeli occupation.
Let's continue to show our support for corporate accountability by clicking here to thank FFC for divesting from Veolia and HP!
FFC handles investments for over 300 Quaker meetings, schools, organizations, trusts, and endowments around the U.S., with over $200 million in assets. According to the Executive Director of FFC, Hewlett Packard was dropped for providing information technology consulting services to the Israeli Navy, while Veolia Environment was removed due to "environmental and social concerns."
The decision followed advocacy from member group Palestine Israel Action Group of the Ann Arbor Friends Meeting (AAFM), which also successfully urged FFC to divest its $900,000 in Caterpillar shares in May.
FFC has a "zero tolerance for weapons and weapons components" and said, "We are uncomfortable defending our position on this stock." Caterpillar produces and sells bulldozers to Israel that are weaponized and used to violate Palestinian rights and destroy Palestinian homes, schools, hospitals, olive groves, and lives.
The US Campaign commends AAFM and FFC, which made its recent decision, in line with FFC's principled commitment to investment in companies that "contribute positively to a peaceful, sustainable world."
HP maintains a biometric ID system used in Israeli checkpoints for racial profiling; manages the Israeli Navy's IT infrastructure; and supplies the Israeli army with other equipment and services used to maintain its military occupation. Veolia is involved in a light rail linking illegal Israeli settlements with cities in Israel; it operates segregated bus lines through the occupied West Bank; and it operates a landfill and a waste water system that dumps Israeli waste on Palestinian land.
2012 will truly be remembered as a landmark year of victories in the global campaign to hold corporations accountable for profiting from Israel's violations of Palestinian human rights and international law:
Earlier this month, the dining services of Earlham College, another Quaker institution, stopped selling Sabra products in response to concerns from students and faculty about the company's links to the Israeli army. Other campuses have de-shelved Sabra recently. BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) Earlham, a member group of the US Campaign, continues its exciting campaign to convince the college to divest from Caterpillar, Motorola, and HP.
Shortly thereafter, the Student Union of the massive University of California (UC) system voted to protect students' rights to advocate BDS on campus and demanded that UC stop profiting from Israel's abuses of Palestinian rights. The motion passed by a vote of 12 to 0 (with 2 abstentions).
And of course, Morgan Stanley Capital Investment decided this year to remove the company from its list of socially responsible companies, prompting financial giant TIAA-CREF to divest more than $72 million in Caterpillar shares previously held in TIAA-CREF's Social Choice Fund (though the company still holds Caterpillar shares in other funds). This was a major victory for the We Divest Campaign (http://wedivest.org/), the largest coalition-led U.S. divestment campaign in the country, which calls on TIAA-CREF to divest from companies involved in the Israeli occupation, including Veolia and HP.
These are just a few of the extraordinary victories this year in the movement to end U.S. institutional support for Israel's violations of Palestinian rights. Many more are surely on the way, as many campaigns forge ahead.
This Thursday, September 27, 2012, the Minnesota Court of Appeals will hear arguments in an appeal brought by member group Minnesota Break the Bonds Campaign against the Minnesota State Board of Investment. In the California Bay Area, a new campaign to Stop HP -- led by member groups Friends of Sabeel, UC Berkeley Students for Justice in Palestine, Bay Area Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid, American Friends Service Committee, Global Exchange, Middle East Children's Alliance, Jewish Voice for Peace and others -- is collecting pledges from individuals and organizations to boycott the company until it ends its complicity with the Israeli occupation.
Let's continue to show our support for corporate accountability by clicking here to thank FFC for divesting from Veolia and HP!
25 sept 2012
Minnesota Court of Appeals to Hear Israel Bonds Divestment Appeal
by Sylvia Schwarz
On September 27, 2012, the Minnesota Court of Appeals will hear arguments in an appeal brought by the Minnesota Break the Bonds Campaign (MN BBC) against the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI). The hearing is currently scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. in Courtroom 300 of the Minnesota Judicial Center at 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in St. Paul.
MN BBC and others, including the besieged Palestinian village of Bil'in in the West Bank, sued the SBI for violating Minnesota law by investing in Israel Bonds. The appellants contend that Minnesota Statute 11A.24 restricts the SBI's investment in foreign government bonds to Canadian Bonds, which excludes Israel Bonds.
They also contend that the purchase of Israel Bonds materially supports Israel's human rights violations and its continuing construction of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, an internationally recognized violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, a ratified treaty binding on Minnesota courts pursuant to Article VI of the U.S. Constitution.
The appeal followed the dismissal of the lawsuit by Ramsey County District Court Judge Margaret Marrinan earlier this year.
Israel Bonds, an arm of the Government of Israel, has hired Minneapolis attorney Charles Nauen to advise them about the issues surrounding the case. Israel Bonds is concerned that the lawsuit could set a precedent for lawsuits in other states, according to a recent statement by the executive director of Israel Bonds Midwest Region.
Nauen is a local pro-Israel activist and a recognized political figure in Minnesota politics, having served as Governor Dayton's chief co-counsel during the election recount. Nauen has boasted that he has received training from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in tactics employed to resist the worldwide Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
On September 27, 2012, the Minnesota Court of Appeals will hear arguments in an appeal brought by the Minnesota Break the Bonds Campaign (MN BBC) against the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI). The hearing is currently scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. in Courtroom 300 of the Minnesota Judicial Center at 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in St. Paul.
MN BBC and others, including the besieged Palestinian village of Bil'in in the West Bank, sued the SBI for violating Minnesota law by investing in Israel Bonds. The appellants contend that Minnesota Statute 11A.24 restricts the SBI's investment in foreign government bonds to Canadian Bonds, which excludes Israel Bonds.
They also contend that the purchase of Israel Bonds materially supports Israel's human rights violations and its continuing construction of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, an internationally recognized violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, a ratified treaty binding on Minnesota courts pursuant to Article VI of the U.S. Constitution.
The appeal followed the dismissal of the lawsuit by Ramsey County District Court Judge Margaret Marrinan earlier this year.
Israel Bonds, an arm of the Government of Israel, has hired Minneapolis attorney Charles Nauen to advise them about the issues surrounding the case. Israel Bonds is concerned that the lawsuit could set a precedent for lawsuits in other states, according to a recent statement by the executive director of Israel Bonds Midwest Region.
Nauen is a local pro-Israel activist and a recognized political figure in Minnesota politics, having served as Governor Dayton's chief co-counsel during the election recount. Nauen has boasted that he has received training from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in tactics employed to resist the worldwide Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
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Patterned after the South African anti-apartheid movement, the worldwide BDS movement is a response to the Palestinian call for non-violent resistance to Israel's violations of international law and human rights in its treatment of the indigenous Palestinian population.
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MN BBC is an active participant in the BDS movement. Because of Governor Dayton's position as the chairperson of the SBI and his close ties to Nauen, Israel's retention of Nauen to represent its interests with respect to MN BBC's Israel Bond divestment efforts raises serious questions about the extent of Israeli governmental influence in the affairs of Minnesota state government.
Governor Dayton has been particularly resistant to MN BBC's divestment demands, even after receiving information that the SBI's investment in Israel Bonds materially supports human rights violations and illegal settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Media are invited to attend the hearing on September 27 but must register with the court prior to bringing recording devices.
Governor Dayton has been particularly resistant to MN BBC's divestment demands, even after receiving information that the SBI's investment in Israel Bonds materially supports human rights violations and illegal settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Media are invited to attend the hearing on September 27 but must register with the court prior to bringing recording devices.
24 sept 2012
State council seeks to shut down 'leftist' department at BGU
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
In an unprecedented move, the Council for Higher Education will vote on shutting down the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University, which has been the target of right-wing propaganda for the last several years.
A major political battle is taking place this autumn within Israeli academia: the Israeli Council for Higher Education (CHE), a government-appointed body charged with the supervision and financing of universities and colleges in Israel, is attempting to shut down the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University (BGU).
In recent years, the Department of Politics and Governments has been labeled by right-wing organizations as “the most leftist in Israel,” and leading academics have been subject to boycott call and demands not to renew their contracts. Yet, never before has the fate of the entire department been threatened.
Earlier this month, a sub-committee for quality control, which was appointed by the Israeli Council for Higher Education, recommended that the Department of Politics and Government at BGU be prevented from registering new students in the coming academic year, due to the failure to implement a report regarding “professional failures” in the department, issued last year. The recommendation, which effectively means closing down the department, will be voted on by the CHE on October 23rd.
Both the original report and the recent decision not to allow the Department of Politics and Government to register new students were leaked to the press before they were made known to Ben-Gurion University.
The attempt to shut down the BGU department cannot be separated from the government’s recent decision to turn a college in the West Bank settlement of Ariel into Israel’s eighth university. After packing the Israeli courts with right-wing judges and weakening the independent media, Netanyahu’s government is now attempting to politicize academia and silence dissenting voices. As a result, the nature of the public debate in Israel is rapidly changing.
In a public letter to all members of the Israeli academic and research community, Prof. Rivka Carmi, President of Ben-Gurion University stated:
The sub-committee’s decision was reached without any factual base to back it up; it is unreasonable and disproportional and most notably, it does not in any way reflect the opinion of the international committee which oversaw the process. We therefore wonder what is actually behind this decision.
Ironically, Professor Carmi has been known for years as a leading voice in criticizing the Israeli academics at her university who have expressed radical left-wing positions. But the attack on the university was so brutal and extreme, that it left the president no choice but to lead the campaign against it, several sources involved in the affair told me.
In an unprecedented move, the Council for Higher Education will vote on shutting down the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University, which has been the target of right-wing propaganda for the last several years.
A major political battle is taking place this autumn within Israeli academia: the Israeli Council for Higher Education (CHE), a government-appointed body charged with the supervision and financing of universities and colleges in Israel, is attempting to shut down the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University (BGU).
In recent years, the Department of Politics and Governments has been labeled by right-wing organizations as “the most leftist in Israel,” and leading academics have been subject to boycott call and demands not to renew their contracts. Yet, never before has the fate of the entire department been threatened.
Earlier this month, a sub-committee for quality control, which was appointed by the Israeli Council for Higher Education, recommended that the Department of Politics and Government at BGU be prevented from registering new students in the coming academic year, due to the failure to implement a report regarding “professional failures” in the department, issued last year. The recommendation, which effectively means closing down the department, will be voted on by the CHE on October 23rd.
Both the original report and the recent decision not to allow the Department of Politics and Government to register new students were leaked to the press before they were made known to Ben-Gurion University.
The attempt to shut down the BGU department cannot be separated from the government’s recent decision to turn a college in the West Bank settlement of Ariel into Israel’s eighth university. After packing the Israeli courts with right-wing judges and weakening the independent media, Netanyahu’s government is now attempting to politicize academia and silence dissenting voices. As a result, the nature of the public debate in Israel is rapidly changing.
In a public letter to all members of the Israeli academic and research community, Prof. Rivka Carmi, President of Ben-Gurion University stated:
The sub-committee’s decision was reached without any factual base to back it up; it is unreasonable and disproportional and most notably, it does not in any way reflect the opinion of the international committee which oversaw the process. We therefore wonder what is actually behind this decision.
Ironically, Professor Carmi has been known for years as a leading voice in criticizing the Israeli academics at her university who have expressed radical left-wing positions. But the attack on the university was so brutal and extreme, that it left the president no choice but to lead the campaign against it, several sources involved in the affair told me.
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Rivka Carmi, President of Ben-Gurion University
A few years back, right-wing organizations began campaigning against “leftist” professors and academics. Three organizations – Im Tirzu, Academia Monitor and Isra-Campus – came up with a list of 1,000 faculty members suspected of left-wing bias or “anti-Zionism. |
Im Tirzu, the most well-known of the three organizations, and the one to enjoy the support of prominent Likud members and ministers, has put a special emphasis on Ben-Gurion University. Three years ago, Im Tirzu threatened President Carmi “to scare off donors” if the university did not get rid of its left-wing faculty members. Later, the group distributed posters suggesting that faculty members in the Department of Politics and Government supported the 2001 lynch of two IDF soldiers in Ramallah – a blood libel without a shred of evidence behind it.
One of Im Tirzu’s prominent supporters is Education Minister Gidon Sa’ar (Likud). During his time in office, Sa’ar attended the Im Tirzu 2010 national convention, in which he promised “to act against professors who call for an academic boycott on Israel.” Saar also promised “to study” the findings of a shady report by Im Tirzu which pretended to measure “the anti-Zionist bias” in political science departments in Israel. “I congratulate you and your work,” Saar told the Im Tirzu convention in 2010, according to a report in Haaretz.
In his capacity as Minister of Education, Sa’ar also heads the Israeli Council for Higher Education.
The Council for Higher Education’s mandate forbids it from interfering with the actual material taught in universities and colleges. Therefore, a few years ago, an “impartial” international committee was formed to examine the political science departments in Israel. Pretty early on, leading members of the committee felt that something was wrong with the entire process. Prof. Ian Lustick, a political scientist from University of Pennsylvania, was removed from the committee; as a result, Prof. Robert Shapiro of Columbia University resigned from his position as the committee’s chair. Among those left was Prof. Avraham Diskin, who has authored articles praising the work of Im Tirzu.
The remaining members in the special committee produced an unprecedented report, which called to examine the entire existence of the Department for Politics and Government at BGU. The main point of attack had to do with the inter-disciplinary nature of the academic work at BGU, which until then had earned praise and was considered the trademark of this department (+972 was the first to obtain and publish the report in its entirely; you can read it here).
One committee member, Prof. Galia Golan, refused to sign the report, claiming it was politically motivated. Instead, Golan wrote a minority opinion, in which she stated that the demand “for a balance (of views) in the classroom… runs directly counter to the principle of academic freedom.”
Still, Ben-Gurion University felt that it had to comply with the report, and changes were made in the department in order to put more emphasis on traditional political science research. As a result, two international evaluators appointed by the CHE to oversee the process congratulated the department for working to “fill its deficit.”
Despite all of that, the letter by the international observers was followed by a recommendation by a sub-committee within the Council for Higher Education to shut down the department. Just like the government vote that established the first Israeli university in occupied territory, the October vote on the fate of the department for politics and government will be a turning point for the Israeli academia, after which nothing may look the same.
Despite the bureaucratic tones behind much of the proceedings involving the Department for Politics and Government at BGU, there is no doubt in my mind that the prime motivation behind the attack on the department and the university are political. Several sources I have spoken to – even those who last year saw the criticism as “a professional dispute” and not a political one – hold the same opinion. As Prof. Carmi noted, the attack is not aimed only against this department or against this university.
The main function of the Council for Higher Education is to provide budgets for universities. In an era of budget cuts, who will want to further annoy this government-appointed council? What will become of professors and researchers who hold left-wing or critical options, and whose contracts are up for renewal or evaluation? Will Im Tirzu now become the standard-bearer in academic discourse?
Even if the effort to shut down the department of politics and government fails, the “cooling effect” on the political conversation by such acts is already tangible, and the marginalization of dissenting voices in Israel is a fact of life.
One of Im Tirzu’s prominent supporters is Education Minister Gidon Sa’ar (Likud). During his time in office, Sa’ar attended the Im Tirzu 2010 national convention, in which he promised “to act against professors who call for an academic boycott on Israel.” Saar also promised “to study” the findings of a shady report by Im Tirzu which pretended to measure “the anti-Zionist bias” in political science departments in Israel. “I congratulate you and your work,” Saar told the Im Tirzu convention in 2010, according to a report in Haaretz.
In his capacity as Minister of Education, Sa’ar also heads the Israeli Council for Higher Education.
The Council for Higher Education’s mandate forbids it from interfering with the actual material taught in universities and colleges. Therefore, a few years ago, an “impartial” international committee was formed to examine the political science departments in Israel. Pretty early on, leading members of the committee felt that something was wrong with the entire process. Prof. Ian Lustick, a political scientist from University of Pennsylvania, was removed from the committee; as a result, Prof. Robert Shapiro of Columbia University resigned from his position as the committee’s chair. Among those left was Prof. Avraham Diskin, who has authored articles praising the work of Im Tirzu.
The remaining members in the special committee produced an unprecedented report, which called to examine the entire existence of the Department for Politics and Government at BGU. The main point of attack had to do with the inter-disciplinary nature of the academic work at BGU, which until then had earned praise and was considered the trademark of this department (+972 was the first to obtain and publish the report in its entirely; you can read it here).
One committee member, Prof. Galia Golan, refused to sign the report, claiming it was politically motivated. Instead, Golan wrote a minority opinion, in which she stated that the demand “for a balance (of views) in the classroom… runs directly counter to the principle of academic freedom.”
Still, Ben-Gurion University felt that it had to comply with the report, and changes were made in the department in order to put more emphasis on traditional political science research. As a result, two international evaluators appointed by the CHE to oversee the process congratulated the department for working to “fill its deficit.”
Despite all of that, the letter by the international observers was followed by a recommendation by a sub-committee within the Council for Higher Education to shut down the department. Just like the government vote that established the first Israeli university in occupied territory, the October vote on the fate of the department for politics and government will be a turning point for the Israeli academia, after which nothing may look the same.
Despite the bureaucratic tones behind much of the proceedings involving the Department for Politics and Government at BGU, there is no doubt in my mind that the prime motivation behind the attack on the department and the university are political. Several sources I have spoken to – even those who last year saw the criticism as “a professional dispute” and not a political one – hold the same opinion. As Prof. Carmi noted, the attack is not aimed only against this department or against this university.
The main function of the Council for Higher Education is to provide budgets for universities. In an era of budget cuts, who will want to further annoy this government-appointed council? What will become of professors and researchers who hold left-wing or critical options, and whose contracts are up for renewal or evaluation? Will Im Tirzu now become the standard-bearer in academic discourse?
Even if the effort to shut down the department of politics and government fails, the “cooling effect” on the political conversation by such acts is already tangible, and the marginalization of dissenting voices in Israel is a fact of life.
23 sept 2012
Anti-normalization committee denounces Israeli participation in Gulf maneuvers
The Jordanian higher executive committee for defending the homeland and confronting normalization with Israel strongly condemned the Israeli participation in the Gulf maneuvers , taking place in the waters of the Arabian Gulf in the coming days, with the participation of thirty countries.
The committee called on, in a statement on Saturday, the Arab and Islamic participating countries to withdraw if there was no ban on Israeli participation.
The Committee condemned, in its statement, the American submission to the Israeli pressures where it declared Jerusalem, with its eastern and western parts, the capital of the Israeli occupation state, contravening all previous international resolutions.
The statement called on the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to work hard to annul this decision and to stress Jerusalem as an occupied city, like the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Committee urged the Jordanian government to make sure of the imported goods are clearly labeled with the country of origin, in order to stop buying goods produced in Israel.
The committee called on, in a statement on Saturday, the Arab and Islamic participating countries to withdraw if there was no ban on Israeli participation.
The Committee condemned, in its statement, the American submission to the Israeli pressures where it declared Jerusalem, with its eastern and western parts, the capital of the Israeli occupation state, contravening all previous international resolutions.
The statement called on the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to work hard to annul this decision and to stress Jerusalem as an occupied city, like the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Committee urged the Jordanian government to make sure of the imported goods are clearly labeled with the country of origin, in order to stop buying goods produced in Israel.
21 sept 2012
Gaza to refuse import of fruit from Israel
Gaza's agriculture ministry says most fruits are available locally
The Gaza Strip's agriculture ministry on Friday said it would not allow the import of fruits to the enclave in order to protect the local market.
The announcement came as Israel promised new measures facilitate the entry and exit of goods at Gaza crossings. Several products will be removed from a blacklist permitting their import to Gaza, an Israeli official said Thursday.
Marketing director in Gaza's agriculture ministry Tahsen al-Saqa told Ma'an that no fruits would be imported from Israel, with the exception of apples and bananas, as farmers in Gaza farmers grew their own guava, dates, citrus fruits and grapes.
Al-Saqa added that Israel had prevented the import of vegetables to Gaza for several years, and that the enclave had become self-sufficient. "We have 98 percent self-sufficiency in (producing) vegetables."
In the West Bank, a once-flourishing agriculture industry has been devastated, in part due to competition from Israeli produce, as well as Israeli control of Palestinian water resources and confiscation of agricultural land. Israeli farmers, who have greater access to water, sell their produce on Palestinian markets that farmers in Gaza cannot access.
Israel controls imports and exports into Gaza through its military blockade, while in the West Bank, Israel influences the Palestinian market through the Paris Protocol signed between Israel and the PLO. The cancellation of the Paris Protocol was a key demand of protesters who took to the streets across the West Bank earlier this month.
Exports
Israeli, regional and West Bank markets have been cut off from Gaza traders since 2007 when Israel tightened restrictions on Gaza after Hamas took control of the strip. Hamas had been democratically elected a year earlier.
Israel has allowed a limited number of trucks to export strawberries and carnations to European markets after pressure from the EU, but those account for a fraction of the exports that left the Gaza Strip prior to Israel's blockade, al-Saqa said.
Khatib Mansour, director of the Israeli army's Coordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza, said Thursday that Israel would permit furniture and clothes to be exported from Gaza to the West Bank.
Israel's blockade destroyed Gaza's export-dependent economy. The World Bank says the private sector will not recover until access to its traditional markets in Israel and the West Bank is restored.
In recent reports ahead of a PA donor conference this month, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and United Nations have warned of a worsening economic crisis in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
"We should all be concerned about Gaza’s future if there is no change to the current untenable situation," UN special envoy Robert Serry said Thursday.
The Gaza Strip's agriculture ministry on Friday said it would not allow the import of fruits to the enclave in order to protect the local market.
The announcement came as Israel promised new measures facilitate the entry and exit of goods at Gaza crossings. Several products will be removed from a blacklist permitting their import to Gaza, an Israeli official said Thursday.
Marketing director in Gaza's agriculture ministry Tahsen al-Saqa told Ma'an that no fruits would be imported from Israel, with the exception of apples and bananas, as farmers in Gaza farmers grew their own guava, dates, citrus fruits and grapes.
Al-Saqa added that Israel had prevented the import of vegetables to Gaza for several years, and that the enclave had become self-sufficient. "We have 98 percent self-sufficiency in (producing) vegetables."
In the West Bank, a once-flourishing agriculture industry has been devastated, in part due to competition from Israeli produce, as well as Israeli control of Palestinian water resources and confiscation of agricultural land. Israeli farmers, who have greater access to water, sell their produce on Palestinian markets that farmers in Gaza cannot access.
Israel controls imports and exports into Gaza through its military blockade, while in the West Bank, Israel influences the Palestinian market through the Paris Protocol signed between Israel and the PLO. The cancellation of the Paris Protocol was a key demand of protesters who took to the streets across the West Bank earlier this month.
Exports
Israeli, regional and West Bank markets have been cut off from Gaza traders since 2007 when Israel tightened restrictions on Gaza after Hamas took control of the strip. Hamas had been democratically elected a year earlier.
Israel has allowed a limited number of trucks to export strawberries and carnations to European markets after pressure from the EU, but those account for a fraction of the exports that left the Gaza Strip prior to Israel's blockade, al-Saqa said.
Khatib Mansour, director of the Israeli army's Coordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza, said Thursday that Israel would permit furniture and clothes to be exported from Gaza to the West Bank.
Israel's blockade destroyed Gaza's export-dependent economy. The World Bank says the private sector will not recover until access to its traditional markets in Israel and the West Bank is restored.
In recent reports ahead of a PA donor conference this month, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and United Nations have warned of a worsening economic crisis in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
"We should all be concerned about Gaza’s future if there is no change to the current untenable situation," UN special envoy Robert Serry said Thursday.
16 sept 2012
Podcast: Indian boycott activist talks about “tremendous response” to Palestine solidarity call
Indian boycott campaigners are challenging Israel’s violations of human rights in Palestine and India’s ties to the Israeli government.
Audio's on the link
“What is happening is that on the one hand, there is [a] tremendous response to the call for solidarity with Palestine. On the other hand, this is also a response to the shift in India’s foreign policy; the strategic shift from the support for Palestine – which existed during the freedom struggle in India – to the not only business-as-usual with Israel today in India, but to business-more-than-usual.” - Githa Hariharan of InCACBI
This week on The Electronic Intifada podcast:
-- We’ll speak with Githa Hariharan, an activist with the Indian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel about their ongoing and expanding activism against Israel’s human rights violations;
-- Also, a report on how the Israeli siege leaves 80 percent of Gaza’s factories shut;
-- How a rooftop garden project aims to reduce Palestinian refugees’ dependence on aid;
-- Palestinians fleeing Syria denied help in Lebanon;
-- “Every minute matters” for gravely ill hunger striker Samer al-Barq, according to his family;
-- The US is sued over “terrorist” designation that has robbed a Palestinian American of basic rights for 17 years;
-- Scholars voice opposition to California Assembly resolution that seeks to chill Palestine solidarity activism and free speech;
-- And news from the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, as the European Union considers a ban on trade with Israeli settlements, a South African university’s student council unanimously adopts a resolution for the full academic and cultural boycott of Israel, and more.
Transcript of interview
The following is a rush transcript of The Electronic Intifada’s interview with Githa Hariharan of the Indian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (InCACBI).
The Electronic Intifada: Let’s talk about InCACBI, and some of the BDS campaigns you’ve ben a part of in the past months. Tell us about InCACBI and why so many Indian activists, writers such as yourself, scholars, artists and workers have joined the Palestinian-led movmement.
Githa Hariharan: Well, when we began in 2010, in response to the Palestinian call, we didn’t realize that there would be such a wide variety of people who would be interested. Now, that’s not to say that there aren’t tremendous problems, but briefly, let me say that all of our campaigns, appeals, and our recent demonstration in Hyderabad have shown that a range of people have been coming together: students, academics, even engineers working in the software industry joined in the demonstration in Hyderabad.
What is happening is that on the one hand, there is tremendous response to the call for solidarity with Palestine. On the other hand, there is also a response to the shift in India’s foreign policy, the strategic shift from the support for Palestine – which existed during the freedom struggle in India – to the not only business-as-usual with Israel today, but business-more-than usual.
EI: Githa, talk about the protests in Hyderabad against Israel’s participation in the global education summit. And of course, this came just weeks after InCACBI put out a major statement in opposition to the India-Israel free trade agreement. Tell us about the current relationship between Israel and India, and how activists are working to address these partnerships.
GH: The Indo-Global Education Summit and Expo 2012 in Hyderabad, which was held from 7 through 9 September this year is a typical example.
We found out, quite accidentally, that this was being held; and that though it was not organized by the government, it is organized by something called the Indus Foundation, but the government has, in a way, given its imprimatur, because the preface, the introduction to their official pamphlet is in fact signed by a union minister of the Indian government.
So, rallying around this, again demonstrated the need not only to express solidarity with Palestine – by saying, why have you got these Israeli academic instutitions here, particularly Technion, with its deep military ties with the Israeli establishment, but also the fact that the summit itself is doing something to Indian education in general. A lot of these new links with Israel are talking about privatization, increased security, surveillance, military ties – so it is actually a complete shift in the way India views itself.
The combination that we had of people who came to this wonderful demonstration, which I simply must describe… this summit was being held at a five-star hotel called the Taj Deccan in Hyderabad. The various groups that came together on 3 September … announced the protests for the 7th at a roundtable conference. The police apparently refused permission for the demonstration.
The group said, well, we’re going to hold it anyway, and the police did give permission. And apparently at 11:30 in the morning, outside the Taj Deccan, you had students, academics, as I said, you had engineers, you had a group called Aawaz which is working with the minorities, another NGO called COVA which primarily works with Muslims, but you had a combination of political affiliations, different communities and so on.
And when they arrived there, the police stopped the demonstration. And in effect, the demonstration was a series of scuffles and arrests. Of course, there was very poor media coverage, so this gives you an idea of what we are up against when you demonstrate anti-Israel and pro-Palestine. One is that the mainstream media will not give you the attention you deserve; on the other hand, the police, naturally – this is a high-profile thing in a five-star hotel – and so they’re going to be very difficult about what you’re allowed to do.
But the fact that they came together and when the organizers of the demonstration spoke to me, they said, you know this really was a first, and we want to do more, we want people to come to Hyderabad and talk about the situation in Palestine and talk about the new relationship that India has with Israel.
EI: In the same realm, InCACBI has initiated a call for the academic boycott of Israeli universities across India. Can you talk about how this campaign has developed?
GH: Well, one of the problems is that there are so many MoUs – Memorandums of Understanding – with Israeli institutions, being signed all over the place. We can hardly keep up. We find that we are issuing several statements a week, because almost every day we find that there’s been a new MoU signed. For example, we discovered that Ahmedabad, which is in Gudjarat state, there is an institution set up called iCreate, which has a link with Technion. And in fact, they have someone from Technion, a faculty member, on their advisory board. So that is one, for example.
Then, there is actually an academic research agreement between the University Grants Commission, which is a very important body in India, with the Israel Science Foundation. So these are the things we have found out about, but we don’t now how many links and MoUs there are that we don’t even know about. So what we are trying to do is to write to as many academics as we can, we are using our [web]site, we are using our Facebook page, and so the first thing is to desseminate information.
We are also hoping to have a university event on 29 November to show solidarity with Palestine, to actually get students and faculty in certain universities and colleges in different parts of India, to use a kit we send them and create their own event to discuss not only what is happening with India’s growing relationship with Israel, but what is happening in Palestine; and to actually discuss what do we mean when we say that Israel is an apartheid state, and why are we talking about a boycott? Because there is a lot of confusion about the boycott, and we need to discuss that.
EI: Well, let’s explore the recent campaigns in the cultural boycott realm. Last year around this time, an extensive list of prominent Indian artists boycotted invitations to show their work at the Tel Aviv Museum; and several months ago, the tabla maestro Zakir Hussein canceled his scheduled performance in Israel due to the efforts of BDS activists in India and around the world. Talk about some of these campaigns, and why these cultural boycotts are so significant.
GH: I think, finally, artists and writers know deep in their hearts that, if you are an artist of conscience, you don’t write and perform and paint in a vaccuum. And I think – we are terribly proud of these artists who have responded, who have shown that there is life beyond a career, and a good concert, or a good art exhibit, so we are very proud of them.
And of course when someone like Zakir Hussein cancels a performance, people sit up and say, well, let me learn more about this. And certainly, with the artists boycotting, one of our artists did a wonderful job – she spoke to any number of artists and there was debate – which is what is important. It’s only when there is debate that people are going to start asking sharp questions about why are we sitting here in India, working so hard for Palestine?
A whole plethora of issues then come up – it is Palestine, what is life under occupation like, at the same time, how do we pressure the Indian government to bridge the gap between the kind of rhetorical support they occasionally offer for Palestine; and on the other hand, they see themselves as very much with Israel in their new self-image. So this is what we’re hoping to do, and we do hope that we can work towards an exchange of students, artists, academics…
At one time, when I was a young woman, we saw a lot of Palestinian students in India, and that’s really not true anymore – there’s been a significant drop. And one of the things that InCACBI would like to do is make sure that we pressure the government, and at the same time ask for help from other organizations, to actually make sure that we can bring Palestinian artists, academics and students there, and perhaps we could go there as well.
You can learn more about the InCACBI campaigns at www.incacbi.in, and on Facebook. Their email address is [email protected].
Audio's on the link
“What is happening is that on the one hand, there is [a] tremendous response to the call for solidarity with Palestine. On the other hand, this is also a response to the shift in India’s foreign policy; the strategic shift from the support for Palestine – which existed during the freedom struggle in India – to the not only business-as-usual with Israel today in India, but to business-more-than-usual.” - Githa Hariharan of InCACBI
This week on The Electronic Intifada podcast:
-- We’ll speak with Githa Hariharan, an activist with the Indian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel about their ongoing and expanding activism against Israel’s human rights violations;
-- Also, a report on how the Israeli siege leaves 80 percent of Gaza’s factories shut;
-- How a rooftop garden project aims to reduce Palestinian refugees’ dependence on aid;
-- Palestinians fleeing Syria denied help in Lebanon;
-- “Every minute matters” for gravely ill hunger striker Samer al-Barq, according to his family;
-- The US is sued over “terrorist” designation that has robbed a Palestinian American of basic rights for 17 years;
-- Scholars voice opposition to California Assembly resolution that seeks to chill Palestine solidarity activism and free speech;
-- And news from the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, as the European Union considers a ban on trade with Israeli settlements, a South African university’s student council unanimously adopts a resolution for the full academic and cultural boycott of Israel, and more.
Transcript of interview
The following is a rush transcript of The Electronic Intifada’s interview with Githa Hariharan of the Indian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (InCACBI).
The Electronic Intifada: Let’s talk about InCACBI, and some of the BDS campaigns you’ve ben a part of in the past months. Tell us about InCACBI and why so many Indian activists, writers such as yourself, scholars, artists and workers have joined the Palestinian-led movmement.
Githa Hariharan: Well, when we began in 2010, in response to the Palestinian call, we didn’t realize that there would be such a wide variety of people who would be interested. Now, that’s not to say that there aren’t tremendous problems, but briefly, let me say that all of our campaigns, appeals, and our recent demonstration in Hyderabad have shown that a range of people have been coming together: students, academics, even engineers working in the software industry joined in the demonstration in Hyderabad.
What is happening is that on the one hand, there is tremendous response to the call for solidarity with Palestine. On the other hand, there is also a response to the shift in India’s foreign policy, the strategic shift from the support for Palestine – which existed during the freedom struggle in India – to the not only business-as-usual with Israel today, but business-more-than usual.
EI: Githa, talk about the protests in Hyderabad against Israel’s participation in the global education summit. And of course, this came just weeks after InCACBI put out a major statement in opposition to the India-Israel free trade agreement. Tell us about the current relationship between Israel and India, and how activists are working to address these partnerships.
GH: The Indo-Global Education Summit and Expo 2012 in Hyderabad, which was held from 7 through 9 September this year is a typical example.
We found out, quite accidentally, that this was being held; and that though it was not organized by the government, it is organized by something called the Indus Foundation, but the government has, in a way, given its imprimatur, because the preface, the introduction to their official pamphlet is in fact signed by a union minister of the Indian government.
So, rallying around this, again demonstrated the need not only to express solidarity with Palestine – by saying, why have you got these Israeli academic instutitions here, particularly Technion, with its deep military ties with the Israeli establishment, but also the fact that the summit itself is doing something to Indian education in general. A lot of these new links with Israel are talking about privatization, increased security, surveillance, military ties – so it is actually a complete shift in the way India views itself.
The combination that we had of people who came to this wonderful demonstration, which I simply must describe… this summit was being held at a five-star hotel called the Taj Deccan in Hyderabad. The various groups that came together on 3 September … announced the protests for the 7th at a roundtable conference. The police apparently refused permission for the demonstration.
The group said, well, we’re going to hold it anyway, and the police did give permission. And apparently at 11:30 in the morning, outside the Taj Deccan, you had students, academics, as I said, you had engineers, you had a group called Aawaz which is working with the minorities, another NGO called COVA which primarily works with Muslims, but you had a combination of political affiliations, different communities and so on.
And when they arrived there, the police stopped the demonstration. And in effect, the demonstration was a series of scuffles and arrests. Of course, there was very poor media coverage, so this gives you an idea of what we are up against when you demonstrate anti-Israel and pro-Palestine. One is that the mainstream media will not give you the attention you deserve; on the other hand, the police, naturally – this is a high-profile thing in a five-star hotel – and so they’re going to be very difficult about what you’re allowed to do.
But the fact that they came together and when the organizers of the demonstration spoke to me, they said, you know this really was a first, and we want to do more, we want people to come to Hyderabad and talk about the situation in Palestine and talk about the new relationship that India has with Israel.
EI: In the same realm, InCACBI has initiated a call for the academic boycott of Israeli universities across India. Can you talk about how this campaign has developed?
GH: Well, one of the problems is that there are so many MoUs – Memorandums of Understanding – with Israeli institutions, being signed all over the place. We can hardly keep up. We find that we are issuing several statements a week, because almost every day we find that there’s been a new MoU signed. For example, we discovered that Ahmedabad, which is in Gudjarat state, there is an institution set up called iCreate, which has a link with Technion. And in fact, they have someone from Technion, a faculty member, on their advisory board. So that is one, for example.
Then, there is actually an academic research agreement between the University Grants Commission, which is a very important body in India, with the Israel Science Foundation. So these are the things we have found out about, but we don’t now how many links and MoUs there are that we don’t even know about. So what we are trying to do is to write to as many academics as we can, we are using our [web]site, we are using our Facebook page, and so the first thing is to desseminate information.
We are also hoping to have a university event on 29 November to show solidarity with Palestine, to actually get students and faculty in certain universities and colleges in different parts of India, to use a kit we send them and create their own event to discuss not only what is happening with India’s growing relationship with Israel, but what is happening in Palestine; and to actually discuss what do we mean when we say that Israel is an apartheid state, and why are we talking about a boycott? Because there is a lot of confusion about the boycott, and we need to discuss that.
EI: Well, let’s explore the recent campaigns in the cultural boycott realm. Last year around this time, an extensive list of prominent Indian artists boycotted invitations to show their work at the Tel Aviv Museum; and several months ago, the tabla maestro Zakir Hussein canceled his scheduled performance in Israel due to the efforts of BDS activists in India and around the world. Talk about some of these campaigns, and why these cultural boycotts are so significant.
GH: I think, finally, artists and writers know deep in their hearts that, if you are an artist of conscience, you don’t write and perform and paint in a vaccuum. And I think – we are terribly proud of these artists who have responded, who have shown that there is life beyond a career, and a good concert, or a good art exhibit, so we are very proud of them.
And of course when someone like Zakir Hussein cancels a performance, people sit up and say, well, let me learn more about this. And certainly, with the artists boycotting, one of our artists did a wonderful job – she spoke to any number of artists and there was debate – which is what is important. It’s only when there is debate that people are going to start asking sharp questions about why are we sitting here in India, working so hard for Palestine?
A whole plethora of issues then come up – it is Palestine, what is life under occupation like, at the same time, how do we pressure the Indian government to bridge the gap between the kind of rhetorical support they occasionally offer for Palestine; and on the other hand, they see themselves as very much with Israel in their new self-image. So this is what we’re hoping to do, and we do hope that we can work towards an exchange of students, artists, academics…
At one time, when I was a young woman, we saw a lot of Palestinian students in India, and that’s really not true anymore – there’s been a significant drop. And one of the things that InCACBI would like to do is make sure that we pressure the government, and at the same time ask for help from other organizations, to actually make sure that we can bring Palestinian artists, academics and students there, and perhaps we could go there as well.
You can learn more about the InCACBI campaigns at www.incacbi.in, and on Facebook. Their email address is [email protected].
8 sept 2012
EU mulls imposing total ban on ‘Made in Israel’ goods
The European Union is mulling over “a total ban” on the goods produced in the occupied Palestinian lands, a Greek Foreign Ministry official says.
The diplomat told a group of Israeli and Palestinian journalists in the Greek capital, Athens, on Friday that “EU nations were currently holding discussions on the issue” to impose a ban on all the goods produced in the occupied territories and labeled as “Made in Israel.”
According to multiple Israeli media reports, the Greek diplomat said that the move would be like an action South Africa adopted last month.
Reports say the EU Executive Commission would likely make a decision on the issue in October.
Last month, South Africa passed a law "requiring the labeling of goods or products emanating from IOTs (Israel Occupied Territories) to prevent consumers being led to believe that such goods come from Israel.”
“This is in line with South Africa’s stance that recognizes the 1948 borders delineated by the United Nations and does not recognize occupied territories beyond these borders” as being part of the Israeli regime, the South African government said in a statement.
In August, Canada’s largest Protestant church approved a similar measure to boycott goods produced in the occupied West Bank.
The United Church of Canada made the decision on August 15 and approved a policy paper two days later at its 41st general council meeting in the capital, Ottawa.
The move aims to show Tel Aviv that the church considers Israel’s continued occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds as illegal, and wants the Israeli regime to stop settlement expansion on Palestinian lands.
Israeli settlements are considered illegal by the UN because those Palestinian territories were captured by Israel in a war in 1967, and are hence seen as being subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbids construction on occupied lands.
A number of industries have sprung up in the illegal Israeli settlements, with a range of products, including cosmetics, beverages and plastics.
The diplomat told a group of Israeli and Palestinian journalists in the Greek capital, Athens, on Friday that “EU nations were currently holding discussions on the issue” to impose a ban on all the goods produced in the occupied territories and labeled as “Made in Israel.”
According to multiple Israeli media reports, the Greek diplomat said that the move would be like an action South Africa adopted last month.
Reports say the EU Executive Commission would likely make a decision on the issue in October.
Last month, South Africa passed a law "requiring the labeling of goods or products emanating from IOTs (Israel Occupied Territories) to prevent consumers being led to believe that such goods come from Israel.”
“This is in line with South Africa’s stance that recognizes the 1948 borders delineated by the United Nations and does not recognize occupied territories beyond these borders” as being part of the Israeli regime, the South African government said in a statement.
In August, Canada’s largest Protestant church approved a similar measure to boycott goods produced in the occupied West Bank.
The United Church of Canada made the decision on August 15 and approved a policy paper two days later at its 41st general council meeting in the capital, Ottawa.
The move aims to show Tel Aviv that the church considers Israel’s continued occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds as illegal, and wants the Israeli regime to stop settlement expansion on Palestinian lands.
Israeli settlements are considered illegal by the UN because those Palestinian territories were captured by Israel in a war in 1967, and are hence seen as being subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbids construction on occupied lands.
A number of industries have sprung up in the illegal Israeli settlements, with a range of products, including cosmetics, beverages and plastics.
7 sept 2012
TUC to Vote on Solidarity with Gaza Motion
Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) said in a press release that next week, the Trades Union Congress, which represents 6.5 million workers in the UK, will vote on a motion [PDF] to express solidarity with Palestinians living in Gaza.
The motion builds on existing TUC policy to boycott companies which profit from Israel's illegal occupation, settlements and wall (passed in 2010 and 2011). Successful consumer pressure has already seen most supermarkets in Britain remove settlement produce from their shelves.
Tabled by the Communication Workers Union, and seconded by the PCS, the motion P76 notes the call from 50 international charities and UN Agencies to end Israel's blockade on Gaza, and violations of international law affecting 1.6 million Palestinians, over half of whom are children. It also instructs the TUC General Council to 'organise a delegation to Gaza, in conjunction with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, to determine how the TUC may most effectively contribute to the end of the blockade'.
Hugh Lanning, PSC Chair, and Deputy General Secretary of PCS union, said:
'After visiting Gaza a few months ago, I was inspired by the determination and hope of Palestinians living in Gaza. The message from Gaza to the international community is clear: they want an end to Israel's brutal siege, and they want to be able to live with dignity and hope in a Free Palestine. 80 per cent of the population are aid-dependent, and sending a trade union delegation to Gaza is an important step in breaking the isolation that has been enforced upon the 1.6 million Palestinians living there.'
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign will also be holding a fringe meeting at lunchtime on Tuesday 11 September, with a wide range of key trade union figures, to discuss how trade unions can build solidarity with Palestine.*
Nada al-Nashif, ILO's Regional Director for the Arab States, described the situation of workers in Gaza as "one of the worst in the region and the world". He said that "Gaza's growing youth population has a right to better work opportunities and growth with equity. They need decent jobs, a minimum of social protection and respect for their basic rights to ensure a life of dignity."
**Palestine Solidarity Campaign's fringe meeting at lunchtime on Tuesday 11 September, Syndicate 4 inside the Brighton Centre. Speakers include Len McCluskey, General Secretary Unite the Union; Christine Blower, General Secretary NUT; Billy Hayes, General Secretary CWU; Mick Whelan, General Secretary ASLEF; Chris Tansley, President UNISON; Prof Ilan Pappe, Director Exeter Uni Centre for Palestine Studies; Mezna Qato, Palestinian history scholar at Oxford University; Owen Tudor, TUC; Sarah Colborne, Director Palestine Solidarity Campaign; Chair: Hugh Lanning – Deputy General Secretary PCS
The motion builds on existing TUC policy to boycott companies which profit from Israel's illegal occupation, settlements and wall (passed in 2010 and 2011). Successful consumer pressure has already seen most supermarkets in Britain remove settlement produce from their shelves.
Tabled by the Communication Workers Union, and seconded by the PCS, the motion P76 notes the call from 50 international charities and UN Agencies to end Israel's blockade on Gaza, and violations of international law affecting 1.6 million Palestinians, over half of whom are children. It also instructs the TUC General Council to 'organise a delegation to Gaza, in conjunction with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, to determine how the TUC may most effectively contribute to the end of the blockade'.
Hugh Lanning, PSC Chair, and Deputy General Secretary of PCS union, said:
'After visiting Gaza a few months ago, I was inspired by the determination and hope of Palestinians living in Gaza. The message from Gaza to the international community is clear: they want an end to Israel's brutal siege, and they want to be able to live with dignity and hope in a Free Palestine. 80 per cent of the population are aid-dependent, and sending a trade union delegation to Gaza is an important step in breaking the isolation that has been enforced upon the 1.6 million Palestinians living there.'
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign will also be holding a fringe meeting at lunchtime on Tuesday 11 September, with a wide range of key trade union figures, to discuss how trade unions can build solidarity with Palestine.*
Nada al-Nashif, ILO's Regional Director for the Arab States, described the situation of workers in Gaza as "one of the worst in the region and the world". He said that "Gaza's growing youth population has a right to better work opportunities and growth with equity. They need decent jobs, a minimum of social protection and respect for their basic rights to ensure a life of dignity."
**Palestine Solidarity Campaign's fringe meeting at lunchtime on Tuesday 11 September, Syndicate 4 inside the Brighton Centre. Speakers include Len McCluskey, General Secretary Unite the Union; Christine Blower, General Secretary NUT; Billy Hayes, General Secretary CWU; Mick Whelan, General Secretary ASLEF; Chris Tansley, President UNISON; Prof Ilan Pappe, Director Exeter Uni Centre for Palestine Studies; Mezna Qato, Palestinian history scholar at Oxford University; Owen Tudor, TUC; Sarah Colborne, Director Palestine Solidarity Campaign; Chair: Hugh Lanning – Deputy General Secretary PCS
New Report Exposes South Korea's Complicity with Israeli Apartheid
Palestine Peace & Solidarity in South Korea (PPS), a Seoul-based group part of the global Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, launched a report denouncing South Korea's complicity with Israel's regime of occupation, colonization and apartheid against the Palestinian people.
The report details Korea's ties with Israel at the military, economic, academic and cultural levels. This relationship, the report contends, has contributed to Israel's impunity and lack of accountability. "Treating Israel as a normal state, as opposed to one that oppresses and denies the right to self-determination of Palestinians, sends the signal that its appalling human rights record can be tolerated. Israel must be treated for what it is, a pariah state," said YaPing an organizer with PPS.
Among the examples cited in the report are Korea Aerospace Industries' business ties with Elbit Systems, an Israeli company widely denounced for its role in the construction of the apartheid wall in the West Bank, declared illegal in 2004 by the International Court of Justice; and the supply of bulldozers to the Israeli military by Hyundai Heavy Industries that are used in the demolition of Palestinian homes, an act that constitutes a war crime under the IV Geneva Convention.
Daesung Industrial Corporation, Korea's leading energy company, imports and distributes Ahava cosmetics to the Korean market. Ahava is an Israeli settlement company that was recently accused of pillaging natural resources of the West Bank in a report by Palestinian human rights group al-Haq.
Korea's government is currently in negotiations with Israel for a Free Trade Agreement, although a deal seems frozen for now. "Koreans will continue to oppose the free trade agreement with Israel to avoid being complicit with human rights abuses and violations of international law," added YaPing. "Koreans have a strong sense of solidarity with Palestinians and oppose their continued oppression." The report found that Korea's ties with Israel violates Korea's own constitution and norms of international law.
Among the recommendations of the report, the Korean government and business community are urged to freeze immediately all ties with Israel, particularly those that directly aid and abet violations of international law related to Israel's settlement enterprise and the Wall.
Korean activists plan to use the research to build strategic campaigns as part of the growing Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The full report is available to download Click Here
The report details Korea's ties with Israel at the military, economic, academic and cultural levels. This relationship, the report contends, has contributed to Israel's impunity and lack of accountability. "Treating Israel as a normal state, as opposed to one that oppresses and denies the right to self-determination of Palestinians, sends the signal that its appalling human rights record can be tolerated. Israel must be treated for what it is, a pariah state," said YaPing an organizer with PPS.
Among the examples cited in the report are Korea Aerospace Industries' business ties with Elbit Systems, an Israeli company widely denounced for its role in the construction of the apartheid wall in the West Bank, declared illegal in 2004 by the International Court of Justice; and the supply of bulldozers to the Israeli military by Hyundai Heavy Industries that are used in the demolition of Palestinian homes, an act that constitutes a war crime under the IV Geneva Convention.
Daesung Industrial Corporation, Korea's leading energy company, imports and distributes Ahava cosmetics to the Korean market. Ahava is an Israeli settlement company that was recently accused of pillaging natural resources of the West Bank in a report by Palestinian human rights group al-Haq.
Korea's government is currently in negotiations with Israel for a Free Trade Agreement, although a deal seems frozen for now. "Koreans will continue to oppose the free trade agreement with Israel to avoid being complicit with human rights abuses and violations of international law," added YaPing. "Koreans have a strong sense of solidarity with Palestinians and oppose their continued oppression." The report found that Korea's ties with Israel violates Korea's own constitution and norms of international law.
Among the recommendations of the report, the Korean government and business community are urged to freeze immediately all ties with Israel, particularly those that directly aid and abet violations of international law related to Israel's settlement enterprise and the Wall.
Korean activists plan to use the research to build strategic campaigns as part of the growing Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The full report is available to download Click Here
5 sept 2012
Norwegian Foreign Minister Calls For Reconsidering Import Of Settlement Products
In a special Interview with Israel’s leading paper, Haaretz, Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, stated that the International Community should reconsider the import of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
He said that Israel’s settlements are illegal under International Law, and that his country is weighing different options to implement policies that oppose the construction and expansion of settlements.
The Norwegian official made his statements just before his planned visit to Ramallah and Tel Aviv as part of the preparations for the conference of Donor Countries that will be held in New York next month.
One of the subjects on the conference’s agenda is Israel’s policies in areas “C” in the occupied West Bank.
During the interview that was held in his office in Norway, the official strongly denounced the Israeli policies in the occupied territories, and added that his government is closely monitoring the Israeli violations in the West Bank, especially in Hebron, and added that West Bank’s "Area C” under the Oslo peace agreement remained under Israeli control as a transitional move, and was not meant to grant Israel the chance to build and expand its illegal settlements on the expense of the Palestinians, on %60 of the West Bank.
The official further said that when his country agreed on having Israel join the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), it made it clear that this does not mean approving the annexation of the West Bank territory and the constructing settlements.
“I know that your government claims that these areas are disputed territories”, he said, “but International Law identifies the Palestinian territories as occupied”.
As for the war on Iran, he said that his country understands Israel’s deep concerns regarding the “Iranian nuclear agenda”, and approves imposing more sanctions on Tehran, but opposes military actions against the country.
He said that Israel’s settlements are illegal under International Law, and that his country is weighing different options to implement policies that oppose the construction and expansion of settlements.
The Norwegian official made his statements just before his planned visit to Ramallah and Tel Aviv as part of the preparations for the conference of Donor Countries that will be held in New York next month.
One of the subjects on the conference’s agenda is Israel’s policies in areas “C” in the occupied West Bank.
During the interview that was held in his office in Norway, the official strongly denounced the Israeli policies in the occupied territories, and added that his government is closely monitoring the Israeli violations in the West Bank, especially in Hebron, and added that West Bank’s "Area C” under the Oslo peace agreement remained under Israeli control as a transitional move, and was not meant to grant Israel the chance to build and expand its illegal settlements on the expense of the Palestinians, on %60 of the West Bank.
The official further said that when his country agreed on having Israel join the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), it made it clear that this does not mean approving the annexation of the West Bank territory and the constructing settlements.
“I know that your government claims that these areas are disputed territories”, he said, “but International Law identifies the Palestinian territories as occupied”.
As for the war on Iran, he said that his country understands Israel’s deep concerns regarding the “Iranian nuclear agenda”, and approves imposing more sanctions on Tehran, but opposes military actions against the country.
