5 dec 2019
European Union (EU) countries’ are taking steps towards boycotting the Israeli apartheid system, using its legal, legislative and parliamentary institutions to oppose the occupation, Palestine News Network reported.
The EU condemned the Trump administration’s positions and policies carried out in the Palestinian Territories, occupied by Israel since 1967, especially in Jerusalem regarding the Israeli settlements, and the two-state solution.
Within this context, the EU’s Supreme Court has approved labeling Israeli goods produced in settlements built in the Palestinian territories, and exported to the EU. It should also be noted that the EU always asserts that settlements are “illegal, and are an obstacle for achieving peace.”
At the international level, events and activities highlighted the growing international determination to end the Israeli occupation, condemning its ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people, as well as its denial of their legitimate rights recognized by many UN resolutions.
Within the framework, Harvard Law School students left a conference hall in New York soon after the Israeli Consul, Danny Dayan, started his speech about the legality of the Israeli settlements.
A video was aired showing the students leaving the hall, but the students went on their stand of solidarity outside the hall, holding up banners that read “Israeli settlements are illegal”, and “settlements are war crimes.”
In Canada, scores of students and demonstrators, in solidarity with Palestinian, protested at the York University Campus in Toronto, as it hosted Israeli Occupation Army’s reservist soldiers, who came to talk about their experiences while serving in the Army. They also organized campaign anti-hosting such soldiers, and chanted slogans such as “no for hosting killers,” and “Free Palestine.”
In Switzerland, the Algerian National Deaf Team withdrew from the International Futsal Championship, held in Switzerland vis-a-vis the Israeli Occupation National Team, stressing that Algerians reject normalization of relations with Israel.
In Turkey, former UN rapporteur in Palestine, Richard Falk announced the formation of an international coalition to encounter and dismantle the Israeli apartheid system in the Palestinian Territories, using all possible legal means, including boycott activities.
In the Netherlands, the Dutch government announced in Parliament that it would continue to carry out the European policy of labeling the Israeli settlements’ goods, in line with the Luxemburg Court of Justice’s resolution.
In Sweden, the new Foreign Minister, Anne Linda, said that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is a legitimate movement, and that her country’s government “doesn’t see a similarity between its activities and any other activities of anti-Semitism.” Stating that BDS is a non-violent movement concerned with human rights, democracy, freedom of expression, and ending occupation.
In the US, 107 lawmakers of the democratic members at the US House of Representatives signed a petition calling on Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo to reverse the decision to legalize Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The petition came days after Pompeo’s announcement that his country no longer considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to violate the International Law.
Lawmakers expressed their strong rejection of the State Department’s decision.
Within the same context, 5 EU countries rejected the new American position on Israeli settlements; France, Germany, Britain, Belgium and Poland in a joint statement, made it clear that “every settlement activity is illegal under international law, undermining the possibility of a two-state solution, and the prospect of lasting peace. Thus, we call on Israel to ban all settlement activities.”
Moreover, a recent poll on the BDS movement showed that, most democrats view it as a legitimate movement, with aims to pressure Israel to comply with international resolutions and laws, to stop settlements and end the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Israeli Authorities deported director of Human Rights Watch, Omar Shaker from Israel and the Palestinian territories, claiming that he is pro-BDS and participates in its anti-Israel activities.
In Palestine, the Luxembourg Court of Justice’s resolution to label Israeli settlements’ goods, was considered to be a victory to be added to a series of moral attitudes that support the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, and dismiss the Israeli claims.
In its weekly report, the National Bureau for Defending the Land and Resisting Settlements welcomed the Luxembourg Court of Justice’s resolution on the legality of the labeling Israeli settlements’ goods, which were established in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967.
The Bureau described the resolutions as a long-awaited moral victory, as a result of hard-work and formidable efforts, led by BDS in the EU countries to isolate the Israeli apartheid system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Likewise, the Palestinian National Boycott Committee and BDS’ leadership worldwide welcomed the decision approved by the newly elected Oslo City’s Council led by the Socialist Left Party -SV- and the Labor and Green parties, to ban Israeli settlement goods and services.
The EU condemned the Trump administration’s positions and policies carried out in the Palestinian Territories, occupied by Israel since 1967, especially in Jerusalem regarding the Israeli settlements, and the two-state solution.
Within this context, the EU’s Supreme Court has approved labeling Israeli goods produced in settlements built in the Palestinian territories, and exported to the EU. It should also be noted that the EU always asserts that settlements are “illegal, and are an obstacle for achieving peace.”
At the international level, events and activities highlighted the growing international determination to end the Israeli occupation, condemning its ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people, as well as its denial of their legitimate rights recognized by many UN resolutions.
Within the framework, Harvard Law School students left a conference hall in New York soon after the Israeli Consul, Danny Dayan, started his speech about the legality of the Israeli settlements.
A video was aired showing the students leaving the hall, but the students went on their stand of solidarity outside the hall, holding up banners that read “Israeli settlements are illegal”, and “settlements are war crimes.”
In Canada, scores of students and demonstrators, in solidarity with Palestinian, protested at the York University Campus in Toronto, as it hosted Israeli Occupation Army’s reservist soldiers, who came to talk about their experiences while serving in the Army. They also organized campaign anti-hosting such soldiers, and chanted slogans such as “no for hosting killers,” and “Free Palestine.”
In Switzerland, the Algerian National Deaf Team withdrew from the International Futsal Championship, held in Switzerland vis-a-vis the Israeli Occupation National Team, stressing that Algerians reject normalization of relations with Israel.
In Turkey, former UN rapporteur in Palestine, Richard Falk announced the formation of an international coalition to encounter and dismantle the Israeli apartheid system in the Palestinian Territories, using all possible legal means, including boycott activities.
In the Netherlands, the Dutch government announced in Parliament that it would continue to carry out the European policy of labeling the Israeli settlements’ goods, in line with the Luxemburg Court of Justice’s resolution.
In Sweden, the new Foreign Minister, Anne Linda, said that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is a legitimate movement, and that her country’s government “doesn’t see a similarity between its activities and any other activities of anti-Semitism.” Stating that BDS is a non-violent movement concerned with human rights, democracy, freedom of expression, and ending occupation.
In the US, 107 lawmakers of the democratic members at the US House of Representatives signed a petition calling on Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo to reverse the decision to legalize Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The petition came days after Pompeo’s announcement that his country no longer considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to violate the International Law.
Lawmakers expressed their strong rejection of the State Department’s decision.
Within the same context, 5 EU countries rejected the new American position on Israeli settlements; France, Germany, Britain, Belgium and Poland in a joint statement, made it clear that “every settlement activity is illegal under international law, undermining the possibility of a two-state solution, and the prospect of lasting peace. Thus, we call on Israel to ban all settlement activities.”
Moreover, a recent poll on the BDS movement showed that, most democrats view it as a legitimate movement, with aims to pressure Israel to comply with international resolutions and laws, to stop settlements and end the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Israeli Authorities deported director of Human Rights Watch, Omar Shaker from Israel and the Palestinian territories, claiming that he is pro-BDS and participates in its anti-Israel activities.
In Palestine, the Luxembourg Court of Justice’s resolution to label Israeli settlements’ goods, was considered to be a victory to be added to a series of moral attitudes that support the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, and dismiss the Israeli claims.
In its weekly report, the National Bureau for Defending the Land and Resisting Settlements welcomed the Luxembourg Court of Justice’s resolution on the legality of the labeling Israeli settlements’ goods, which were established in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967.
The Bureau described the resolutions as a long-awaited moral victory, as a result of hard-work and formidable efforts, led by BDS in the EU countries to isolate the Israeli apartheid system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Likewise, the Palestinian National Boycott Committee and BDS’ leadership worldwide welcomed the decision approved by the newly elected Oslo City’s Council led by the Socialist Left Party -SV- and the Labor and Green parties, to ban Israeli settlement goods and services.
10 nov 2019
A coalition of U.S. Jewish organizations sent a letter to the leaders of Israel’s political parties, warning them against full or partial annexation of occupied West Bank, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday.
Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, pledged on September 17, 2019 to annex Jordan Valley, which makes up 30 % of the West Bank area, if he is to be re-elected.
According to liberal advocacy group J Street’s president, Jeremy Ben-Ami, “carrying out unilateral annexations in the West Bank would ultimately destroy Israeli democracy and lead the country down a disastrous path to permanent conflict.”
The letter stated that if the United States president, Donald Trump, and his administration were to endorse the annexation, Israel should not take this as a sign of long-term American policy.
“Simply put, the approach of this president does not represent the long-term interests and likely future policy of the United States,” the U.S. based Jewish groups warned.
In March 2019, the U.S. ignored a decades-long international consensus and recognized Israel’s annexation of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
The coalition stressed that the annexation could harm Israel’s relations with the U.S. Jewish population, because the “vast majority of American Jews support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
Thirteen groups signed the letter, Middle East Monitor reported, including ten members of the Progressive Israel Network – an umbrella coalition that includes J Street and the New Israel Fund.
Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, pledged on September 17, 2019 to annex Jordan Valley, which makes up 30 % of the West Bank area, if he is to be re-elected.
According to liberal advocacy group J Street’s president, Jeremy Ben-Ami, “carrying out unilateral annexations in the West Bank would ultimately destroy Israeli democracy and lead the country down a disastrous path to permanent conflict.”
The letter stated that if the United States president, Donald Trump, and his administration were to endorse the annexation, Israel should not take this as a sign of long-term American policy.
“Simply put, the approach of this president does not represent the long-term interests and likely future policy of the United States,” the U.S. based Jewish groups warned.
In March 2019, the U.S. ignored a decades-long international consensus and recognized Israel’s annexation of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
The coalition stressed that the annexation could harm Israel’s relations with the U.S. Jewish population, because the “vast majority of American Jews support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
Thirteen groups signed the letter, Middle East Monitor reported, including ten members of the Progressive Israel Network – an umbrella coalition that includes J Street and the New Israel Fund.
9 nov 2019
Edmond Sichrovsky with broken glasses and a cut on the lip after he was repeatedly kicked in the face by Israeli riot police while non-violently resisting the demolition of Palestinian homes in Wadi al-Hummus on July 22.
Austrian citizen of Jewish origin Edmond Sichrovsky, who was banned and deported from Israel on suspicion of volunteering in Palestine on Friday, October 25.
International Solidarity Movement, Features, Press Releases
The Austrian national Edmond Sichrovsky arrived at Ben Gurion Airport on October 24, Thursday, 7:45AM from Amman, Jordan. At immigrations and passport control, he was detained by Israeli authorities and questioned by two separate officers.
His luggage was searched and he was forced to hand over his mobile phone to Israeli intelligence officers, who searched his private messages, chats, social media, phone contacts, photo gallery, and browsing history, as well as subjecting him to a body search. He was accused of volunteering in Palestine, which is not prohibited under Israeli law.
Their claim was based on the finding of several missed calls on his phone from unsaved numbers registered in Palestine. Sichrovsky’s interrogator then informed him that he was banned from entering Israel and would be forcibly deported.
Authorities demanded he admit to volunteering in Palestine and sign a document accepting his deportation due to “illegal immigration considerations”, which he refused to sign. After 6 hours in detention, he was released to the airport departure zone. After being forced to wait in the airport for almost 17 hours, he was deported to Amman, Jordan at 00:30 on October 25. Israeli authorities initially told him the deportation flight would be paid for by the Israeli government.
After boarding, Sichrovsky was informed that he had to pay $500 USD for his own deportation flight, which he was forced against his will to board, or face legal action from the airline for unpaid fees.
Sichrovsky had previously volunteered with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), documenting and reporting on human rights abuses by Israeli forces in Occupied Palestine. He was violently assaulted in Wadi al-Hummus by officers from the notorious Israeli riot police unit Yassam while opposing demolitions of Palestinians’ homes. The 22-year-old is the grandson of Harry Sichrovsky, a renowned Austrian Jewish writer and journalist, and nephew of Peter Sichrovsky, two-time European Parliament member and former head of the far right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO).
Sichrovsky said: “Growing up, my grandparents being some of the only ones in their entire family to survive the Holocaust in Austria, ’Never again’ is something I heard a lot and resonate strongly with. To me, ‘Never again’ isn’t just for Jews, it means never again should anyone in the world have to suffer because of their religion, race, or what they were born into.
That’s why I came to volunteer in Palestine. Israel claims to be ‘a homeland for Jewish people around the world’, yet by banning and deporting me and other Jews with differing political opinions, they have shown that Israel is a home for Jews only if they don’t question or speak up about the government’s apartheid policies. My ban and deportation from Israel only confirms what I have seen again and again in Palestine: that the Israeli government will do anything to keep people from seeing its brutal Occupation, ethnic cleansing, and daily violations of Palestinians basic human rights.”
Sichrovsky also called on Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Schallenberg to make a public statement on Israel’s detention and deportation of an Austrian citizen who had not violated any Israeli law. He called the Austrian embassy in Tel Aviv while being held in Ben Gurion airport, but was told that they “could not provide any assistance.”
An ISM spokesperson gave the following statement: “ISM strongly condemns the Israeli government’s banning and deportation of an international volunteer. By forbidding entry to its those with differing political views Israel is acting like the anti-democratic state it really is. Governments whose citizens have been banned must call out Israel on these blatant attempts to hide its crimes from the world. To not do so is to condone Israel’s abuse of human rights and silencing of those who speak about them.”
Note to journalists:
Israel controls all borders and entrance points (land, sea, and air) into Palestine, except a small land border between Gaza and Egypt, meaning virtually anyone intending to enter Palestine must enter through Israeli immigration authorities. Israel routinely bans and deports volunteers, activists, human rights observers, and academics suspected of anti-Occupation views or of activities in anti-Occupation or Palestinian organizations.
Prominent Jews banned from Israel due to their political views include CODEPINK co-founder Ariel Gold, and American-Jewish academics Normal Finkelstein and Noam Chomsky.
In 2017, Israel passed a law permitting foreign nationals to be banned from Israel for calling for the boycott of Israel or Israeli illegal settlements. There is, however, no law prohibiting volunteering in Palestine or association with legal organizations active in Palestine.
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the long-entrenched and systematic oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian population, using non-violent, direct-action methods and principles.
Jews banned from Israel for political reasons:
Ariel Gold: https://mondoweiss.net/2018/07/deports-activist-supporting/
Noam Chomsky: https://www.haaretz.com/1.5121279
Norman Finkelstein: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/may/26/israelandthepalestinians.usa
Others banned from Israel for political reasons in 2019:
British activist Garry Spedding: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-denying-entry-to-left-wing-british-activist-for-second-time-since-2014-1.6844179
US Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-usa-ban/israel-will-not-let-u-s-congresswomen-visit-deputy-foreign-minister-idUSKCN1V51
For more details contact Edmond Sichrovsky at
Phone: +20 0127 983 4929
Email: edmond.sichrovsky@gmail.com
Or contact ISM at:
Phone: +44 7757 616902
Email: palreports@gmail.com
Austrian citizen of Jewish origin Edmond Sichrovsky, who was banned and deported from Israel on suspicion of volunteering in Palestine on Friday, October 25.
International Solidarity Movement, Features, Press Releases
- An Austrian citizen of Jewish origin and grandson of Holocaust survivors was banned from entering Israel on suspicion of volunteering in Palestine. After being interrogated, searched, and held for 6 hours at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, Edmond Sichrovsky, 23, was forcibly deported to Amman, Jordan.
- It is not prohibited by Israeli law to volunteer in Palestine.
- ISM calls on the governments of deported international volunteers to condemn the actions of the Israeli Occupation and apartheid regime.
The Austrian national Edmond Sichrovsky arrived at Ben Gurion Airport on October 24, Thursday, 7:45AM from Amman, Jordan. At immigrations and passport control, he was detained by Israeli authorities and questioned by two separate officers.
His luggage was searched and he was forced to hand over his mobile phone to Israeli intelligence officers, who searched his private messages, chats, social media, phone contacts, photo gallery, and browsing history, as well as subjecting him to a body search. He was accused of volunteering in Palestine, which is not prohibited under Israeli law.
Their claim was based on the finding of several missed calls on his phone from unsaved numbers registered in Palestine. Sichrovsky’s interrogator then informed him that he was banned from entering Israel and would be forcibly deported.
Authorities demanded he admit to volunteering in Palestine and sign a document accepting his deportation due to “illegal immigration considerations”, which he refused to sign. After 6 hours in detention, he was released to the airport departure zone. After being forced to wait in the airport for almost 17 hours, he was deported to Amman, Jordan at 00:30 on October 25. Israeli authorities initially told him the deportation flight would be paid for by the Israeli government.
After boarding, Sichrovsky was informed that he had to pay $500 USD for his own deportation flight, which he was forced against his will to board, or face legal action from the airline for unpaid fees.
Sichrovsky had previously volunteered with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), documenting and reporting on human rights abuses by Israeli forces in Occupied Palestine. He was violently assaulted in Wadi al-Hummus by officers from the notorious Israeli riot police unit Yassam while opposing demolitions of Palestinians’ homes. The 22-year-old is the grandson of Harry Sichrovsky, a renowned Austrian Jewish writer and journalist, and nephew of Peter Sichrovsky, two-time European Parliament member and former head of the far right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO).
Sichrovsky said: “Growing up, my grandparents being some of the only ones in their entire family to survive the Holocaust in Austria, ’Never again’ is something I heard a lot and resonate strongly with. To me, ‘Never again’ isn’t just for Jews, it means never again should anyone in the world have to suffer because of their religion, race, or what they were born into.
That’s why I came to volunteer in Palestine. Israel claims to be ‘a homeland for Jewish people around the world’, yet by banning and deporting me and other Jews with differing political opinions, they have shown that Israel is a home for Jews only if they don’t question or speak up about the government’s apartheid policies. My ban and deportation from Israel only confirms what I have seen again and again in Palestine: that the Israeli government will do anything to keep people from seeing its brutal Occupation, ethnic cleansing, and daily violations of Palestinians basic human rights.”
Sichrovsky also called on Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Schallenberg to make a public statement on Israel’s detention and deportation of an Austrian citizen who had not violated any Israeli law. He called the Austrian embassy in Tel Aviv while being held in Ben Gurion airport, but was told that they “could not provide any assistance.”
An ISM spokesperson gave the following statement: “ISM strongly condemns the Israeli government’s banning and deportation of an international volunteer. By forbidding entry to its those with differing political views Israel is acting like the anti-democratic state it really is. Governments whose citizens have been banned must call out Israel on these blatant attempts to hide its crimes from the world. To not do so is to condone Israel’s abuse of human rights and silencing of those who speak about them.”
Note to journalists:
Israel controls all borders and entrance points (land, sea, and air) into Palestine, except a small land border between Gaza and Egypt, meaning virtually anyone intending to enter Palestine must enter through Israeli immigration authorities. Israel routinely bans and deports volunteers, activists, human rights observers, and academics suspected of anti-Occupation views or of activities in anti-Occupation or Palestinian organizations.
Prominent Jews banned from Israel due to their political views include CODEPINK co-founder Ariel Gold, and American-Jewish academics Normal Finkelstein and Noam Chomsky.
In 2017, Israel passed a law permitting foreign nationals to be banned from Israel for calling for the boycott of Israel or Israeli illegal settlements. There is, however, no law prohibiting volunteering in Palestine or association with legal organizations active in Palestine.
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the long-entrenched and systematic oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian population, using non-violent, direct-action methods and principles.
Jews banned from Israel for political reasons:
Ariel Gold: https://mondoweiss.net/2018/07/deports-activist-supporting/
Noam Chomsky: https://www.haaretz.com/1.5121279
Norman Finkelstein: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/may/26/israelandthepalestinians.usa
Others banned from Israel for political reasons in 2019:
British activist Garry Spedding: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-denying-entry-to-left-wing-british-activist-for-second-time-since-2014-1.6844179
US Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-usa-ban/israel-will-not-let-u-s-congresswomen-visit-deputy-foreign-minister-idUSKCN1V51
For more details contact Edmond Sichrovsky at
Phone: +20 0127 983 4929
Email: edmond.sichrovsky@gmail.com
Or contact ISM at:
Phone: +44 7757 616902
Email: palreports@gmail.com
