#BDS: LDFP Press Release: Ethical Principles for Boycotting Israel

Lib Dem Friends of Palestine, a voice for human rights in Palestine, have joined the growing call to the British public and companies to boycott Israeli goods on sale in Britain.

We are deeply concerned at the continuing failure of UK and USA governments to take any measures against Israel. LDFP call on the coalition government and EU to implement economic sanctions against Israel.

Chair of LDFP, John McHugo said,

“We also call for a cultural boycott of Israeli performers and artists, unless such performers and artists have stated clearly and publicly that they oppose Israel’s immoral breaches of international law and have called for an end to the occupation.”

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#BDS: Outcry in Denmark over firm's involvement in occupation

The Danish-British security firm G4S has come under scrutiny after it was revealed last month that it supplies equipment and services to Israel for use at checkpoints and settlements in the occupied West Bank and at Israeli prisons. The company's own promotional material describes how it has provided "security systems" to the Israel Prison Service, which detains thousands of Palestinian political prisoners.

The outcry over G4S's role in the Israeli occupation was reported in the Danish media and was the subject of a presentation at the second international session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine held in London on 20-22 November.

Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Lene Espersen called on G4S "not to carry out activities that might help to sustain illegal settlements," as was reported in Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende on 28 November. Additionally, a group of university students and teachers at the University of Copenhagen and the University of Roskilde are urging their administrations to end the contracts they hold with G4S.



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#BDS: Israeli academic hosted in Riyadh to give lecture

Riyadh, (PIC)-- News reports said that an Israeli academic from Britain is making a visit to Saudi Arabia nowadays to deliver a lecture at King Faisal center for research and Islamic studies at the invitation of prince Turki Al-Faisal, the former director of Saudi intelligence.

The French news agency AFP quoted Israeli professor Avi Shlaim, who entered Saudi Arabia by his British passport, as saying that he discovered during his visit to Riyadh and meeting with Saudi diplomats, businessmen and academics that they are pragmatic and ready to recognize Israel's right to exist if a Palestinian state within 1967 borders were established.

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#BDS: Why I was willing to risk arrest at the AIPAC annual dinner

Though I've been a community organizer for several years, Monday night was the first time I was willing to get arrested for an action. Though unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to finish performing our dance and sharing our message before we got 'escorted' out, I felt we accomplished our mission. As I sat in jail, with the 6 additional activists, for 6 hours Monday night, I had a chance to reflect on why I was willing to risk arrest to disrupt AIPAC's annual dinner in Oakland.

I, as well as the hundreds of protesters present last night, wanted to make a statement that AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, was not welcome here in the Bay Area. We wanted to send a loud and clear message that though (for now) they may be able to get away with their domination and intimidation in DC, proudly boasting on their website that they are “the most important organization affecting America's relationship with Israel”, we were there to say a loud no, to the lobby for war and occupation. We also wanted the elected officials who went, or sent a delegate in their place, to think twice next time they accept an invitation from those who advocate sending our hard earned and desperately needed tax dollars-here in our communities, to Israel....while they hob nob in their fancy suits and dresses, seemingly oblivious to the policies that they represent.

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#BDS: Funding illegal Israeli settlements? Priceless.

Visa, Mastercard and PayPal all enable donations to be made to US-registered groups funding illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank in defiance of international law.

It appears at least one of the major credit cards also enables donations to an extremist Jewish group that has placed a bounty on the lives of Palestinians.

All three have in the last week ceased enabling donations to WikiLeaks. Neither Mastercard nor Visa have explained the basis for their decision to do so. PayPal has backed away from its initial claim that the US State Department told PayPal WikiLeaks had broken the law after the claim was discredited. This is the third occasion on which PayPal has suspended payment services for WikiLeaks.

Israel subsidises over 100 settlements in the West Bank in defiance of international law. Another 100+ are “illegal outposts” even under Israeli law. All benefit from extensive support from the United States, channelled through a range of Jewish and right-wing Christian bodies, all of which have charitable status under US law. The International Crisis Group’s report on settlements in July 2009identified the important role played by US charities. Israeli newspaper Haaretz has investigated the strong support provided via US charities, and Israeli peace groups have also targeted the generous support provided via private donations from the US and Canada.

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#BDS: Bon Jovi to perform in Israel for first time

Singer and philanthropist tells Larry King he was adding Israel as destination for 2011 tour promoting album 'The Cycle.'

Jon Bon Jovi confirmed this week that his band would be performing in Israel as part of their 2011 world tour promoting their new album "The Cycle."

The internationally acclaimed singer, and last year's recipient of the MTV World Icon award, broke the news during an interview on Larry King Live, one of the last shows hosted by the infamous CNN anchor who retired this week.

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#BDS: تل أبيب تشيد برجل أعمال مصري لدعوته الشركات المصرية للتطبيع التجاري مع إسرائيل

أشادت إسرائيل أمس الأثنين بما أسمته ترحيب رجال أعمال مصريين بإقامة علاقات تجارية مع تل أبيب مثنية على دعوة وجهها علاء عرفة  ـ مدير عام شركة " العرفة للإستثمارات والإستشارات " المتخصصة في تصدير الملابس ـ  لشركات مصرية أخرى بعدم الخوف من إقامة علاقات تجارية مع إسرائيل مؤكدا لهم أن تلك العلاقات تساعد في زيادة الصادرات المصرية للولايات المتحدة ، ووصفت الصحيفة العبرية عرفة بأنه صاحب أكبر شركة للتصدير في مصر . 

تجدر الإشارة إلى أن عرفة  قام في مارس 2008 بامتلاك  "مجموعة التجزئة المتخصصة"  Specialty Retail Group  البريطانية والمتخصصة  في بيع الملابس الرجالية، بمبلغ 34 مليون دولار، والتي تعد واحدة من الشركات الرائدة في مجالها من خلال 71 فرعا من فروعها المنتشرة في المملكة المتحدة، 40 منها تقع في شوارع رئيسية، و31 في المراكز التجارية الكبرى ،كما يشرف عرفة على إدارة عدد من الشركات تعمل معظمها في تصنيع الملابس الجاهزة، وصناعة الغزل والنسيج والأقمشة، مثل (الشركة السويسرية للملابس الجاهزة)، و(شركة كونكريت للملابس الجاهزة)، وعدد أخر من الشركات.

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#BDS: Marrickville Council supports BDS

Last night Bethlehem’s sister city in Australia again made history by voting to support theUnified Palestinian Call for Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions. Marrickville is the first municipality in Australia to take this important step to support human rights and international humanitarian law in Palestine.

Residents concerned about Israel’s ongoing violations of human rights sat through four and a half hours of debate on local issues before Council finally reached  Item 11 – Notice of Motion: Supporting the Global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign.

Marrickville Council’s website says “As a community, we stand for what is fair and right. It doesn’t take much for us to come together – whether it is working for a better environment, fighting proposed school closures or simply joining in at a local fundraiser or rally.”

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#BDS: سفيرا مصر والأردن يزرعان الأشجار في غابات إسرائيل المحترقة وليبرمان يشكرهما

السفراء : لابد من "التضامن الإنساني" بين الشعوب والدول في أوقات المحن والمصائب

بعنوان "السفراء يزرعون الأشجار بالكرمل" كشفت القناة السابعة الإسرائيلية "عاروتس شيبع" عن قيام ياسر رضا السفير المصري بإسرائيل وعدد من السفراء الآخرين أمس الأول الأحد بغرس الأشجار في منطقة غابات الكرمل شمال إسرائيل والتي شهدت مؤخراً حرائق هي الأكبر من نوعها أسفرت عن مصرع العشرات.

وقالت القناة الإسرائيلية أن السفراء ومن بينهم رضا لم يكتفوا بتقديم المساعدة لإطفاء الحرائق بل قاموا أمس الأول بزراعة عدد من الأشجار في منطقة الكرمل بديلاً عن الأشجار التي احترقت، مضيفة في تقريرها أنه بعد أقل من أسبوعين من الكارثة التي شهدتها تل أبيب واحترق فيها أكثر من 4 مليون شجرة وصل سفراء الدول  التي ساعدت إسرائيل   لموقعالكارثة و"تفضلوا" بغرس الأشجار في الكرمل. 

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#BDS: STL-PSC Boycott Motorola FlashMob

#BDS: Boycott H&M, France

#BDS: Deep Purple coming to Israel in spring

Legendary rock bank to return to Holy Land in May for two concerts in Caesarea

About two years after its last visit to Israel, legendary rock band Deep Purple will return to the Holy Land on May 14 for a performance at the Caesarea amphitheater. Ynet has learned that the band is likely to hold another concert in Caesarea on May 15.

Deep Purple is currently in the midst of a concert tour in France. Lead singer Ian Gillan said recently that the group was planning to release a new album next year, followed by a concert tour.

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#BDS: Stop AIPAC!: My first protest in the US

On our way back from our honeymoon in Lake Tahoe, As`ad and I passed by Oakland to attend an anti-AIPAC protest. It was my first protest in the US. A day before, we spent some time at a coffee shop in Truckee writing the following slogans:

Here are some photos taken by Daniela Kantorova and myself at the protest.

I don't know if "fun" is the right word to describe the scene: a good number of protesters, very few of whom were Arabs, was gathered across from Marriott Hotel were AIPAC meeting was being held. A while later, the Brass Liberation Orchestra, along with a dancing lady, joined the protest. That’s when the entertainment began: Everybody was moving with the beat. This, you would never see in a protest in Beirut. It seems that protests back home are rather “radical”. I mean, I’m sure I would never hear a “comrade” here calling on protesters to storm the hotel and disrupt the meeting as would have happened in Beirut. Besides that, the type of music that was being played was too “peaceful”, unlike the traditional revolutionary Arabic songs that usually accompany our protests.  

   

Across from us gathered a small crowd with Israeli and American flags to show support for Israel. That alone was a whole new experience to me. Meanwhile, the police arrested seven flashmobs inside the hotel. When we heard the news, we moved towards the entrance of the hotel: That’s when the two crowds got mixed up together. At that point, As`ad and I decided to leave. Being in such a small proximity with Israelis was just too provoking.

   

Farah Rowaysati

#BDS: علم إسرائيل يرفرف في مجمع "السباحة" بدبي

دبي، الإمارات العربية المتحدة (CNN)-- انطلقت الأربعاء في إمارة دبي بدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة، فعاليات بطولة العالم العاشرة للسباحة للأحواض القصيرة 25 متراً، المعروفة باسم "فينا"، بمشاركة ما يقرب من 800 سباح وسباحة من نحو 148 دولة، بينهم خمسة سباحين من إسرائيل.

ورفع السباحون الإسرائيليون، أربعة يشاركون بمنافسات الرجال وسباحة واحدة بمنافسات السيدات، علم بلادهم في حفل افتتاح البطولة، الذي أُقيم صباح الأربعاء، في مجمع "حمدان بن محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم" الرياضي، الذي يتسع لما يزيد على 15 ألف متفرج.

وفي أعقاب حفل الافتتاح، أسفرت أولى منافسات البطولة، بحسب مصادر إعلامية، عن تأهل السباح الإسرائيلي غاي برنياع، للتصفيات النهائية لسباق 100 متر ظهر، بعدما حل في المركز الحادي عشر بالتصفيات التمهيدية.

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