Dec 25, 2010

#BDS: Buying into Occupation and War: The implications of military ties between South America and Israel

Israeli military exports to South America have been on the rise in the recent years. Brazil is gearing up to become the gateway for Israeli military technology and companies. Israel continues to be a top supplier of the Colombian military. Ecuador, while not having extensive military ties with Israel, has recently purchased drone aircraft. Chile, already a buyer of Israeli arms, also has expressed interest in similar drone technology.

It is the goal of this report to analyze these trends, both in light of recent events and also as they relate to the history of Israeli involvement in South America. We will highlight that it is impossible for South America’s democratic governments to reconcile protection of human rights - whether at home or abroad - with military ties and arms trade with Israel. 

Any military ties with Israel support the state’s policies of occupation, apartheid and ethnic cleansing, policies whose sustainability depends on Israeli military capacities and the profits deriving from its military industry, and adversely affect the Palestinians and their struggle. Israel has developed an indigenous military industry that produces much of the equipment used by its military. International buyers help ensure the survival of the Israeli military industry which:



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#BDS: WMG, Motorola, and YouTube: Censoring Palestinian Solidarity Flash Mob Video

Dancing and singing to a parody of Lady Gaga and Beyoncé's "Telephone," more than forty members and friends of the St Louis Palestine Solidarity Committee (STL-PSC) serenaded holiday shoppers at Best Buy and AT&T stores in Brentwood, MO.  They urged patrons to join the boycott of Motorola products because of the company's involvement in Israel's unlawful military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.  (Find out more about Motorola's participation in the occupation.)  A video of the flash mob was posted on YouTube December 13th, quickly going viral, with coverage in media around the world including Israel's Ynet News ("Pro-Palestinian Dance Wows Shoppers," December 18, 2010).  It acquired 35,000 hits in less than a week.

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