#BDS: Behind the Boycott: Why South Africa's academic boycott of Ben Gurion University took hold

PACBI:


"On 23 March, the University of Johannesburg in South Africa cut all ties with Ben Gurion University in the Negev in Israel. Salim Vally is a senior researcher at the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation, lecturer at the Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg and the coordinator of the Education Rights Project. While he was in Montreal in May 2011, giving a lecture at McGill University in Montreal entitled Reading Edward Said in South Africa, he spoke with Lillian Boctor regarding the University of Johannesburg’s decision to sever links with Ben Gurion University, the international boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israeli apartheid within the South African context, academic freedom and the role of academics and science in society. Listen to the interview online here."

#BDS: BDS contre l'apartheid et l'occupation de la Palestine

"La création de l'État d'Israël a déclenché une campagne de nettoyage ethnique, et a conduit à la spoliation et à l'expulsion de plus de 750 000 Palestiniens. Encore aujourd'hui, Israël nie aux déplacés le droit de rentrer chez eux et de reprendre leurs biens, au mépris des conventions internationales.

C'est cette impunité et ce déni systématique qui ont été la motivation essentielle de la campagne « Boycott, désinvestissement, sanctions » (BDS), lancée en 2005 par des mouvements populaires palestiniens en lutte contre l’occupation militaire de la Palestine et l’apartheid en Israël. Pour soutenir cette initiative, des syndicats, des instances universitaires, des organisations religieuses, des partis politiques et des mouvements sociaux ont mis de l'avant une multitude de mesures créatives de boycott, partout dans le monde."

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#BDS: Time for BDS

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"Peter Rothberg described in this space last summer, the boycotts, divestment initiatives and economic sanctions that comprise the call for BDS. If anything, the last year has shown that the call is now more urgent than ever and could be effective in helping force an end to the Israeli occupation of Gaza.

While it is no secret that much of the United States' massive aid package to Israel helps finance the country's illegal and inhuman occupation of Palestine, one of the better-kept secrets is the role that many popular American and international corporations play in enabling the occupation. Perhaps we don’t necessarily own a Motorola cell phone or regularly operate a Caterpillar bulldozer—but many of our universities’ endowments or retirement pension funds are actively invested in these companies."

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#BDS: Jerusalemites refuse to receive #Shakira

A local Palestinian organization in an old neighborhood in Jerusalem refused to receive Shakira and her boyfriend Gerard Pique after their visit to Israel. See the article in Arabic.

#BDS NEEDED: The Israeli 'The Jerusalem Quartet' playing in Cheltenham, #England tomorrow

Check the event here

#BDS: Take Action: #US Boat to #Gaza Stopped From Sailing #Flotilla2

"A few hours ago, we found out from activists in our member group U.S. Boat to Gaza that the Greek coast guard has prevented the U.S.-flagged shipThe Audacity of Hope from sailing to the Israeli-occupied and -blockaded Palestinian Gaza Strip as part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla II--"Stay Human."

Currently, the ship is returning to port and we need your help today and throughout this holiday weekend to put pressure on Greece and the United States to allow the U.S. Boat to Gaza to sail and fulfill its mission of delivering thousands of letters of solidarity from the United States to the people of Gaza. "

Here's how you can help

#BDS: النقابات المستقلة تنضم للحملة الدولية لمقاطعة إسرائيل #Egypt

يشارك غدا الجمعة كمال أبو عيطة ممثل إتحاد النقابات المستقلة المصرية الذي تشكل في ميدان التحرير في 30 يناير الماضي خلال الثورة بندوة بلندن مع منسق الحملة الدولية لمقاطعة إسرائيل عمر البرغوثي والناشطة والكاتبة الفلسطينية غادة الكرمي لمناقشة مستقبل الحملة العالمية للمقاطعة وسحب الإستثمارات والعقوبات ضد إسرائيل. 

وفي تصريحات خاصة للدستور الأصلي قال أبو عيطة "إن الاتحاد المصري للنقابات المستقلة اتخذ موقفاً محدداً وهو التضامن مع شعبنا العربي الفلسطيني وحقه في إقامة دولته على كامل التراب الوطني الفلسطيني وحقه في تبني كافة صور المقاومة ضد الكيان الصهيوني والاتحاد المصري يعلن رفضه لكل صور التطبيع مع هذا الكيان التوسعي الاستيطاني ولا يتعامل مع أياً من كياناته الرسمية أوالنقابية باعتبارها جميعاً كيانات تابعة للكيان الصيهوني المحتل لأرضنا حيث لا يمكن التعاون مع النظام العنصري ويجب أن تتكون حركة إنسانية تهدف إلى القضاء على الكيانات العنصرية في العالم لتلحق بنظام الأبارتهيد العنصري في جنوب إفريقيا."

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#BDS: Danish activists demand #UEFA move 2013 under-21 tournament out of #Israel

"Boykot Israel Denmark held a demonstration in Copenhagen on Friday to mark the launch of the Red Card Israeli Apartheid campaign, the day before the final of the 2011 competition was held in the country.

Palestinian sporting figures are calling on UEFA to move the 2013 under-21 tournament out of Israel.  In a letter to UEFA President Michel Platini, football clubs, managers, players and other Palestinian sporting figures based in Gaza urge UEFA not to “reward Israel for its violent repression of Palestinian rights”.

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