#BDS Duty Free America is responsible for half of Netanyahu's donations

Owners of Duty Free America, a large chain of duty-free shops that operates in 13 airports, pledged half of NIS 330,000 Netanyahu raised.

...The most prominent name among the prime minister's donors is that of the Falics, a well-known family that owns Duty Free Americas, a large chain of duty-free shops that operates in 13 airports and along the United States' northern and southern borders. At one point, the family also owned the Christian Lacroix fashion house.  More here. 

#BDS Activists call for British musician to boycott Israel

Dear James Blake,

We are a group of Israeli citizens who support the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. We oppose our government's policies of ethnic cleansing, occupation and apartheid, we strongly believe that international pressure is essential in bringing these crimes to an end and creating an equal and just society in this region. We are, therefore, asking you to cancel your planned show in Tel Aviv on January the 27th.

The state of Israel denies Palestinians their rights and their freedom. To note but a few examples, Palestinians living in the West Bank suffer limitations on their freedom of movement and in many cases are denied the right to access their agricultural land. When they try to protest against the Israeli policies, they face brutal treatment. Their relatives in the Gaza Strip (56% of whom are children) live under an ongoing siege placing strict limitations on their access to food, clean water, medical supplies and construction materials. This state of barbarism takes place only an hour away from your scheduled performance. In the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, 40 minutes away from the scheduled venue, kids are regularly being abducted from their beds in the dead of night and taken into violent police interrogations with no access to their parents or a lawyer.

The call for BDS was issued and signed by over 170 civil society organizations, representing all sectors of the Palestinian people: exiled refugees, those under a harsh military occupation, and those who remained in what later became the State of Israel. This non-violent initiative was inspired by a similar campaign of the indigenous people of South Africa against the former case of apartheid back there. Unlike its predecessor, however, the Palestinian BDS movement does not target Israeli individuals. It chooses instead to focus on public events that promote a facade of normalcy as well as targeting complicit institutions.
By performing in Israel, you will be lending your voice to the promotion and legitimization of a brutal military occupation as well as the siege of Gaza, a regime based on ethnic-supremacy and systematic discrimination, and the continued expulsion of Palestinian refugees. Many artists and public figures are now publicly supporting the cultural boycott of Israel which is backed by almost the entire community of Palestinian cultural workers. Notable amongst those who chose to speak in support of BDS are Roger Waters, David R. Randall, Maxi Jazz of Faithless, Elvis Costello, filmmakers Ken Loach and Mike Leigh, prominent activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu and many more. Others, who have already preformed here, declared that they shall not do so again and even expressed their regret for their choice to perform here. Macy Gray stated that: "I had a reality check and I stated that I definitely would not have played there if I had known even the little that I know now."

In the past month, many fans and activists have addressed you on this matter and many comments have been made on your Facebookand Twitter accounts. These fans wrote many comments, which you have refrained from addressing and your representatives have chosen to delete or ignore. Sending a green light to apartheid is a stain that will not be erased by hitting the delete button. Dear James, the picket line has been clearly marked and we now ask you to decide: Which side are you on?

Please stand by the oppressed and refuse to play in apartheid Israel, until it complies with international law and respects the three fundamental rights of the Palestinians - equality, freedom and return.  Original source here. 

#Solidarity Massive march organized in Jakarta in support of the Aqsa

JAKARTA, (PIC)-- Tens of thousands took part in a massive rally in front of the UN office in Jakarta in support of the Aqsa mosque and in rejection of the Israeli Judaization of the holy city of Jerusalem. Palestinian MP Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Jamal, who is on a visit to Indonesia which started a few days ago, delivered a speech at the rally warning of a “ferocious Zionist” campaign to Judaize occupied Jerusalem. He underlined that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) was expanding its excavations under the holy Aqsa mosque, changing landmarks and names, and demolishing and confiscating land and property at a rapid, daily pace. Jamal said that the IOA was trying to empty the holy city of its indigenous people topped by their leaders, citing the banishment of Jerusalemite MPs Mohammed Abu Tir and Ahmed Attoun. The MP urged the Arabs, Muslims, and the Indonesian people to act in support of the Palestine cause and to swiftly intervene to defend occupied Jerusalem in face of the Judaization campaign.  Original source. 

#BDS Protest rallies waiting for Netanyahu in the Netherlands

AMSTERDAM, (PIC)-- Palestinian activists in the Netherlands called for protest rallies against the visit of Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu to Amsterdam. The Palestine home in Holland on Monday invited protestors to gather in front of the Dutch parliament next Thursday morning.  It said in a statement that demonstrating against the visit “is the least we can do against this criminal”, and against crimes committed by Israeli leaders against the Palestinian people. It urged participants to hoist Palestinian flags and placards denouncing the visit and occupation in addition to bringing “old shoes”.  Original source. 

#BDS Lebanese activists want Lara Fabian concert ban after pro-Israel gig

The Lebanese government is under pressure to ban a prominent Belgian singer from appearing in Lebanon after footage emerged of her performing at an event to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel.

Lara Fabian, a Belgian-Italian classical singer who has sold over 15 million records worldwide, is due to perform two concerts at Casino du Liban in Jounieh on the 14th and 15th of February, with tickets costing between US$200 and US$500.

YouTube videos have emerged showing the singer performing at a concert in France in 2008 to celebrate the creation of Israel in 1948.

In the concert, directed by her fiance Gerard Pulliccino, Fabian sang in Hebrew in front of images of various Israeli leaders, settlements and other iconography.

After her song finished she reportedly shouted: “I love you Israel” to the crowd. She has also performed in Israel on a number of occasions and attended pro-Zionist meetings.  Read more here.