#BDS: World Social Forum "Free #Palestine": Nov-Dec 2012 #Brazil

Key Facts to join the WSF Free Palestine

From November 28 to December 1 2012 the World Social Forum “Free Palestine” will be held in Porto Alegre (Brazil). This is a historic event that brings together solidarity, human rights and social justice movements and organizations from across the globe to develop and debate ideas, share experiences, network and plan strategies and campaigns to advance solidarity with the struggle for Palestinian liberation.     To see the full call for the WSF Free Palestine, click here.   To see the Palestinian Reference Document for the WSF Free Palestine, click here.    Thematic Axes: The thematic axes are aimed to give orientation to the overall program of the World Social Forum Free Palestine. When submitting your self-organized events, you will be asked to register them in one of these axes contributing to the discussions of one of these themes.   5 Steps to get involved: The WSF Free Palestine is a process of global mobilizing, networking and strategizing and planning of joint action of which the four days event in Porto Alegre is a crucial moment of gathering and implementation. Learn five simple steps to joining this process.    Promote the WSF Free Palestine: Support the mobilizing effort for the WSF Free Palestine by posting alerts for the WSF on your sites and blogs, sending notices on your mailinglists and linking to the WSF Free Palestine website with one of our link buttons.    Frequently Asked Questions

#BDS: الاتحاد العام للعمال يطالب النقابات البرازيلية بتفعيل مقاطعة المنتجات الاسرائيلية

رام الله - الحياة الاقتصادية- طالب الاتحاد العام لعمال فلسطين الاتحادات النقابية البرازيلية بتفعيل مقاطعة المنتجات الاسرائيلية. جاء ذلك خلال لقاء وفد من الأمانة العامة للاتحاد برئاسة الأمين العام حيدر إبراهيم مع رئيس اتحاد المعادن والصناعات الثقيلة البرازيلي الذي يعتبر عضوا في اتحاد CUT البرازيلي وبمشاركة أعضاء سكرتاريا اللجنة الوطنية للمقاطعة عمر البرغوثي وهند عوّاد وبمشاركة نائب الأمين العام محمد العرقاوي حيث قدم الأمين العام حيدر إبراهيم شرحا مفصلا عن أوضاع العمال الفلسطينيين وواقع الحركة النقابية الفلسطينية في ظل أوضاع الإغلاق المفروض من قبل الاحتلال والتي نتج عنها ارتفاع واضح في نسبة البطالة والفقر وانعدام الحماية والأمن الاجتماعي للعمال.
وأشار إبراهيم إلى استخدام إسرائيل لمختلف وسائل البطش والتمييز والظلم ضد العمال الفلسطينيين ومنعهم من الدخول إلى سوق العمل سواء الوطني أو داخل « الخط الأخضر « مما يدمر البنية الحياتية للعمال.
ونوه أمين عام الاتحاد العام لعمال فلسطين بالعلاقات التاريخية مع نقاباتC U T البرازيلي وطالب بتعزيز هذه العلاقة وتمتينها وتعزيز آليات التواصل المشتركة.

إقرأ/ي المزيد

#BDS: Subsidiary of Israeli Elbit Company Wins Contract to Upgrade Brazilian Air Force Jets

"A Brazilian subsidiary of Israel’s Elbit Systems Ltd. has won an $85 million contract to upgrade eleven Brazilian Air Force F-5 fighter-bomber jets, Elbit announced in a press release on 11 April. The contract will be carried out in 2013.

The subsidiary is AEL Sistemas, a Brazilian company that became part of the Elbit Systems Group in 2001. Elbit Systems Ltd. is one of the world's largest defense electronics manufacturers and integrators.

In addition to its numerous international contracts, Elbit Systems also provides both Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and other military technology for Israel’s Occupation forces, as well as security systems for the Separation Wall and settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory."

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#BDS: BNC thanks CUT Brazil for their public statement in “Solidarity with the Palestinian people"

"Dear comrades of the CUT Brazil,

 

As the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee

(BNC), a wide coalition of Palestinian political parties, civil society

organizations, unions and campaigns, we would like to thank the CUT

Brazil for their public statement in “Solidarity with the Palestinian people

and boycott of the policies of the State of Israel”.

 

We know about the historic support of the CUT for the rights of the

Palestinian people to end the occupation and to achieve equality, selfdetermination

and the right of return of the refugees to their homes. We

deeply appreciate that the CUT has now joined the growing number of

trade unions and trade union federations that have endorsed the Palestinian

call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions issued on July 9."

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#BDS: Largest Brazilian Trade Union backs Boycott!

"In an important gain for the global movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, Brazil’s largest Trade Union Confederation (CUT), voiced its support of the BDS call and called for the suspension of Israeli-Brazilian economic agreements and military ties on January 28.

In a statement signed by National President of CUT as well as its General Secretary and International Relations Secretary, the union stated:

“The advancement of the Israeli offensive, symbolized by the construction of the wall of apartheid and the constant bombing of Gaza requires solidarity with the Palestinian People from us all to carry out policies that go beyond humanitarian assistance and can contribute in a relevant way to build peace in Palestine. Thus we urge trade unions, social and popular movements to support the campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions to policies of occupation of Palestinian territory by Israel.” 

According to research done by Stop the Wall, Israeli companies began in 2000 to become a critical part of the Brazilian police and military forces, with Elbit Systems taking the lead. This was primarily in high-tech areas, but also extended to conventional arms. Currently, a number of major Israeli arms companies have their sights set on Brazil as the key market in South America. In its statement, CUT singled out the growing military trade and economic links being built between Brazil and Israel:

“We regret that Brazil is the third largest consumer of arms from Israel through the Plan of National Defense Strategy of the Ministry of Defense of Brazil, and that arms agreements contribute indirectly to the occupation of Palestinian territory. It is therefore necessary that the Brazilian government suspend current agreements and bilateral economic / military negotiations between Brazil and Israel. It is unacceptable that the Free Trade Agreement between MERCOSUR and Israel becomes a reality.” 

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#BDS: Israel ire as Argentina and Brazil recognise Palestine

Israel has reacted angrily to Argentina's recognition of a Palestinian state within 1967 borders.

Monday's move by Argentina comes days after a similar step by South American neighbour Brazil.

The Argentinian foreign ministry said recognition was in line with the Palestinians' right to build an independent state.

More than 100 states around the world recognise Palestine, their mission at the United Nations says.

"The time has come to recognise Palestine as a free and independent state," Foreign Minister Hector Timerman said, adding that Argentina was "frustrated" that peace talks had stalled.

Brazil recognised Palestine on Friday, and Uruguay said it would do the same next year. Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela have already done so.

#BDS: Arab Ambassadors Look into Palestinian Solidarity Activism in Brazil

Brasilia – PNN - On Friday, the Council of Arab Ambassadors arrived in Brazil to look into coordinating Palestinian solidarity activism with their South American counterparts.

The council, which includes 17 ambassadors, began their program with a short commemoration of Yasser Arafat on the sixth anniversary of his death.

Ibrahim al-Zebin, Palestinian ambassador to Brazil, then presented information about the situation of various Palestinian cities and towns, the Israeli settlement policies, and the effects of the blockade on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. He discussed reports of the Damascus meeting between Hamas and Fatah officials and stressed the importance of national unity.

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva visited Palestine in March of this year and said he dreamt of “an independent and free Palestine.” Links have historically been strong between the two.