#BDS: Israel Divestment Petitions, Press Conference–You can help!

The campaign to divest from Israel has begun! Please join us in changing California’s law by helping us circulate a petition measure that would require the state’s two largest pension funds, PERS and STRS, to divest from companies that contribute to the construction of Israeli settlements or provide military equipment to Israel.

If you can help gather signatures in your area, please email your closest regional/county contact at one of the email addresses below or email us back at this address. We will get you copies of the petition and the petition circulating instructions. If you know someone else who may be interested in gathering signatures, please forward this email to that person. You can also find this and other information about the campaign at our website at: http://israeldivestmentcampaign.org/

#BDS: Folk Music Legend Pete Seeger Urged to Abandon Israeli Event

NEW YORK, September 11, 2010 (WAFA)- Folk music icon Pete Seeger has been urged by over 40 organizations, along with musicians close to him, to cancel his participation in a November internet event organized by the Israeli groups the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and others.

The organizations called on Seeger to support the Palestinian-led movement for a cultural boycott of Israel, modeled on the artists’ boycott that helped end Apartheid in South Africa.

The event, “With Earth and Each Other: A Virtual Rally for a Better Middle East,” is presented as a support effort for Arava, which claims to carry out environmental projects in the Negev desert in Israel. Arava has said and done nothing about the destruction – four times – of the Bedouin village Al-Araqib in the Negev by Israeli forces this summer to make way for a forest to be planted by the Jewish National Fund. The destruction of Al-Araqib is part of a larger Israeli government strategy of dislocating Palestinian Bedouin citizens of Israel, to facilitate the expansion of communities for Israeli Jews.

The Jewish National Fund (JNF), a major partner in the event, promotes Jewish land ownership and settlement on land from which Palestinians have been displaced, according to reports by human rights groups like Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel and Human Rights Watch.

#BDS: Activists to Disrupt Leftist Lecturers

After last week's disruption of a play at the Camari theater, rightwing activists have named their next target for disruption: Lectures given by professors and academics who have advocated boycotting Israel. In a recent meeting, activists drew up lists of academics and said they would attend lectures and point out the anti-Israel positions held by them. Disruption of theatrical performances, especially those featuring those who declared they would not perform at the Ariel Arts Center, would continue.

The activists say they have received a great deal of positive feedback on the protest at the Camari, led by MK Michael Ben-Ari, over the declaration by artists that they would boycott the new Ariel Arts Center.

#BDS: Israel must support human rights

I attended Ali Abunimah’s lecture for peace in Israel/Palestine, and I laud him for his erudite, articulate, impassioned voice of reason.

Olympians have clouded reason with emotion and lost sight of the fact that the boycott of Israel is part of a struggle for universal human rights, not an anti-Israeli or anti-Semitic effort.

Abunimah reminded me that Israel practices its own form of apartheid against non-Jews, just as white South Africans did against non-whites.

Why was it wrong in South Africa and yet right now in the Middle East? We who support peace, justice and universal human rights also support the growing movement for BDS — boycotting, divesting, and sanctioning Israel until Israel actively supports universal human rights. There is nothing controversial about either this movement or supporting human dignity and human rights.

#BDS: Activists Target Hewlett Packard: “Shoppers, don’t support Israeli Apartheid!”

On Labor Day, September 6, 2010, about 40 local activists took part in the growing consumer boycott of Israeli goods with lively “back to school” actions at Best Buy and Office Depot in Emeryville. The actions focused on Hewlett Packard (HP), a multinational corporation based in Palo Alto, whose Enterprise Services “Basel System” technology is utilized by the Israeli state at military checkpoints in the West Bank and Gaza. The checkpoints restrict Palestinian freedom of movement; they keep students from getting to school, prevent workers from reaching their places of employment, restrict farmers’ access to their land, enforce separations between families, and often make it impossible for Palestinians to access necessary medical care.

Activists performed a choreographed dance to Aretha Franklin’s song “Think” – with a rewritten set of lyrics and distributed flyers with the theme “Think Before You Ink”. They interacted with back-to-school shoppers about HP’s “Basel System”, letting HP’s customers know that HP profits from Israeli apartheid with the sale of this technology to Israel. They also said that HP’s ‘socially responsible’ rhetoric will not hide the blood that is on their hands.

#BDS: Los Angeles Launches Nation’s First Israel Divestment Campaign

On April 1, 2010, in a no-holds-barred interview with the Christian Science Monitor, Israeli peacemaker Jonathan Ben Artzi, a PhD candidate at Brown University and nephew to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, made clear his belief that equality and social justice will prevail in Israel when the government and people of the United States adopt a no-tolerance stance toward Israel’s abuse of Palestinians. Ben Artzi, whose family has lived in the region for nine generations, and who’s seen a lifetime of Israel’s abuse of Palestinians, declared:

“Sometimes it takes a good friend to tell you when enough is enough. As they did with South Africa two decades ago, concerned citizens across the US can make a difference by encouraging Washington to get the message to Israel that this cannot continue.”

#BDS: DC Statehood Greens Endorse Israel Boycott

At a monthly membership meeting of the DC Statehood Green Party on Sept 2 the membership unanimously endorsed a BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions for Israel) campaign by human rights activists in Washington, DC.

The Green Party of the United States endorsed a BDS resolution several years ago in protest of the Israeli government’s denial of human rights to Palestinians and the US government’s support (whether Democrats or Republicans control the White House & Congress) for Israel’s illegal occupation, brutal treatment, & displacement of Palestinians, including the settlements and last year’s invasion of Gaza.

Below is some information that was sent to us about the boycott, divestment, sanctions campaign written by Mai Abdul Rahman:

#BDS: Palestinian federation launches campaign against settlement products

RAMALLAH: The Palestinian federation of Laborers on Saturday launched an international campaign to boycott the products of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories.

Shaher Sa'ad, Secretary-General of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), told Arab News that his federation lunched the international campaign to boycott the products of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories.

Sa'ad added that the federation launched the campaign in coordination with the international unions and federations to "end the marketing of settlements products in international markets."

He added that the federation also contacted international peace activists and members of solidarity movements with Palestinian people to "gather as much as support for the initiative."

The official added the initiative came in "response to the crimes Jewish occupiers commit against the Palestinian people."

#BDS: The Silence of the Israeli Intelligentsia

The ongoing buzz in the Israeli media around statements issued by artists and academics against lecturing or performing in the colony of Ariel – built on occupied Palestinian land – betrays a stark contradiction in the positions of the Israeli intelligentsia. While they are now calling for a boycott of settlements, they have remained apathetic or even content regarding the far more significant heavy hand of the military-security-political establishment in society, including in academia and cultural institutions.

Another recent controversy has raged around academic freedom and the autonomy of the university. It was occasioned by attacks by two right-wing organizations, the Institute for Zionist Strategies and Im Tirtzu, on the alleged post-and anti-Zionist bias in social science departments at some Israeli universities.

The connection between the two controversies may not be apparent at first. However, they both demonstrate that the liberal-to-left Israeli intelligentsia’s mindset is fully in line with the reigning orthodoxy that accepts the military as a benign fact of life.

#BDS: British Palestinian rapper conducts a 'musical intifada'

"It's a musical intifada, a musical uprising," says Shadia Mansour squinting in the sunshine outside the hip hop workshop she is running in the West Bank city of Hebron.

From inside, a DJ can be heard cutting out beats on his decks.

Ms Mansour has been dubbed "the first lady of Arabic hip hop", but she is perhaps the only lady of Arabic hip hop.

The 24-year-old British Palestinian rapper grew up in South London, but she is currently on tour in the West Bank.

Ms Mansour is giving concerts in Bethlehem, Hebron and Ramallah but is also working with local young rappers in free flowing jam sessions.

#BDS: Palestine Direct Action Fundraiser at Ratstar

Direct actions in support of Palestine, such as blockades of Ahava or Carmel Agrexco don’t pay for themselves, van hire, D-locks etc all cost cash money. Therefore a network of people who carry out such actions are putting on a fundraiser to pay for future actions. Come on down, with a banging line up and a great social centre to have a party in (the Ratstar comes with 2 rooms of music, a cinema room and even a roof terrace, oh yes), there has never been a funner way to support a great cause.
The day kicks off at 4pm, with workshops on direct action, Palestine related film screenings and a Palestinian cafe. Music kicks off at 8pm.
When: Saturday 11th September 4pm – 4am
How much: free before 8pm, £5 suggested donation afterwards, but pay what you can afford
Transport: 10 mins walk from Oval tube station, well serviced by local bus routes
MUSIC
from banging techno to punk to hip hop to dubstep to drum and bass to accoustic, whatever your into we got you covered.
live bands
Anarchistwood – punk with a very twisted twist
52 Commercial Road – Epic post-rock
The Lightbulb Amnesty – Quirkyness aplenty
Sarah Bear – Acoustic songs on a soulful/political tip
Saul Wright - Psychedelic folk from the man that never really really left the 60’s behind
live hip hop
Cross Bone T – Hard raps and sick beats with a serious message
H.L.I. (thewhatsupreme and Sensei C) – two hip hop veterans collide showcasing new material. Expect heaviness
Deir Yassin – Rising British Palestinian rap star Deir Yassin ain’t afraid to spit the truth about his homeland
EDMC – EDMC AKA Ed Greens brings some politics for your ear
DJs
We Are Dubbist – No intro needed, the legendary DJ/MC dubstep crew bless us with their presence
Random – Bristols finest bringing the Techno/Breaks
DJ Hamza – eclectic mash up to get you dancing
Sammy B-Side – Cambridge’s veteran Hip Hop selector takes a break from his album to spin for us
Krank – Banging, banging Techno
DJ Deadlybuzz – Whomping Dubstep from the Dissident Island radio DJ
Skanksta – Drum and Bass with a Reggae twist

#BDS: Rabbi urges boycott of visits to Israel

A British rabbi says Jews should avoid visiting the Israeli-occupied Palestine territories, since it would contribute to further occupation of the region.

"Jews who realize the human rights deprived of the Palestinians, would not want to visit any place in occupied territories,” British rabbi Yacov Weisz told Press TV on Saturday. 

"They would boycott visiting the Western Wall and Hevron and a few other places and places of worship. Because if I were to go there, I would contribute to the occupation," he said. 

Weisz, who is a member of Rabbis for Palestine, a self-described orthodox Jewish human rights organization based in London, opposes 'Zionism' and calls for a peaceful dismantling of the Israeli regime. 

"If I were to go there [to the occupied territories in Palestine], I would contribute to the occupation," Weisz told Press TV on Saturday.

"A general problem with this regime" is that it "doesn't understand what peace means, [it] doesn't understand what respect and dignity for someone else means at all," he said. 

#BDS: ISRAEL: Actors threaten settlement boycott, lawmaker acts up

Israel is dogged by boycott initiatives from different directions. Academic, commercial and cultural ties are threatened as organizations and individuals protesting Israel's policies turn to boycotting in an attempt to apply practical pressure that will lead to change -- or at least exact a tangible price.

Some direct their efforts against any kind of collaboration with Israel. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions for Palestine movement, or BDS, says academic and cultural cooperation with Israel boosts its international image and that refusing to take part in any exchange can send Israel the message that its "occupation and discrimination against Palestinians in unacceptable."

Other efforts are more selective, boycotting Israeli products and produce originating in the territories, such asAhava. A while back, a campaign to boycott the popular Dead Sea cosmetics was dubbed "stolen beauty" and called on consumers to shun the products made with "stolen Palestinian natural resources." "Sex in the City" actress Kristin Davis, who promoted Ahava products, wasentangled in the controversy, losing her position as anOxfam ambassador.

#BDS: Mira Awad to perform before Clinton, Blair

Israeli Arab singer invited to sing in special ceremony next week in which former British premier will be awarded medal for his efforts for peace in Northern Ireland

Israeli Arab singer Mira Awad has been invited to sing before former US President Bill Clinton and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Florida on Monday as part of a special ceremony in which Blair will be awarded the Liberty Medal for his efforts to promote peace in Northern Ireland.

Awad's musical partner Noa, with whom she performed in 2009's Eurovision Song Contest, was also invited to perform but will not be able to attend.

#BDS: Boycott leadership: solidarity with French activists

The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC), on behalf of its constituent organizations and unions representing the majority of Palestinian civil society, strongly condemns the decision taken by French authorities to prosecute people of conscience for calling for a boycott of Israeli produce. These state-sanctioned forms of repression amount to active support for Israeli violations of international law and have serious implications on political freedoms in France and across Europe.

On 13 September, five members of the group "Boycott 68" will appear in court charged with "incitement to discrimination, hatred or violence" after distributing leaflets asking shoppers to boycott Israeli products ("Halte aux procès politiques contre les défenseurs du droit!" BDS France). Last year, Sakina Arnaud was fined 1000 euros for attaching a "Boycott Israel" sticker to a fruit juice carton. Arnaud will appear in court again on 24 September to appeal the decision. The campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel, called for by Palestinian civil society in 2005, is a nonviolent, just and effective way of pressuring Israel to comply with international law and end its institutionalized discrimination and violence towards Palestinians. People of conscience all over the world, including many progressive Israelis and Jews, engage in BDS campaigns as a form of solidarity with an oppressed people, suffering under Israeli occupation and apartheid. BDS is based on unambiguous respect for international law and universal human rights; as such, it is categorically opposed to all forms of racism and racial discrimination, including Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. The BNC is therefore deeply troubled by state-sanctioned smear campaigns against BDS activists.