#BDS: Help judge the International Israeli Apartheid Short Film Contest!

All are invited, by "Stop the Wall" and "ItIsApartheid.org" to participate in online judging of short films about Israeli apartheid. Voting is open from October 28 through December 15, 2010. See the contest's long list of sponsors and endorsers, including the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation.

Contest organizers have selected 10 films (from many outstanding entries) for viewing and voting on the

web site. Please take an hour of your time to watch and score each one. This will determine the winner of the Global Jury Prize. Three other winners will be selected by an expert international panel. In December, winning films will be screened in Ramallah, Palestine, to determine the winner of the Palestinian Popular Jury Prize. The most outstanding film will be announced before the end of 2010, and will receive the Overall Prize for $500.

#BDS: ‘Israeli Occupation Awareness Week’ comes to Brandeis, Boston

Next week at Brandeis University, Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace will be co-hosting Israeli Occupation Awareness Week. From November 8th to November 12th, BSJP and JVP will be bringing an array of exciting speakers, including Professor Noam Chomsky, in order to raise awareness about the Israeli occupation of Palestine. On Monday, Elisha Baskin, an Israeli, and Emily Schick, an American, will discuss their roles as activists against the occupation in Palestine. In addition the film “Slingshot Hip-Hop” will be shown. On Tuesday afternoon, a Palestinian farmer Daoud Nassar will speak in opposition to the growing Israeli settlements in the West Bank. In the evening, Alice Rothchild, from American Jews for a Just Peace, will lead a discussion on the Jewish Community’s role in supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. On Wednesday, Diana Buttu, a former negotiator for the Palestine Liberation Organization, will discuss legal perspectives on the occupation. On Thursday afternoon, we will screen two movies from the Boston Palestine Film Festival, “To Shoot an Elephant,” and “East Side Story.” After this film screening will be the keynote speaker of the week, Professor Noam Chomsky who will discuss the escalating policies of apartheid and his new book, Gaza in Crisis: Reflections on Israel's War Against the Palestinians. Brandeis University, America’s only non-sectarian Jewish University, has long been a hotbed of controversy on matters related to the conflict in Israel-Palestine. In contrast to conventional wisdom, the student body does not fall lock step in line with AIPAC, the ADL, and other un-nuanced approaches to the State of Israel and the Palestinian people. We do not support the increasingly racist policies of the State of Israel towards its own citizens, nor do we support the occupation of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. We are young Jews, Muslims and Christians: Palestinians, Israelis, Americans, Europeans and others. We envision Israel and Palestine as a place of justice, and we hold Israel accountable for its military occupation. Peace can proceed when all Palestinians reclaim their rights to free movement, land water, a home, a fair trial, cultural preservation, national identity and democratic representation. For more information contact: Jon Sussman jsuss@brandeis.edu Liza Behrendt Jewishvoiceforpeace@brandeis.edu Noam Shuster bsjp@brandeis.edu

#BDS: مؤتمر مقاطعة إسرائيل يحظر التعامل مع ست شركات بينها أردنيتان

كشفت مصادر مطلعة لـ«الوطن» أن المؤتمر الـ85 لضباط اتصال المكاتب الإقليمية لمقاطعة إسرائيل قرر حظر التعامل مع ست شركات لثبوت تعاملها مع إسرائيل كما قرر رفع الحظر عن شركة Aerosvit Airlines الأوكرانية بعدما التزمت بمبادئ المقاطعة.

وفي حين نظر المؤتمر في أوضاع أربع شركات وقرر عدم الحاجة لحظرها بعدما تأكد من عدم تعاملها مع إسرائيل، فإنه أجل البت بوضع الشركة الأوكرانيةUkranian International Airlines إلى مؤتمره القادم بعد ستة أشهر لحين استكمال البحث في الوثائق المتعلقة بهذه الشركة قبل إقرار حظرها أو سلامة وضعها.

ولم يعلن المؤتمر الذي اختتم أعماله بدمشق الخميس عن أسماء هذه الشركات كما لم يتطرق إليها في بيانه الختامي بانتظار تصديق مجلس الجامعة العربية لقراراته، إلا أن المصادر كشفت لـ«الوطن» أن الشركات المحظورة هي: الشركة اللوكسمبرغية: Paradiam Geophysical SrL، والشركة الألمانية: Wittur AG، والشركة السويسرية: Syngenta AG، والشركتان الأردنيتان «اليمامة» و«رم الخليج»، و«جمعية أصدقاء الأرض- الشرق الأوسط» التي تُعنى بالحفاظ على البيئة ولها مقرات في تل أبيب وبيت لحم وعمان، وأعضاؤها إسرائيليون وفلسطينيون وأردنيون.

أما الشركات التي اعتبر المؤتمر وضعها سليماً فهي وفق مصادر «الوطن» الشركة الإسبانية Cortefel S. A، والشركة اليابانية Olfa Corporation، والشركة البريطانية Explora Security Ltd، والشركة الفرنسية Sogreah.

#BDS: رفض دعوة توتو لمقاطعة إسرائيل

رفضت أوبرا كيب تاون إلغاء حفلتها في إسرائيل بعد دعوة وجهها إلى الأوبرا كبير أساقفة جنوب أفريقيا الفائز بجائزة نوبل للسلام ديزموند توتو، كما نددت الطائفة اليهودية في البلاد بمواقف رجل الدين الأفريقي.

وذكرت وكالة الأنباء الجنوب أفريقية (سابا) أن أوبرا كيب تاون أعلنت الأربعاء أنها لن تلغي الحفل المقرر الشهر المقبل.

وكان الأسقف توتو قد حث الأوبرا الثلاثاء على إلغاء حفلتها المقررة في إسرائيل، وقال "كما قلنا خلال سياسة التمييز العنصري إنه من غير الملائم أن يؤدي الفنانون الدوليون في جنوب أفريقيا في مجتمع قائم على القوانين العنصرية، سيكون من الخطأ أن تؤدي أوبرا كيب تاون في إسرائيل".

ودعا كبير أساقفة جنوب أفريقيا الفرقة إلى تأجيل حفلتها إلى أن يتمكن محبو الأوبرا من إسرائيليين وفلسطينيين من حضورها بشكل متساو حسب تعبيره.

يأتي ذلك في حين وجهت مجموعة من الإسرائيليين المعارضين لسياسة حكومتهم رسالة إلى الأوبرا حثوها فيها على عدم المشاركة في الحفل.

وفي المقابل انتقد مجلس ممثلي اليهود في جنوب أفريقيا تصريحات توتو وأصدر بيانًا قال فيه "إن السلام والتفاهم يخدمان بالطريقة المثلى من خلال التواصل البنّاء والإيجابي بين إسرائيل وجنوب أفريقيا والأراضي الفلسطينية وليس من خلال المقاطعة".

#BDS: BDS Action: Protest IKEA, which Delivers to Israeli Colonies but not Palestinian Cities in West Bank

You may have heard that this summer, Swedish Radio revealed that the Swedish furniture company IKEA, through its local franchisee in Israel Northern Birch Ltd. makes home deliveries to Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. They refuse to deliver to Palestinian communities nearby.

The settlements are illegal according to international law, and considered illegal also by the EU. Delivering furniture to the settlers means giving legitimacy to the dual system called apartheid by many operated by the Israeli government.

At the same time IKEA takes pride in being considered as one of the frontrunners of CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility. The company has an extensive Code of Conduct, based on the eight core conventions defined in the Fundamental Principles of Rights at Work, ILO declaration June 1998, the Rio Declaration on Sustainable Development 1992, The UN Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development and the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact 2000. IKEA recognises the fundamental principles of Human Rights, as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations 1948).

Swedish renowned professor of international law, Mr. Ove Bring, stated after reviewing the case that IKEA is breaching the spirit of the universal human rights by its delivery policy.

#BDS: Oxfam works in Israel to ‘alter the balance’

Oxfam is to launch a new strategy to improve its image with Israel and British Jews, after concerns about pro-Palestinian bias within the organisation.

The charity has never actively publicised its work with Jewish Israelis. During Operation Cast Lead Oxfam released a statement saying Palestinians had “fewer rights than convicts”.

Oxfam’s director Barbara Stocking, and its regional director for the Middle East, Olga Ghazaryan, have been working with the Movement for Reform Judaism to “rebalance” Oxfam’s portrayal of Israel on its website, and to add perspective to the statements it releases about the country.

Only Gaza, the West Bank and Bedouin projects in the Negev are currently highlighted on the organisation’s website.

The Reform Movement is to work on a joint poverty relief project with Oxfam for both Jews and Palestinians in Israel.

Oxfam’s Middle East media manager, Jennifer Abrahamson, said: “I think there have been many misconceptions about Oxfam’s relationship with Israel.

“We have worked in the country with both Jewish and Arab people and our mission is always only to help those suffering from injustice and poverty.

#BDS: علاء الأسواني يقاضي دار نشر إسرائيلية

القاهرة: بعد قيام مركز إسرائيلي فلسطيني بترجمة روايته "عمارة يعقوبيان" إلى العبرية، أكد الكاتب المصري د.علاء الأسواني أنه سوف يتخذ الإجراء القانونى المناسب من خلال التقدم بدعوى قضائية ضد دار النشر الإسرائيلية.

وبحسب الزميلة فتحية الدخاخني من صحيفة "المصري اليوم" أكد الأسواني إلى أن ما فعلته دار النشر يعد اعتداءً على الملكية الفكرية للمؤلف، ومخالف لكل الاتفاقيات الدولية، التى وقعت عليها إسرائيل.

وبالفعل قام الأسواني بإرسال جميع الأوراق الخاصة بالقضية لمحاميه حسام لطفى، محامى اتحاد الكتاب والناشرين أمس الأول لاتخاذ جميع الإجراءات وفقاً لما ذكره لـ "المصري اليوم"، معرباً عن انتقاده للحملة الهادفة لتشويه صورته ووصفه بأنه عدو للسامية والسلام، وللتجاهل الذي تعرضت له القضية الرئيسية الخاصة بالإعتداء على حقوق الملكية الفكرية له.

ومن جانبه أكد محمد سلماوى رئيس اتحاد الكتاب، إن الاتحاد مستعد للاتصال بوزارة الخارجية، واتحاد الناشرين الدوليين، لتصعيد الأزمة، مشيراً إلى أن إسرائيل اعتادت السطو والقرصنة على الأعمال الأدبية وترجمتها دون إذن مؤلفيها، الذين عادة ما يرفضون التعاون معهم، وبعضهم يتظاهر بعدم معرفته بما يفعله الناشرون الإسرائيليون، ونحن لا يمكننا التدخل دون إذن هؤلاء الكتاب.

يذكر أن المركز الإسرائيلي الفلسطيني للأبحاث والإعلام قد قام بتوزيع نسخة مجانية مترجمة إلى العبرية من رواية "عمارة يعقوبيان" للأسواني على أعضائه، بدون الحصول على تصريح من مؤلفها.

#BDS: Cyprus to Israel by kayak

Israelis paddle 180 nautical miles in first crossing by kayak from Cyprus to Israel. 'Winds of 25 knots, huge swell,' says Terra Santa instructor Kobi Sade

We’re on the high seas, some 100 nautical miles from Israel. The time is 2:30 am. The moon has disappeared over the horizon and the skies are pitch black with heavy clouds. I paddle forward carefully – the sea around me is rough, winds of up to 25 knots and a huge swell are behind me. I can’t see the waves, I just feel them lift the kayak like a matchstick. Sometimes they break beside me, and I am forced to make a support stroke with the paddle to avoid capsizing.

I am not alone. Motti Ben Atiya, my teammate, paddles beside me in his own kayak. I can’t see his face but I can imagine the exhilaration he must be feeling.

#BDS: S. African opera rejects Tutu's call to cancel Israel tour

Cape Town's renowned opera troupe says will not take political position, cut cultural ties with either Israel or PA

Cape Town's renowned opera troupe is rejecting a call from retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu to cancel a performance in Israel scheduled next month.

The opera's managing director Michael Williams said in a statement Wednesday that the opera would not take a political position and cut cultural ties with Israel or the Palestinian territory.

Tutu, who earned a Nobel for his peaceful opposition to apartheid, on Tuesday compared Cape Town Opera's planned visit to international artists performing in apartheid South Africa.

He said Israel is "luring" international artists to the Tel Aviv Opera House to advance its "fallacious claim to being a 'civilized democracy.'"

Tutu has emerged as a sharp critic of Israel. Last month, he backed calls for a South African academic boycott of Israel.

#BDS: Vanessa Paradis, Johnny Depp coming to Israel

French singer who rose to fame at 14 with chart-topper 'Joe le Taxi' signs on to perform in Tel Aviv in February; producers say she and her Hollywood superstar partner hope to meet Shimon Peres during visit

French singer, model and actress Vanessa Paradis, 37, is set to arrive in Israel on February 8 along with Johnny Depp, 47, and the couple's two children, 11-year-old Lily-Rose and eight-year-old John Christopher.

Paradis has signed on to perform at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center's Opera House on February 10. The contract includes an option for another show.

According to sources familiar with the production, the couple hopes to meet President Shimon Peres during their stay in Israel.

Paradis became a child star at 14 with the huge worldwide success of her single "Joe le taxi".

#BDS: Ivri Lider nominated for MTV award

Israeli singer faces competition from other European crooners, after beating Carolina, Hadag Nahash, Sarit Hadad and Infected Mushroom for the honor

After Shiri Maimon and Ninet Tayeb, now it's Ivri Lider's turn to represent Israel at the MTV European music awards in the Best European act category. The event will take place in Madrid on November 7, 2010. Lider won MTV's online vote, beating Carolina, Hadag Nahash, Sarit Hadad and Infected Mushroom for the honor.

The song he has chosen to represent him in the cmetition is 'Jesse' and he will be competing against artists like Enrique Iglesias and Russian singer Dima who won the 2008 Eurovision song contest.

Sources within the music industry claimed on Monday that Lider's nomination fails to comply with the competition rules because Lider's song 'Jesse' was released two years ago, whereas songs requested for the competition should have been released no earlier than 2009.

#BDS: Egyptian author threatens to sue Israeli-Palestinian NGO for translating book without permission

Though no profits were earned as the novel was published for free, the writer is upset because he wanted to boycott the Hebrew language for political reasons.

Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswany is threatening to sue the Israel Palestine Center for Research and Information ‏(IPCRI‏) for translating and publishing his acclaimed novel “The Yacoubian Building” against his will.

IPCRI published a Hebrew translation of the book on its website over the weekend. It said Al Aswany has persistently refused to have his books published in Israel, but the center decided to offer the book to Hebrew readers regardless. The title page says the translation is copyrighted by “IPCRI 2010.”

Al Aswany told reporters over the weekend that IPCRI’s action was a gross violation of his copyright, and that translating and publishing his book without permission was theft. He planned to sue IPCRI, he said.

#BDS: Israeli orchestra to perform at Wagner festival in Germany

Planned performance will challenge a long-standing Israeli taboo on the music of Richard Wagner, Adolf Hitler's favorite composer.

An Israeli orchestra will strike an emotional chord in Germany next year when it plays a work by Richard Wagner, Hitler's favorite composer, further challenging a long-standing taboo in Israel on his music.

Israeli ensembles hardly ever play Wagner, citing the feelings of Holocaust survivors.

But with the passage of time and the dwindling numbers of elderly survivors, vehement opposition in the Jewish state to the works of the anti-Semitic 19th-century composer is fading, Israel Chamber Orchestra (ICO) chairwoman Erela Talmi said.

#BDS: Group calls for boycott of Israeli products

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign is urging a boycott of Israeli products and services - saying Palestine must not be forgotten.

Two members of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla will be holding a public meeting at the Central Hotel on Exchequer Street in Dublin this afternoon at 2pm.

Fintan Lane and Derek Graham were on board different ships intercepted by Israelis while trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The IPSC is also hoping to highlight what it calls the complicity of Veolia, the operators of the Luas in Dublin, with Israel's regime.

A spokesperson for the Irish Anti-War Movement said: "It is vital the murders of peace activists trying to break the siege of Gaza, and most importantly the cruel siege itself are not forgotten and that Israel is held to account for what it is doing to the Palestinian people.

"The easiest and most concrete way, ordinary people can put pressure on Israel and show their solidarity with the Palestinian people is by supporting the campaign of boycott, sanctions and divestment.

"Today we want to make the shops and shoppers in Dublin city aware of the connection between Israeli atrocity and some of the goods stocked in Dublin shops, and appeal to them not to buy these goods or stock them.

"Israel does very significant trade with Ireland. We need to hurt Israel in the pocket if we are to put pressure on them to end their cruel oppression of the Palestinian people."

#BDS: 38 Nobel winners slam academic boycotts against Israel

Laureates: "Academic, cultural boycotts, sanctions are antithetical to principles of academic, scientific freedom," WJC report says.

In an attempt to reverse the trend of boycotts against Israel, 38 Nobel peace prize laureates have signed a declaration condemning international attempts to divest from, sanction or boycott Israeli academic institutions and research centers, according to a World Jewish Congress (WJC) report on Tuesday.

Under the auspices of an initiative by Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) the Nobel prize winners gave special attention to the continued threat of a boycott by South Africa’s University of Johannesburg of Ben-Gurion University in Israel and student divestment efforts in the University of California system.

The WJC report contained a statement by the Nobel prize laureates which read "Academic and cultural boycotts, divestments and sanctions in the academy are antithetical to principles of academic and scientific freedom, antithetical to principles of freedom of expression and inquiry, and may well constitute discrimination by virtue of national origin. Instead of fostering peace, [they] are likely to be counterproductive to the dynamics of reconciliation that lead to peace.”