#BDS: Boycott Farmville

How many of you out there play the Facebook game Farmville?

Here's news. If you are a supporter of BDS (the Palestinian Global Call to boycott, divest and sanction Israel) you should boycott this game as well.

I got the info when I stumbled upon THIS article, "Farmville Could Cash in on Branded Crops"

Then, searching................

Next week, FarmVille players will have the ability to grow peanuts, thanks to ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi and an Israeli candy brand.We’re told this is the first time a FarmVille crop has been directly linked to a brand. Saatchi Interactive in Tel Aviv is working on a rollout campaign for Elite Taami Nutz, a peanut-filled variant of a popular Israeli chocolate bar.

So what else is Saatchi and Saachi up to these days?

"When the word 'Israel' is said outside its borders, we want it to invoke not fighting or soldiers, but a place that is desirable to visit and invest in, a place that preserves democratic ideals while struggling to exist," said Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, during a September 2006 meeting with "public relations executives, branding specialists and diplomats" in Tel Aviv. Livni "recently put the image initiative on the government's agenda and will soon develop a budget for the program," according to the Israeli Consulate in New York's media and public affairs consul. "A staffer with the London-based global ad firm Saatchi and Saatchi is already working with the Israelis free of charge on the re-branding effort," the Washington Times reported.

Read more about "Brand Israel" HERE

#BDS: Lieberman urges Europe embassies to use 'allies' in PR efforts

New advocacy campaign to begin early next year, will make extensive use of professional advocacy and public relations experts by Israeli embassies in Europe.

The Foreign Minister is planning to initiate a new public relations campaign in a number of European capitals early next year. The campaign, which will make extensive use of professional advocacy and public relations experts by Israeli embassies in Europe, aims to also use as many as a thousand people in each country, who will be willing to volunteer to spread Israel's message.

#BDS: French firm Veolia drops out of rail project

Veolia responds to pressure from pro-Palestinian groups, partner Dan says, but company spokesman denies charge, says decision based on financial considerations alone

Pressure from pro-Palestinian groups has forced a French multinational to drop out of a light rail project that cuts into disputed east Jerusalem, a would-be Israeli partner in the project said Sunday.

France's Veolia disputed the assertion, which would bolster an international campaign to boycott companies supporting Israel's occupation of the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Palestinians claim both areas for part of their future state.

#BDS: Dublin Food Co-Op passes Israeli boycott motion

Last night at a Special General Meeting, members of the Dublin Food Co-Op voted overwhelmingly to boycott Israeli goods. This was the third attempt over the last 2 years to bring in a boycott of Israeli goods. Previous attempts failed to reach consensus or when put to a vote failed to reach the required 75%. Last night the mood was clearly in favour with a final tally of 50 for to about 6 against.

The Dublin Food Co-Op has The Rochdale Co-operative Principles (1844/1995) as its guiding principles which are 'based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others'.

It has been clear for some time that a coop based on these principles could not continue to sit on the fence while Israel continued its unabated assault on the Palestinian people and ignored the many calls by the world community to stop.

While the Dublin Food Co-Op itself has an unwritten 'policy' not to stock or sell Israeli produce, some of the fruit and vegetable producer/sellers have sold Israeli produce much to the disquiet of many members. Until recently inadequate labeling of products meant that members may not have known they were purchasing Israeli produce unless they specifically asked. Two years ago two thirds of the members voted for a boycott however it failed to reach three quarter vote required.

#BDS: سلمان ناطور يقاطع مؤتمر الأدباء الدولي بحيفا: لن أشارك في احتفالية سلام مزيف يدعمها ليبرمان

أعلن الأديب سلمان ناطور عن رفضه المشاركة في مؤتمر الأدباء الدولي الذي يعقد في مدينة حيفا بين الأول والرابع من شهر كانون الأولى المقبل في اطار احتفالات "عيد الأعياد" والذي تنظمه مدينة حيفا بالتعاون مع منظمة القلم الدولية "بن" والسفارة الفرنسية وبدعم وزارة الثقافة الاسرائيلية بقيادة ليمور ليفنات ووزارة الخارجية بقيادة أفيغدور ليبرمان ودعي اليه كتاب من دول أوروبية وكتاب عرب من المغرب والجزائر ومصر والعراق (كما نشر عن أصولهم في بيانات المنظمين الصحفية) ويبدو انهم  يعيشون في أوروبا وليس في اوطانهم.

وكان الأديب ناطور بعث برسالة إلى منظمي المؤتمر حال تلقيه الدعوة في شهر آب الماضي يعلن فيها مقاطعته لهذا المؤتمر وقد جاء فيها:

"لن أشارك في المؤتمر. فبعد أن اطلعت على وثائقه يبدو لي انه سيكون احتفالية بتعايش مزيف وسلام مزيف على خلفية   مظاهر العنصرية والفاشية التي تستشري في المجتمع الاسرائيلي ضد الفلسطينيين وضد الديمقراطية بشكل عام وعلى خلفية صمت الكتاب اليهود ومنظمة القلم الدولية.

 ان المشاركة العربية ما هي الا ورقة التين  للتغطية على حدث يشارك في تمويله وزارة الخارجية برئاسة افيغدور ليبرمان.

#BDS: Presbyterian Mission Network Joins BDS, Calls for Boycotts, Supports Kairos

CHICAGO—In response to a call to action from the Christians of the Holy Land, The Israel/Palestine Mission Network (IPMN) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) [PC(USA)] voted at its annual meeting to join the international boycott of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).

The first targeted products for the boycott are Ahava Cosmetics, King Solomon Dates, and Jordan River Dates, imported into the United States from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

The network also voted to identify companies profiting from the illegal military occupation, initiate dialogue with them and expand the boycott list if needed, at a later date. This action would include companies doing business in the OPT or contributing to the building of infrastructure of illegal settlements.

Carol Hylkema, Moderator of IPMN from Detroit Presbytery said, "Our grassroots network has reached a tipping point and we find we must respond to the call of Christians in the Middle East who through The Amman Call asked for 'No more words without deeds.'" In addition to calling for boycott, as a mission network of the PC(USA), the IPMN will sponsor an initiative that will seek to make its position that of the entire denomination when their General Assembly meets in 2012.

In June 2008, the General Assembly of the PC(USA) voted to endorse The Amman Call and its "commitment to imperatives of ecumenical solidarity in action for Just Peace."

Similarly, at its General Assembly in 2010, the denomination voted to receive for study, a confession from the Christians of the Holy Land known as Kairos Palestine: A Moment of Truth.

#BDS: Thousands write to BT about complicity in occupation

Two weeks after the launch of Disconnect Now, thousands of people have emailed BT asking for an end to the company’s complicity in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. As BT ignores the human rights implications of their relationship with Bezeq International, activists are calling for people to phone BT and tell them to disconnect now. 

A Just Peace for Palestine, along with campaign coalition members War on Want, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, and Palestine Solidarity Campaign, are yet to receive any formal response from BT to their letter calling for a meeting to discuss our concerns. 

Members of the public who contacted BT via email have received a standard reply that while failing to address the main issue of the settlements and human rights, mentions that Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel has an arrangement with Bezeq.1 But in an official statement, Paltel have explained that “the Palestinian telecommunications sector is a captive sector in its own market and is forced into having operational relationships with Bezeq and other Israeli operators”.2

With BT refusing to address campaigners’ serious concerns, we are calling for people to phone BT over the next week.

* To call BT’s headquarters dial 020 7356 5000

* If you are a BT shareholder you can complain by calling 0808 100 4141

* If you are a BT customer dial 152 from your BT landline

#BDS: Princeton students: Boycott Sabra hummus

Palestinian group wants Israeli product removed from campus stores because it serves 'occupation'

Hummus feeding the 'occupation'? Next week students at New Jersey's Princeton University will be called upon to prevent Sabra-brand hummus from being sold at restaurants and stores on campus.

A number of Palestinian students, joined by a Chilean Jew, decided to campaign against the tasty snack on the grounds that it serves "the occupation".

#BDS: Should hip-hop boycott Israel? | XXL

Snoop Dogg’s down. Are you?

I heard the news yesterday that David Banner is headed over to Iraq to perform for the troops, and I thought to myself, Really? But I thought David Banner was the one rapper who went to college.
The idea of artists going over to the Middle East to perform had been on my mind this week already, because earlier this week I read Artie Lange’s Too Fat Too Fish, part of which discusses his trip to Afghanistan to perform for the troops, and because I’ve been reading up^[1] on the BDS movement against Israel – BDS standing for boycott, divestment, and sanctions.
A couple of weeks ago, when I discussed, both here and on my own site, what Israel just did to Gaza, as well as my “beef” with Peter Rosenberg over the fact (notice my use of the term fact here) that his father is a member of the Israel Lobby, I was surprised to realize the sheer level of solidarity with the Palestinian cause in the hip-hop community, and I think the BDS movement against Israel coud very well be one of the defining causes of our time, not unlike the movement to end apartheid in South Africa back in the 1980s.
I’ll have to expand on this at a later date, once I’ve had the time to conduct the sufficient research, including how we can go about being active in this movement. For example, which, if any of these “hip-hop” clothing lines should we not be supporting? I’ve got a few ideas, and I think you know which ones I’m talking about, but I don’t want to fly off half-cocked. Nullus. Plus, I’m thinking this might be the kind of movement I might have to conduct primarily on my own site. Which is not to suggest that anyone at XXL is in favor of apartheid. (Calm down, guys!) I’m just saying.
One thing I will point out is that I was surprised to read, in my preliminary research into this matter, that I’m actually a little bit behind the curve on this movement, as far as the hip-hop community is concerned. Which was actually nice to know, despite the fact that it was somewhat of a blow to my oh, so fragile ego, in that it goes to show, like I was saying, the widespread support for this movement in hip-hop.
I remember reading, a while back, that Snoop Dogg canceled a show he agreed to play in Israel, and at the time, because I’m still traumatized by the events of 9/11, thinking he might have been afraid that, if he did play the show, some angry Palestinians might show up and throw rocks at him. But now that I think about it, I realize I might have been mistaken. Why would angry Palestinians be allowed to attend a Snoop Dogg show in Israel in the first place? You know how ridonkulous the security apparatus is over in Israel.

#BDS: Sabra Hummus: the real expiration dates

I have obtained the real (not the advertised) expiration dates for Sabra Hummus sold in your stores.  For all those Sabra Hummus containers, the real expiration date is in fact January 1983.  Make sure you note that.  And for your own health: boycott Sabra Hummus.

#BDS: اتحاد الكتّاب والأدباء يطالب بمقاطعة مؤتمر 'كلمات خارج الحدود' في حيفا

رام الله 25-11-2010 وفا- طالب الاتحاد العام للكتاب والأدباء الفلسطينيين، بمقاطعة مؤتمر كلمات خارج الحدود (Words Beyond Borders)، والمحدّد عقده في مدينة حيفا داخل أراضي 1948 بين الأول والرابع من شهر كانون الأول/ ديسمبر المقبل.

وقال الاتحاد في بيان صحفي اليوم الخميس، إن بلدية حيفا تسعى لعقد المؤتمر، ويحضر له كتّاب إسرائيليون وكتّاب من عدد من دول العالم ومن العالم العربي ومن أراضي العام 1948، ويتضمن الجدول مواضيع مثل لغة الكتابة، والأدب في مواجهة التحديات في زماننا: البيئة والسلام، وزيارات لوادي النسناس، وحفلات كوكتيل، ولقاءات ومواضيع حول حرية التعبير وقراءات شعرية، وحقوق الإنسان والسلام. ويقف وراء الدعوات بلوما فنكلستاين من جامعة حيفا، شاعر الفرنسية، الحاصل على جائزة الرئيس الإسرائيلي للغات الأجنبية العام 2002.

وأضاف أنه يرفع الصوت عالياً لمقاطعة هذا المؤتمر الذي يأتي في سياق تهويد القدس واستباحتها وحصار شعبنا وما يمارسه الاحتلال على بلادنا من عصف وموت ودمار، مطالبا الكتّاب والشعراء العرب والمبدعين من فلسطينيي 1948 الذين وُجهت لهم دعوة للمشاركة، بمقاطعة المؤتمر وعدم المشاركة في أية نشاطات مماثلة يهدف من خلالها المثقف الإسرائيلي إلى تزوير الحقائق وتشويهها، متسائلا: أية حرية للكتابة وحرية شعبنا مسلوبة منذ مائة عام.. والاحتلال يطلق سعاره على جسد البلاد والعباد'.

#BDS: دعوة بالنرويج لمقاطعة إسرائيل

وجهت عشرات الشخصيات النرويجية البارزة دعوة لمقاطعة ثقافية وأكاديمية لإسرائيل، معتبرين أن تلك المؤسسات الثقافية تلعب دورا أساسيا في الاحتلال، وقد أدانت إسرائيل هذه الدعوة واعتبرت أنها بمنزلة دعوة لمقاطعة عملية السلام.

 

فقد وقعت مائة شخصية نرويجية على رأسهم مدرب الفريق الوطني لكرة القدم على وثيقة تطالب بمقاطعة ثقافية وأكاديمية لإسرائيل، واعتبروا أن المؤسسات الثقافية الإسرائيلية تلعب دورا أساسيا في الاحتلال وشبهوه بنظام الفصل العنصري الذي كان قائما في جنوب أفريقيا.

 

وفور صدور دعوة المقاطعة تلك أصدرت إسرائيل على لسان داني أيالون نائب وزير الخارجية إدانته للمقاطعة، ونقلت صحيفة جيروزالم بوست عنه قوله إن دعوة المقاطعة هي بمنزلة دعوة لمقاطعة عملية السلام من خلال دعم الموقف الفلسطيني تلقائيا ودفعهم بعيدا عن طاولة المفاوضات.

 

ودعا أيالون الحكومة النرويجية إلى إدانة المطالبة بالمقاطعة، مما حدا برئيس الحكومة النرويجي السابق كجيل ماين بونديفيك إلى طمأنة إسرائيل بأن تلك المقاطعة لا تمثل سياسة الحكومة الحالية.

#BDS: The Only Peace that Israel Wants is the Last Piece of Palestine

#BDS: Palestine, American Wars and Islamophobia in America: Bay Area Teach-In

#BDS: Idan Raichel live in UK

Israel's modern musical diversity embarks on whistlestop tour, inviting local musicians to get in touch and join show

Idan Raichel is a household name in Israel and also a known and respected musician worldwide. This young and charismatic bandleader burst onto the world music scene back in 2002, opening up Israel's cultural identity to a wider international audience and providing a window into the young, tolerant, multi-ethnic Israeli society.

Following on from the release of his first album in Israel, Raichel has grown to become one of his country’s biggest musical breakthroughs of the past decade.