"Israeli army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Avi Benayahu recently returned from a trip to China where he met with his Chinese counterparts and other officials. The goal was to deepen Sino-Israeli ties on political, security and military levels. This is only the latest in a burgeoning security relationship between Israel and China that includes drone technology, crowd control training, surveillance, intelligence gathering and more. This raises the question of how China's official support for Palestinian self-determination will coincide with its ongoing procurement of the tools of Palestinian pacification. Similarly, how does it threaten the rights of Uighurs, Tibetans, and others under the control of the Chinese state by bringing Israel's apparatuses of occupation and apartheid?
China, in recent years, has faced growing rebellions in Tibet, East Turkestan, and most prominently in the ongoing labor unrest focused in China's south where strikes and protests are occurring at an unprecedented rate. Despite attempts at controlling what information comes and goes, the Chinese government has learned that complete suppression is impossible. Its political relationships with Uighurs, Tibetans and especially workers are different than that of Israel to Palestinians. Tibetans and Uighurs have certain protected statuses and rights both as minorities and as Chinese citizens, and the state, since 2008, has been supportive to a degree of improving workplace conditions and reducing the income gap in favor of the protesting working class."
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Jan 8, 2011
#BDS: Activists push for ‘BDS’ in Boston
"Dozens of American, Israeli and Palestinian protesters gathered Friday in front of the Israeli consulate in Boston to mark the death of Jawaher Abu Rahmah. Jawaher was killed by American made tear gas fired by the IDF on New Years Eve during a weekly unarmed demonstration in the West Bank village of Bil’in.
The Boston demonstrators marched through the snow and frigid cold weather demanding an end to US military aid to Israel. The demonstration is a natural extension of the one held in front of the US ambassador home in a northern Tel Aviv suburb last Saturday night. Israeli activists ‘returned’ empty tear gas canisters to the ambassador. Twelve people were arrested and jailed for three days."
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#BDS: StandWithUs to place ads at BART stations saying ‘Stop Palestinian terrorism, teach peace’
I cannot believe that these ads have been approved while those marking the 2nd anniversary of the war on Gaza haven't!
"The pro-Israel national organization StandWithUs announced Jan. 6 that it is launching a new ad campaign, placing posters in six BART stations.
The posters have received BART approval and will go up in the Berkeley, 12th Street/Oakland, MacArthur, Civic Center, Balboa Park and Embarcadero BART stations starting Jan. 17, a StandWitUs spokesperson said.
Dubbed "Say Yes to Peace," the campaign has been launched, organizers said, to counter a recent poster campaign co-sponsored by Jewish Voice for Peace, a group often critical of the government and military of Israel. Those posters, still on display at three BART stations (according to the StandWithUs release), depicted Palestinian and Israel fathers with their young children, along with the headings "Be on our side: We are on the side of peace and justice" and "End U.S. military aid to Israel."
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#BDS: Tell Combined Systems Inc. to Stop Providing Tear Gas that Israel Uses to Kill and Maim Protesters
On January 1, 2011, 36-year-old Palestinian Jawaher Abu Rahmah from the West Bank village of Bil’in died at a hospital from the effects of tear gas inhalation suffered at a protest the previous day against 
Israel’s construction of a wall and settlements on Bil’in’s land. Jawaher is only the most recent protester killed or seriously injured by tear gas fired by the Israeli military. For example, Jawaher’s brother Bassem, was killed almost two years ago, and two US citizens, Tristan Anderson and Emily Henochowicz were injured in 2009-2010.
Israel’s construction of a wall and settlements on Bil’in’s land. Jawaher is only the most recent protester killed or seriously injured by tear gas fired by the Israeli military. For example, Jawaher’s brother Bassem, was killed almost two years ago, and two US citizens, Tristan Anderson and Emily Henochowicz were injured in 2009-2010.Much of Israel’s tear gas is provided by the US company Combined Systems Inc. (CSI) located in Jamestown, Pennsylvania. The letters CSI, or CTS, a CSI brand name, are marked on many of tear gas canisters that litter Palestinian villages after they protest. The Israeli military is using CSI’s tear gas as a weapon as it tries to crush the growing movement of unarmed protest against Israel’s illegal confiscation of Palestinian land for Israeli settlements. Even more disturbing, you as a US taxpayer are paying for at least some of the tear gas that Israel is shooting at Palestinian, Israeli and international protesters. For example, in 2007 and 2008, the US State Department provided $1.85 million worth of "tear gasses and riot control agents" to Israel as part of the US's $3 billion in annual military aid to Israel.
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#BDS: 'It's not politics – it's just business'
Bashar Masri's plan to purchase Israeli real estate firm plagued by debt is rocking the business sector, right-wing elements. This may be the first time a Palestinian takes over an Israeli public company - Digal Investments & Holdings, which is building luxury apartments for Jews in east Jerusalem. Proposed deal emerges as micro-cosmos of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but Masri insists: 'It's just business'
RAMALLAH - Bashar Masri is trying to to calm the panic. "I'm not interested in Israeli real estate or any Israeli company, not in Tel Aviv and not in Netanya," he stresses, "but in a residential project in Jabel Mukaber, a Palestinian neighborhood in east Jerusalem. I'm not a politician but a national Palestinian businessman who knows his work, and if my business serves my people – I feel better."
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#BDS: La Fédération télécoms du syndicat SUD proteste contre la collaboration entre France-Télécom/Orange et Islam
La Fédération télécoms du syndicat SUD proteste, dans un communiqué, contre la honteuse collaboration entretenue par le groupe France-Télécom/Orange avec l’occupation des territoires israéliens par Israël. Lire ci-dessous le communiqué du syndicat.
SUD-PTT Fédération syndicale des activités postales et de télécommunications 25/27 rue des Envierges 75020 Paris www.sudptt.org sudptt@sudptt.fr
Les entreprises de communication cellulaire israéliennes sont commercialement impliquées dans l’occupation de la Cisjordanie et du Golan. Elles construisent des infrastructures, entretiennent des biens et équipements dans les colonies israéliennes illégales, la plupart étant érigés sur des propriétés privées palestiniennes. Ces entreprises fournissent des services à l’armée israélienne et à tous les colons israéliens.
Elles utilisent le contrôle israélien sur les territoires palestiniens afin d’exploiter les fréquences palestiniennes et imposer leurs services sur le marché captif palestinien.
Aujourd’hui de nombreuses filiales de France-Télécom travaillent aussi avec des sociétés informatiques israéliennes.
Continuer à lire
#BDS: Security firm G4S confirms involvement in Israel's occupation
The Danish-British security firm G4S recently confirmed in a letter its involvement in the Israeli occupation and violations of international law --reported on last month by The Electronic Intifada.
After the publication of The Electronic Intifada's report on 15 December 2010, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre asked G4S to respond to the investigation as well as a 28 November 2010 article published by Press TV ("'Firm sold torture instruments'").
Within a week G4S replied, confirming that it had withdrawn from contracts providing security officers to residential settlements in the West Bank in 2002. "However, we continue to serve major commercial customers, for instance supermarket chains, whose operations include the West Bank," the company stated (the letter can be downloaded from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre's website).
G4S claims in its letter that the commercial clients in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank serve the general public. The company wrote that contracts include the provision of security officers to protect the premises of "commercial clients who serve the general public" in the occupied West Bank. However, G4S fails to address that Israeli settlements serve an exclusively Jewish population and are built illegally on occupied Palestinian land.
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After the publication of The Electronic Intifada's report on 15 December 2010, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre asked G4S to respond to the investigation as well as a 28 November 2010 article published by Press TV ("'Firm sold torture instruments'").
Within a week G4S replied, confirming that it had withdrawn from contracts providing security officers to residential settlements in the West Bank in 2002. "However, we continue to serve major commercial customers, for instance supermarket chains, whose operations include the West Bank," the company stated (the letter can be downloaded from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre's website).
G4S claims in its letter that the commercial clients in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank serve the general public. The company wrote that contracts include the provision of security officers to protect the premises of "commercial clients who serve the general public" in the occupied West Bank. However, G4S fails to address that Israeli settlements serve an exclusively Jewish population and are built illegally on occupied Palestinian land.
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Jan 7, 2011
#BDS: Peer’s non-appearance a win for BDS campaign in New Zealand
The failure of Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer to appear at the ASB tennis classic in Auckland this week is a significant victory for the BDS (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions) campaign against apartheid Israel.
Despite being the subject of protest in 2009 and 2010 Peer was adamant she would to return to Auckland. She told media last year she was keen to come back. We expected her to enter the tournament at the last minute to avoid early publicity and controversy.
However it seems she was unwilling to face further protests in New Zealand which could have led to greater pressure for her expulsion from other tournaments. Following protests in Auckland in 2009 Peer was banned from a Dubai tournament a short time later. Further high-profile protests here would have increased this pressure.
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#BDS: Open Letter to Jon Bon Jovi: This one should go out to the Palestinians!*
"It is with great disappointment that the undersigned organizations learned of your scheduled performance in Israel set for 2011 as part of your “Circle Tour” [1]. Given that Israel is involved in grave violations of international law and human rights, particularly as indicated in the UN Goldstone Report, we urge you to cancel this gig until the time comes when Israel is in compliance with its obligations under international law and fully respects Palestinian rights.
We were particularly surprised by news of your planned performance given your deep involvement in affordable housing and homelessness issues [2]. As part of its ongoing dispossession of the Palestinian people, Israel continues to demolish Palestinian homes and entire villages, including the Bedouin village of Al-Araqib, which was destroyed seven times this year [3]. Indeed, the entire modern history of the Palestinian people is based on dispossession and homelessness as more than 750,000 people were made refugees to enable the creation of the state of Israel, then kept in permanent refugee status despite the requirements in international law that they be allowed to return to their homes. In your commitment to effect change you have understood that your position as a respected and prominent musician can weigh on politics and contribute to advancing freedom, justice and human rights. It is in this spirit that we address you."
Don’t be Complicit in Entertaining Apartheid
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#BDS: Saturday, March 19, 2011: Day of Action to Resist the War Machine!
March 19 is the 8th anniversary of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Iraq today remains occupied by 50,000 U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of foreign mercenaries.
The war in Afghanistan is raging. The U.S. is invading and bombing Pakistan. The U.S. is financing endless atrocities against the people of Palestine, relentlessly threatening Iran and bringing Korea to the brink of a new war.
While the United States will spend $1 trillion for war, occupation and weapons in 2011, 30 million people in the United States remain unemployed or severely underemployed, and cuts in education, housing and healthcare are imposing a huge toll on the people.
Actions of civil resistance are spreading.
On Dec. 16, 2010, a veterans-led civil resistance at the White House played an important role in bringing the anti-war movement from protest to resistance. Enduring hours of heavy snow, 131 veterans and other anti-war activists lined the White House fence and were arrested. Some of those arrested will be going to trial, which will be scheduled soon in Washington, D.C.
Saturday, March 19, 2011, the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, will be an international day of action against the war machine.
Protest and resistance actions will take place in cities and towns across the United States. Scores of organizations are coming together. Demonstrations are scheduled for San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and more.
The first organizing meeting for the SF March 19 march and rally will be on Sunday, Jan. 16 at 2pm at the Local 2 union hall, 209 Golden Gate Ave.
In Los Angeles, the March 19 rally and march will gather at 12 noon at Hollywood and Vine.
#BDS: Rally for Gaza on Tuesday 18 January 2011, 7pm, Conway Hall, Holborn, London.
"On the second anniversary of the end of Operation Cast Lead activists will gather for a rally to discuss campaigning activities to break the siege on Gaza.
Initial speakers include: Sir Gerald Kaufman MP; Dr. Ghada Karmi; Jody McIntyre; Rev Garth Hewitt, Amos Trust; Sarah Colborne, PSC, and will be chaired by Hugh Lanning, Deputy General Secretary of PCS and Chair of PSC. More speakers will be announced over the next few days – check the PSC website for details!"
Jan 6, 2011
#BDS: احذروا التطبيع: موزاييك... يا «سلام»!
"لا ضير في إعادة التأكيد أنّ المشروع الاستعماري الاستيطاني للكيان الصهيوني في المشرق العربي لا يكتمل بالهيمنة العسكرية والسياسية والاقتصادية. إن الهدف الأعلى لهذا المشروع هو تحوله من كيان غير شرعي وغير مقبول إلى كيان «طبيعي» ومقبول شعبياً. ولعل الخطورة تتضاعف إذا قُدِّم هذا الخطاب عبر العمل الإبداعي الذي يحفر عادةً في الوجدان العام للناس، ويشكّل خلفياتهم وأساساتهم الثقافية. هذا بالضبط ما يفعله مشروع «موزاييك» الذي أسّسه الأردني جميل سرّاج والإسرائيلية لي زيف ويتألّف من موسيقيين من الأردن
، وفلسطين، و«إسرائيل»، ولبنان. بعد تسجيلين، قدّمت الفرقة ورشة عام 2009 بعنوان «الموسيقى كأداة للتصالح والتواصل غير العنيف» لمشاركين من العراق، ولبنان، و«إسرائيل»، والأردن، وفلسطين، والجزائر، ومصر، والمغرب و... دبي!"
إقرأ/ي المزيد
#BDS: انخفاض صادرات إسرائيل إلى الأردن
"أظهرت أرقام وزارة الزراعة الأردنية أن استيراد الخضروات والفواكه من إسرائيل انخفض بشكل كبير خلال العام 2010، فيما حذر وزير الداخلية سعد هايل سرور من انه ستتم ملاحقة «مثيري الشغب» في معان أمس الأول غداة مقتل ثلاثة عمال على أيدي مجهولين.
وبحسب الأرقام، التي نشرتها صحيفة «الغد»، فقد «انخفضت المستوردات الأردنية من الخضار والفواكه الآتية من إسرائيل خلال العام الماضي بنسبة كبيرة، حيث استوردت 793 طنا من الخضار والفواكه، مقارنة بـ2768 طنا العام قبل الماضي». وتشير هذه الأرقام إلى انخفاض كبير في حجم الصادرات الإسرائيلية إلى الأردن، عما كانت عليه خلال الأعوام الماضية، حيث بلغ حجم واردات الأردن من الخضار والفواكه من إسرائيل 4300 طن في العام 2008، و11 ألف طن في العام 2007.
وبلغ حجم الصادرات الأردنية إلى إسرائيل من الخضار والفواكه خلال العام الماضي 5224 طنا، بلغت حصة الخضار منها 1701 طن، فيما بلغت حصة الفواكه 3523 طنا. ومن أبرز الصادرات الأردنية إلى إسرائيل الزيتون، حيث بلغ حجم صادراته 3462 طنا، فيما بلغ حجم صادرات التمر 61 طنا فقط خلال العام الماضي.
وكانت وزارة الزراعة الأردنية ألزمت العام الماضي التجار الأردنيين المتعاملين مع إسرائيل وضع علامة «منتج إسرائيلي» على المحاصيل الزراعية الإسرائيلية. وتدعو النقابات المهنية الأردنية الـ14 إلى مقاطعة المنتجات الإسرائيلية وخصوصا الفواكه والخضار. "
إقرأ/ي المزيد
#BDS: Bill being Drafted to Bar International Peace Activists from Entering Israel
Knesset Member Yariv Levin, of the right-wing Likud party, together with the pro-settlement group The Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, are currently working on an “anti-subversive” bill aimed at anarchists and supporters of the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).
If approved the law would allow Israel’s Interior Ministry to bar international activists from entering Israel. The law would apply restrictions to anyone who acts against Israel, denies the Holocaust, works to boycott Israel and/or attempts to place Israeli leaders on international trial for what they did in the line of duty, reported Arutz Sheva.
“The suggested legislation would apply to anyone who incites against the country, carries out verbal or physical attacks, organizes hostile activities or tries to interfere with foreign diplomatic and trade relations,” the news daily reported.
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