#BDS: Apartheid is not Fair Play... Boycott #Adidas!

"Palestinian civil society warmly
welcomes the declaration of the Arab Youth and Sports Council of
Ministers in support of a boycott of Adidas due to its sponsorship of an
Israeli marathon that violates international law and whitewashes Israel’s
illegal occupation of Jerusalem.[1] Particularly praiseworthy is the
consequent decision by the Egypt Football Association to boycott Adidas
despite the financial penalties it will incur as a result of doing so. [2] The
BNC calls for an international boycott of Adidas until such time as it ends
its involvement in the so-called “Jerusalem Marathon” as well as in any
other Israeli events that serve to  whitewash  Israel’s  ethnic cleansing of
the city and violations of international law."

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#BDS: In Defense of UCLA Professor David Shorter and All Scholars Who Support the Academic and Cultural Boycott of #Israel

"In March 2012, Tammi Rossman-Benjamin and Leila Beckwith, the co-founders of an anti-Palestinian organization known as the “Amcha Initiative,” emailed a letter to California politicians and administrators of the University of California that accused UCLA Professor David Shorter of misusing campus resources for “the purpose of promoting the academic and cultural boycott of Israel” to students in his course, “Tribal Worldviews”[1]. That course, which was offered in winter 2012, explores indigenous struggles around the world and the use of global media and arts to mobilize for indigenous rights.  Dr. Shorter’s course site included dozens of links to websites, articles, petitions, and videos, as examples of indigenous and activist campaigns, including a link to the website of the U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI), a campaign which Professor Shorter himself has endorsed along with hundreds of other faculty members from universities across the country [2]."

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#BDS: #Egypt وفد مصري يختتم زيارة لإسرائيل

اختتم وفد دبلوماسي مصري برئاسة محمود الديب مساعد وزير الخارجية لشؤون الأمن اليوم الجمعة زيارة لإسرائيل استغرقت أياما عديدة، وتأتي الزيارة بعد أقل من أسبوع على اتخاذ مصر قرارا بإلغاء اتفاق تصدير الغاز الطبيعي الذي يجمعها مع إسرائيل.

والتقى الديب خلال زيارته عددا من المسؤولين الإسرائيليين حيث بحث معهم مختلف الأمور الأمنية الخاصة بتأمين مقر السفارة المصرية في إسرائيل، إلى جانب بحث ملفات عدة حول العلاقات المصرية الإسرائيلية.

إقرأ\ي المزيد

#BDS: حملة مقاطعة داعمي «إسرائيل»: امتحنْ إنسانيتك يا أزنافور!

شارل أزنافور، الفنّان الفرنسيّ الأرمنيّ الشهير، سيطلق العنانَ لصوته في سماء لبنان، في السادس من تموز، في مهرجانات جونية. أزنافور فنّانٌ له عشّاقُه ومقدّروه الكثيرون، لكنّ ذلك لا يَحْجب تصريحاته "الإنسانيّة ذاتَ المعيار الواحد".

فلقد طلب إلى إسرائيل الاعترافَ بالمجزرة الأرمنيّة الرهيبة، لكنه تجاهل المجازرَ التي ارتكبتها ــ على مدى أكثر من ستة عقود ــ في حقّ الشعبين الفلسطينيّ واللبنانيّ والشعب العربيّ عامّةً. وإذا كان أزنافور لا يهتمّ إلا بأبناء قومه، فقد كان حريّاً به، على الأقلّ، أن يلتفتَ إلى الانتهاكات ضدّ الأرمن في فلسطين المحتلة.

إقرأ\ي المزيد

#BDS: Defend the Boycott Israel 19 #Australia

"Statement read by Jerome Small - one of the Defend the Boycott Israel 19 on May 1st outside the Melbourne Magistrates Court, on the first day of their trial. 


Our first task is to acknowledge that where we are standing right now is stolen land, and that the Wurundjeri people and the Kulin nations have never surrendered this land, nor given up their sovereignty.


Our next task is to acknowledge the colossal, life and death struggle being waged as we speak by Palestinian prisoners inside the jails of Apartheid Israel."


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#BDS: Norwegian Prime Minister's Participation In May Day Event Featuring Anti-Israel Slogans #Norway

"Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who leads Norway's governing Labour Party, spoke at the LO event in Bergen to celebrate International Workers' Day. Among the 11 official slogans for this year's parade were "Israel = Apartheid" and "Boycott Israel!"


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#BDS: الجمعية اللبنانية لدعم قانون مقاطعة اسرائيل دين تطبيع النادي الاجتماعي مع اسرائيل

يهم الجمعية اللبنانية التأكيد على "رفض كل اشكال التطبيع مع العدو الاسرائيلي تحت اي مسمى لان التطبيع يبقى تطبيعا حتى لو ألبس لبوس المساعدات الانسانية والجهود الخيرية"، وتشدد الجمعية على ان "كل من يشارك الاحتلال بأي عمل ولو عُنوِنَ على انه عمل خيري هو شريك بطريقة او بأخرى بالجرائم التي ارتكبها العدو طوال عقود ضد كافة الشعوب العربية وبالاخص في فلسطين ولبنان".

إقرأ\ي المزيد

#BDS: لبنانيّون وإسرائيليّون «معاً لغد أفضل»!

تحت شعار «إنساني» وهدف «رعوي» وغطاء جامعي، قرر «النادي الاجتماعي اللبناني» في جامعة كاليفورنيا أن يحتفل مع «مجلس القيادة الإسرائيلي» من أجل «جمع الأموال لمساعدة الأطفال المحرومين في لبنان وإسرائيل». منظّمو الحفل اللبنانيّون يسألون: «وما المشكلة؟»

لم يحتج الطلاب الجامعيّون اللبنانيّون هذه المرة لأي غطاء أو «وسيط» أو تمويل مشبوه، للاتصال بالإسرائيليين ومشاركة أحد أبرز تنظيماتهم الصهيونية في حدث «احتفالي» مشترك تحت عنوان «إنساني». بعد «الشبكة الجامعية اللبنانية» التي تموّلها «سي آي إيه» وتسهم في تجنيد عملائها، ها هو «النادي الاجتماعي اللبناني» في جامعة كاليفورنيا (وهو عضو في الشبكة اللبنانية) يختار مجلساً إسرائيلياً يدعم الدولة الإسرائيلية والاستيطان ويشجّع على التجنيد في الجيش الإسرائيلي... ليتّحد معه من أجل أعمال خيرية لأطفال لبنان وإسرائيل! فمن هم المتذاكون هذه المرّة؟ وبمَ يحتفلون؟

إقرأ\ي المزيد

#BDS Heeding boycott call, Irish band Dervish pulls out of Israel concerts

The Irish band Dervish announced today that it has pulled out of a series of Irish music concerts in Israel this June, so as not to violate calls for the cultural boycott of Israel.
“At the time we agreed to these performances we were unaware there was a cultural boycott in place. We now feel that we do not wish to break this boycott,” the group said in a statement on its Facebook, adding, “Our decision to withdraw from the concerts reflects our wish to neither endorse nor criticise anyone’s political views in this situation.”
Composer and writer Raymond Deane, hailed the decision, commenting, “I salute you for this courageous and morally correct decision. You will now be subject to massive defamation from Zionists and their fellow-travellers - you should see this as proof that you have made the correct decision, because it will reveal to you the viciousness and mendacity of Israel’s apologists.”
Deane has been a leading Irish campaigner for the cultural boycott of Israel and a signatory along with 150 other Irish artists of an August 2010 pledge to boycott Israel. Since the pledge’s launch, the number of signatories has reached more than 200.  Read more here.

#BDS Apolitical band to boycott Israel

News just in from David Landy in Ireland:

This is good news. Dervish is a decent Irish traditional band from Sligo - although they did a fairly underwhelming  Eurovision entry a few years agohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeoSXqOh6ZY&feature=related   (Not their choice of song though). A much better song, with the great Kate Rusby, is here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8671ZVYrKLw&feature=related)  Anyway, they were scheduled to play Israel, and after people started asking them not to (and really it was a very short campaign), they issued a statement saying they wouldn’t break the boycott.

I’m probably not alone in being disappointed by the statements that are issued by bands that boycott Israel. I want them to say ‘We are not playing Apartheid Israel. Victory to the Palestinian struggle!’ And of course, they usually come out with more milk-and water stuff – we don’t want to aggravate the situation, there are extremists on all sides but maybe in such a tense situation we shouldn’t go etc.

This disappointment was my initial reaction when reading Dervish’s statement from their facebook page below. But thinking more, it’s a good thing that a band says that their decisions are ‘completely non-political’ AND at the same time ‘we do not wish to break the boycott’. It shows how normal the boycott is getting, that breaking it is starting to be seen as a political act – whereas not going to Israel is seen as apolitical – that is, ordinary. Israel is gradually being placed outside the ordinary – another victory for the anti-normalisation campaign.

And well done to Dervish!

‘Dervish wish to announce they will not be taking part in the Irish music concert series in Israel this June.

Our original decision to participate in the concerts was, like all our tours and appearances, completely non-political.

The organiser of the shows is a musician and friend of the band for many years. He has worked to bridge divides between people through music for much of his life. These concerts were organised in this same spirit.

At the time we agreed to these performances we were unaware there was a cultural boycott in place.

We now feel that we do not wish to break this boycott.

Our decision to withdraw from the concerts reflects our wish to neither endorse nor criticise anyone's political views in this situation.

Dervish are a grouping of like musical minds, we are not a political party.

Our motivation as a band has always been and will continue to be our love of music’  Source

#BDS: #UK's largest Co-op boycotts exports from #Israel's West Bank settlements

"The Co-operative Group has become the first major European supermarket group to end trade with companies that export produce from illegal Israeli settlements.

The UK's fifth biggest food retailer and its largest mutual business, the Co-op took the step as an extension of its existing policy which had been not to source produce from illegal settlements that have been built on Palestinian territories in the West bank."

Read more and write the co-op at customer.relations@co-op.co.uk to show your support. 

#BDS Twitter Alert: Tell the Harlem Globetrotters to cancel their trip to #Israel

"Will you tell the Harlem Globetrotters to cancel their trip to Israel?

http://wp.me/p1SPK5-2qQ

We are asking BDS supporters to get the word out and tell the Harlem Globetrotters to cancel their May 1 & 3 games in Israel! See the letter urging them to respect Palestinian rights and not cross the international picket line: http://bit.ly/IkFvat

Tweet the BDS message or post it to their facebook page,http://www.facebook.com/HarlemGlobetrotters or send them a message through their online contact form,  http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/contact."

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#BDS in #Turkey #Boycott #Israel

I have recently moved to Istanbul, Turkey and would like to get in touch with pro-Palestine and BDS supporters/advocates/groups. Kindly contact me at youth.agnst.normalization@gmail.com.


Farah

#BDS: The Eleven that Have the Great Opportunity to Stand for Justice

"These groups/artists who plan to play for the Israeli government-sponsored Tel Aviv White City musician roundup (see http://www.tlv-music.com/en/Artists) all have the amazing opportunity to stand up for justice.  By choosing to refrain from playing in Israel, they can be part of the solution to the problem of racism, inequality, and denial of human rights that Palestinians face daily.  Even if an artists does not agree with the goals of BDS, they can still stand up for justice by refusing to take part in a festival that is being partially paid for by the government of Israel, and that supports injustice.  As the renowned French philosopher and political theorist Jacques Rancière said just last January:

"I accepted the invitation to contribute to the debate on the image, of a research group whose work on photography is closely related to the exposure of violations of the rights of the Palestinian people since the birth of the State of Israel."

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#BDS: Time for Justice: Springsteen, Palestine, and the Boycott

"Four months into 2012, and Bruce Springsteen has not booked a gig in Israel.  Last November, it appeared that negotiations with the legendary Boss were pretty much firmed up.  The Israeli press declared "Now its the Boss:  Bruce Springsteen lines up a concert in Israel," and "Bruce Springsteen to give concert in Tel Aviv" with confident conviction.  Plans were in the making for a June gig in Israel."


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