May 26, 2011

#BDS: Scotland: Glasgow districts boycott Israeli books

"Several districts in southwest Scotland expands boycott on Israeli products, bar stores from carrying English translations of Israeli books.



LONDON – Scottish citizens might not be able to purchase English translations of Israeli pieces such as "A tale of love and darkness" by Amos Oz and "Someone to run with" by David Grossman, due to a boycott on Israeli books.

Two and a half years ago, shortly after Operation Cast Lead, the West Dunbartonshire Regional Council, located west of Glasgow, approved a bill that called to boycott goods produced in Israel."



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#BDS Works: Israeli Businessmen Plan Peace Initiative to Head off BDS, “South Africanization” of Israel

"The Hebrew online news site Calcalist reports that some of Israel’s most senior and powerful businessmen conducted a meeting last week to begin promotion of the “Israel Initiates” peace initiative in order to head off the growing international movement of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel.
“We are quickly turning into South Africa” noted Idan Ofer to the Israeli paper Calcalist, a prominent Israeli player in international ventures and future technologies. “The economic damage in the wake of boycott and sanctions will be felt by every family in Israel. The top percentiles, members of the middle class and first and foremost the distressed classes,” he added.
Together with Yaakov Peri, the former head of Israel’s General Security Services (GSS) and Dani Gilerman, the former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Ofer initiated the meeting of some 80 of Israel’s most prominent businessmen."
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#BDS: Jordanian Student Group Calls for Protest at Hashemite Univ over Normalization with Israel

"The Islamist Current Student movement at the Hashemite University on Tuesday called for a demonstration in front of the university President's office on Thursday afternoon in protest against what they called 'the policy of normalization with the Zionist entity being pursued by the university'.

In a statement issued Tuesday morning, the students demanded that the Zarqa-based university abandon its normalization and cooperation program with Ben Gurion University in Israel."

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#BDS: UK students boycott Israel


"The University of London Union (ULU) has voted 10-1 to institute and campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against the Israeli regime and in support of Palestine.

The motion clinched on Wednesday, May 18 called for “thorough research into ULU investments and contracts” with companies guilty of “violating Palestinian human rights” as set out by the Palestinian Boycott National Committee (BNC).

“We have precedents for boycotting campaigns at ULU, especially with South Africa and the boycott campaign over Barclays bank that supported the Apartheid regime. We are now responding to the Palestinian call for civil action in support of their fight against racism”, said Ashok Kumar, Senate member for LSE, speaking in favour of the motion."

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#BDS: بعد إلغاء معرض «وورلد برس فوتو» مطلوب الاعتذار إلى الشعب اللبناني


التفاعلات مستمرّة بعد إغلاق المعرض الفوتوغرافي الذي استضافته «أسواق بيروت»، وشاركت في تنظيمه «جامعة اللويزة»، وضم أعمالاً لمصوّر إسرائيلي
سماح إدريس
...إذاً سحبتْ «وورلد برس فوتو» الهولنديّة معرضاً بأكمله من «أسواق بيروت» لأنها رفضتْ قرارَ الأمن العامّ اللبنانيّ سحب صور مصوّر إسرائيليّ من ذلك المعرض بذريعة رفضها لـ«الرقابة». جاء ذلك بعد حملة ناجحةٍ قام بها مناهضون للتطبيع ووسائل إعلاميّة وطنية («الأخبار 20 ثمّ 23 أيار/ مايو 2011).
إنه انتصار جديد لحملة مقاطعة إسرائيل، وبرسالة مؤدّاها: لا يمكن أن تُعتبر إسرائيلُ أمراً طبيعياً في أيّ محفل ثقافيّ في لبنان. لكنّ قلّةً من اللبنانيين تنبّهتْ إلى وجوب إلحاق الخزي والعار بمن يسمّى «منظّمي» المعرض اللبنانيين، أيْ «سوليدير» و«جامعة سيّدة اللويزة»، و«أسواق بيروت». هؤلاء صمتوا صمتَ القبور إزاء قرار «وورلد برس فوتو» سحْبَ صور المعرض بأكمله (لا صورِ الإسرائيليّ وحده)، كأنّهم محضُ مشغّلين محليّين ــــ وهم كذلك فعلاً ولا يستحقون لقب «وكلاء محليين»: لم ينبسوا ببنت شفة، لا حين جاءت الصورُ إلى «أسواق بيروت» ولا حين سُحبتْ. هؤلاء المشغّلون مجرّدُ سوق للعرض... سوى أنّ السوقَ أفضلُ حالاً منهم لأنها تأخذ عادة رغباتِ الجمهور المحلّي في الاعتبار، فيما المشغّلون اللبنانيون هنا لا يراعون إلا مشاعرَ الجمهور الغربيّ المتحضّر الذي يأنف أن تُمسّ إسرائيلُ بأدنى خدش!
ماذا قالت «وورلد برس فوتو» بقرارها سحبَ المهرجان بأكمله كرمى لعينيْ إسرائيل؟ قالت بالحرف الواحد: لبنان هو البلدُ المنبوذ لا إسرائيل، ولبنان لا إسرائيل من يستحقّ العقابَ بالإقصاء من جنّة الصورة الفوتوغرافيّة.

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#BDS: BDS victories: Dexia bank to sell Israeli subsidiary; Veolia loses another contract

"Just six weeks after French-Belgian bank Dexia gave notice that it was looking for a buyer for its Israeli subsidiary company, the Israeli business news website Globes reported on 15 May that the bank will sell off its 65 percent stake in Dexia-Israel (established in 2001) “by the end of the summer,” even as the parent company faces a loss with its sale. 
This news comes as a victory to the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. For two years, BDS activists in Belgium and the Netherlands — along with solidarity groups in France, Turkey and and Luxembourg — sustained a campaign against Dexia after it was revealed that the bank provided long-term loans to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Who Profits, a project of the Coalition of Women for Peace,publicized Dexia’s role in financing the Israeli settlement industry. "
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#BDS: Ahava promotional campaign on Twitter jammed with BDS messaging

"The Stolen Beauty campaign focusing on a boycott of Ahava cosmetics, which are illegally manufactured in the occupied West Bank using Palestinian natural resources, has launched a culture jamming initiative currently underway on Twitter:

This Wednesday, May 11 and Thursday, May 12, Birchbox.com is sponsoring an Ahava Twitter contest. They are calling on people to Tweet skincare question with the hashtag #AHAVAreborn. People who Tweet using that hashtag – part of Ahava’s REBRANDING campaign –will be entered into the contest and given a chance to win $300 worth of Mineral Magical Skincare. (See details below by clicking on the link.)
AHAVA Twitter Contest! Win $300 Worth of Mineral Magical Skincare"
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#BDS: Deep Purple: Only 'wimps' cancel concerts in #Israel

"Ahead of their third Israeli tour, English rock band Deep Purple took a stand against other musicians who cancel their concerts in Israel due to politics, saying artists should not take sides in political conflicts, with drummer Ian Paice calling these musicians "real wimps."



The band spoke at a press conference Wednesday ahead of two concerts they are due to perform in Caesarea on Saturday and Sunday. This visit is Deep Purple's third Israeli tour. The last time they visited was in 2008, when they played four concerts to full crowds of cheering fans."
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#BDS; Pizzarotti should follow in Deutsche Bahn’s footsteps

"Italian construction firm Pizzarotti is stupefied, bewildered, stunned.

In an article on today's Corriere della Sera, Italy's top newspaper, covering Deutsche Bahn's withdrawal from the Israeli project for a high-speed train line that cuts through the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Michele Pizzarotti said "We are astonished to find ourselves involved in these protests."
Pizzarotti, through a joint venture with Israeli Shapir Engineering, has been contracted to build tunnels in section C of the planned A1 train route from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv; section C starts in the Latrun enclave and ends at Cedars Valley, both in the occupied West Bank."
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#BDS: Flash Mobs Help Palestinian Protest Groups Gather Support


"Two days before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) held their policy conference at Capitol Hill, an accordion player and a group of protestors put on a flash mob performance of a remixed version of the Hebrew wedding song “Hava Nagilis” inside Union Station. Protesters urged that “justice is dying, AIPAC is lying, lies we’re not buying” while dancing to original choreography. Although only a handful of bemused commuters saw the initial performance, a video of the protesters received over 10,000 before the conference began."

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May 19, 2011

#BDS: ACTION ALERT: Meeting to discuss action against Israeli artist's participates in a photo exposition in Beirut.

The meeting is on Thursday May 19 at 7:00 pm at Drabzine Cafe, Hamra.

#BDS: ACTION ALERT: Israeli Artist Participates in a Photo Exposition in Beirut!

This is an action alert call to anti-Zionist BDS activists in Lebanon to protest the participation of the Israeli artist Amit Sha'al in the World Press Photo 11 taking place in Beirut DownTown Old Souks.


Israeli photographer Amit Sha'al was born in 1974 and works as staff photographer on the daily business newspaper Calcalist. He also works as an independent photographer on long and short term documentary projects. Sha'al's photographs have been featured in major magazines and newspapers in Israel. His awards include a Series of the Year in Israel's premier press-photo contest, Local Testimony. Sha'al has had solo exhibitions in Israel and Ireland and has participated in numerous group exhibitions. He is based in Tel Aviv.

May 9, 2011

#BDS: #Egypt: A one-million man march to expel the Israeli ambassador مصر: تظاهرة مليونية لطرد السفير الإسرائيلي

(...)

في هذا الوقـت، نقــلت تقارير إخبــارية مــصرية عن وزير الخارجية نبيل العربي القول إن لقاء جمــعه مؤخرا مع السفــير الإسرائيــلي في مقــر وزارة الخارجيــة بناء علي طـلب الأخير، من دون الإفــصاح عن تفاصيل اللقــاء. وذكرت صحــيفة «روز اليوســف» أن هذا اللقــاء يتـزامن مع ما كشــفته مصادر دبلوماســية عربيــة عن استدعــاء حكومة تل أبيب للسفير المصري لديها مرتــين خلال الايــام العشرة الأخيرة».
يأتي ذلك في الوقت الذي هدد فيه أعضاء اللجنة التنسيقية للانتفاضة الفلسطينية الثالثة في القاهرة بطرد السفير الإسرائيلي يوم الجمعة المقبل خلال «تظاهرة مليونية» باتجاه مقر السفارة الإسرائيلية في منطقة الجيزة، فيما تصاعدت مطالب المتظاهرين خلال الفترة الأخيرة بوقف تصدير الغاز لإسرائيل وجميع أشكال التعاون الاقتصادي وكذلك مراجعة بنود اتفاقية «كامب ديفيد». 

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May 6, 2011

#BDS: لاعب جزائري يرفض منازلة إسرائيلي


 رفض لاعب المنتخب الجزائري للتايكوندو زكريا شنوف مواجهة الإسرائيلي آدم ساجبر، في وزن أقل من 63 كجم الخميس ببطولة العالم للتايكوندو التي تختتم فعاليتها الجمعة بكوريا الجنوبية.

وانتظر اللاعب الإسرائيلي مع الحكام حضور الجزائري شنوف، ولكنه رفض الحضور، ليعلن الحكام رسميًا فوز ممثل إسرائيل وتأهله للدور التالي.

وكان اللاعب الإسرائيلي على علم بنية شنوف عدم مواجهته، ولكن اللجنة المنظمة لم تُخطره رسميًا بذلك.
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#BDS: Palestinian Trade Union Coalition for BDS (PTUC-BDS) formed at historic conference

"Occupied Palestine, 4 May 2011 – In commemoration of the first of May – a day of workers struggle and international solidarity – the first Palestinian trade union conference for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel (BDS) was held in Ramallah on 30 April 2011, organized by almost the entirety of the Palestinian trade union movement, including federations, professional unions, and trade union blocks representing the entire spectrum of Palestinian political parties. The conference marked a historic event: the formation of the Palestinian Trade Union Coalition for BDS (PTUC-BDS) as the largest coalition of the Palestinian trade union movementPTUC-BDSwill provide the most representative Palestinian reference for international trade unions, promoting their support for and endorsement of the BDS Call, launched by Palestinian civil society in 2005, guided by the guidelines and principles adopted by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC), of which PTUC-BDS has become a key component.
The global trade union movement has always played a key and inspiring role in its courageous commitment to human rights and adoption of concrete, ground-breaking, labor-led sanctions against oppressive regimes in a show of solidarity with oppressed peoples around the world. The trade union boycott of apartheid South Africa stands out as a bright example of this tradition of effective solidarity. Trade unions today are taking the lead in defending the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, justice, freedom, equality and the right of return of our refugees as stipulated in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194. Many of them have heeded the call from Palestinian civil society, and its labor movement in particular, to adopt BDS as the most effective form of solidarity with the Palestinians in our struggle to end Israeli occupation and apartheid."
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