Youth Against Normalization

Aug 27, 2011

#BDS: Anti-Israeli campaigners protest in Sydney #Australia

"A protest took place for activists arrested for their involvement in boycott Israel activities. A number of groups have been formed in Australia dedicated the call for boycott, divestment and sanctions, or BDS, from a broad cross-section of Palestinian organisations in 2005.

On July 1st the Victorian police launched what protesters described as an unprovoked attack on a peaceful demonstration outside the Max Brenner cafe in Melbourne. 19 people were arrested in what protesters believe is an attempt to intimidate the BDS, which has been growing in Australia. Two Sydney activists were arrested on July 9 at a similar protest. The activists face up to $32,000 in fines. On Tuesday 9th August, 4 of the arrested activists in Melbourne were re-arrested in dawn raids for allegedly breaching their bail conditions by attending another BDS protest. $18,000 in surety had to be paid before the police would release them. "

"SodaStream, a home seltzer machine made in the West Bank settlement of Mishor Edomim. Situated atop land confiscated from Palestinians, Mishor Edomim is an industrial park where manufacturers receive tax breaks and other incentives from the Israeli government. Like most settlement goods, SodaStream is mislabeled as a product of “Israel,” although Mishor Edomim is beyond Israel’s internationally recognized boundaries. Generally speaking, in addition to violating international law, settlements splice up the West Bank with a system of settler-only roads that cage Palestinians into ever-shrinking areas; create a two-tiered legal system of military rule for the occupied and civilian rule for the occupiers; and appropriate scarce Palestinian water resources."

#BDS: #Australia Unionist's BDS support puts Labor on the spot

"A PROMINENT unionist has been revealed as a key supporter of the pro-Palestinian campaign attacking firms with links to Israel, exposing Victorian Labor's leadership to further embarrassment.

Former Victorian Trades Hall Council president Kevin Bracken yesterday strongly supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

Mr Bracken said the Maritime Union of Australia Victorian branch backed the boycott and confirmed that he was a keynote speaker supporting the campaign last year. The MUA, of which he is Victorian secretary, also had allowed its rooms to be used for the campaign."

#BDS: Tell #Interpol Not to Entertain Israeli Apartheid!

American post-punk band Interpol plans to perform in Israel later this month. Join the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI) -- a US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation member group -- in calling on Interpol to not entertain Israeli Apartheid!

Here is a sample email appeal, followed by sample tweets.

#BDS: For World Peace, #Israel Must Be Destroyed

#BDS: Did you know there is a law against 'Israeli' flag racism? I did not.

"A student at St Andrews University has been found guilty of a racist breach of the peace after he insulted the flag of Israel.

Paul Donnachie, 19, put his hands down his trousers then rubbed them on a flag belonging to Jewish student Chanan Reitblat.

Donnachie also accused Mr Reitblat of being a terrorist during the incident at the halls of residence in March."

#BDS: تظاهرة في تونس ضد إسرائيل #Tunisia

تونس (ا ف ب) - تظاهر عشرات التونسيين مساء أمس الأول في تونس العاصمة، دعما لقطاع غزة ورفضاً للتطبيع مع إسرائيل.

وفي تصريح لوكالة “فرانس برس”، قال الكاتب العام لمنظمة “حرية وإنصاف” التونسية حاتم الفقيه وهو أحد منظمي التظاهرة “نحن هنا تضامناً

مع أهلنا في غزة ولتأكيد موقفنا الرافض للتطبيع مع إسرائيل والمطالبة بتجريمه”.

إقرأ\ي المزيد

#BDS: Boycott Israel protest in Brisbane Tomorrow at Max Brenner Store

"A protest in support of Palestinian rights will be held in Brisbane on Saturday August 27 as part of the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against apartheid Israel.

The protest will gather in South Brisbane with a march to the Israeli owned Max Brenner chocolate store. The global chain of stores is owned by Israel’s second largest food company, the Strauss Group, which boasts of its support for the Israeli military occupation forces.

According to Justice for Palestine activist, Kathy Newnam, “The protest will seek to highlight the reality of life in Palestine under military occupation. It will combat the lies and misinformation and the continual mantra by politicians and the corporate media about the supposed need for “balance”.

“Just look at what is happening in Gaza right now. Israel has launched a bombing campaign that has killed at least 20 people in the past week. Israel claims that this brutality is a response to an attack on a bus which killed eight Israelis. The corporate media repeats this claim uncritically under the guise of “balance” despite the fact that Israel is carrying out a brutal form of collective punishment that is completely illegal under international law."

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Aug 14, 2011

#BDS: صحافيون أردنيون في دائرة التطبيع #Jordan

هل التقى الرئيس الإسرائيلي شمعون بيريز أخيراً صحافيين عرباً من الأردن، مصر، الإمارات، قطر، المغرب، وفلسطين؟ هذا ما أعلنته الإذاعة الإسرائيلية التي ذكرت أن «بيريز عقد مؤتمراً صحافياً بحضور ممثلي وسائل الإعلام العربية في مناسبة قرب حلول شهر رمضان». وحالما أذيع هذا الخبر، فتحت نقابة الصحافيين الأردنيين تحقيقاً في الموضوع. وصرّح رئيس لجنة مقاومة التطبيع في نقابة الصحافيين عصام مبيضين أنّ اللجنة «اطلعت على مختلف تقارير وسائل الإعلام المحلية والعربية والإسرائيلية التي تناولت الخبر، ولم تحصل على تفاصيل عن الوقائع والأسماء والصحف ووسائل الإعلام التي يمثلها المشاركون في اللقاء». وأضاف: «اتفقنا في اللجنة على الاتصال بوزارتي الخارجية والإعلام لتزويدنا بالمعلومات والتفاصيل المتعلقة بهذه القضية». وأشار إلى أن «حرص الصحافيين المشاركين على عدم خروج أسمائهم إلى العلن يؤكد أن هذه اللقاءات مرفوضة من الجسم النقابي والصحافي والوطنيين الأردنيين».

إقرأ\ي المزيد

#BDS: Appeal to #Riverdance Company not to Tour #Israel

"Since management of the Irish troupe Riverdance is determined to tour Israel in September 2011, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others encourage individual members of the company to refuse to participate in this tour.

On 6^th April last, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign appealed to Riverdance to cancel its tour of Israel scheduled for 1-13 September next.

In response, Riverdance posted the following on its website: “Riverdance supports the policy of the Irish Government and indeed the policy of every other EU state that cultural interaction is preferable to isolation.” Significantly, all feedback comments were disabled for this posting."

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#BDS: South African students outraged by #Israel mission

"South African students have spoken out against what they call "Israeli apartheid agents" who plan to visit South African universities in an effort to improve the country's image.

The delegation of 22 Israeli twenty-somethings from a group called What Is Rael will arrive in South Africa next week. The group will visit universities in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, with a focus on the University of Johannesburg, which earlier this year cut research ties with Ben Gurion University in Jerusalem."

#BDS: Update your boycott list: Fashion brand #Express coming to #Israel

"Another international fashion brand is landing in Israel: Calcalist has learned that the president and the CEO of US fashion brand Express visited Israel two week ago.

The company's contact person is businessman and former Israeli Ambassador to the UN Dan Gillerman, who also brought to Israel the Forever 21 fashion brand, which is expected to open its first store in October at the Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv."

#BDS: Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey to #Israel?

"America's lifestyle guru Martha Stewart and legendary television host Oprah Winfrey may visit Israel in the coming months.

The first guest, Martha Stewart, 70, is a media personality with a business empire marketing a variety of home-improvement products and the publisher of cook books and lifestyle magazines. Yedioth Ahronoth has learned that she is scheduled to visit Israel in early September."

#BDS: Each Israeli action creates support for BDS – a strategy, not a goal

(...)

The 2005 Palestinian civil society call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) marked the first anniversary of the ICJ opinion, becoming another strand in Palestinian nonviolent resistance that included the popular struggle against Israel’s wall in the Palestinian villages directly impacted by its route.

International solidarity activists flocked to both the popular struggle and BDS. However, while it takes time and money to travel to Palestine, anyone can join a boycott or divestment campaign, or lobby for state sanctions wherever they live. This is a strength of the global BDS campaign. Others include the fact that the campaign is Palestinian-led, and those whose rights have been violated are now gradually imposing their agenda on a sterile, U.S.-Israeli led process.