#BDS: صحافيّون لبنانيّون في بروكسل: تطبيع أو لا تطبيع؟

بروكسل | مفاجأة غير سارة كانت في انتظار الصحافيين اللبنانيين المشاركين في الندوة الختامية لـ«الشبكة الصحافية لسياسة الجوار الأوروبي» التي تختتم أعمالها اليوم في بروكسل. فقد اكتشف مراسلو قناة «الجديد» وجريدتي «السفير» و«الأخبار»، أنّ الشبكة دعتهم إلى المشاركة في أعمالها من دون إبلاغهم أنّ وفداً صحافياً إسرائيلياً سيحضر أيضاً الندوة. وذلك رغم معرفة المنظمين المسبقة بأنّ هذه الخطوة مخالفة للقانون اللبناني، وللمزاج السياسي العربي المعادي للتطبيع.

الدعوة التي تلقاها الصحافيون اللبنانيون من الجهة المنظّمة، ومنهم

 كاتب هذه السطور، لم تشر إلى مشاركة الصحافيين الإسرائيليين الأربعة... علماً بأنّ الأمر حسم منذ بداية نشاطات الشبكة التي انطلقت عام 2007 في بروكسل، وتنقلت اجتماعاتها بين بيروت ومدريد وأذربيجان وأوكرانيا. فقد أُدرج لبنان في مجموعة دول شمال أفريقيا (بدلاً من الشرق الأوسط) لتفادي التطبيع الإعلامي بين الصحافيين الإسرائيليين واللبنانيين، بناءً على طلب الطرف اللبناني حينذاك.

#BDS: La conférence d’un officier supérieur de l’armée israélienne boycottée à Bruxelles

"BRUXELLES (EJP) — Une conférence à Bruxelles d’un officier supérieur de l’armée israélienne a été annulée à la suite de pressions exercées par des ONG pro-palestiniennes auprès des organisateurs.

Le colonel Liron Libman, chef du Département du droit international au siège de l’avocat général militaire de l’armée israélienne, devait prendre la parole mercredi au Palais des Académies à l’invitation de la section belge de l’Association de droit international sur le thème “les défis dans une guerre asymétrique: une expérience israélienne »

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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: Brussels: Pro-Palestinian groups stage anti-Israel street play

"Activists dressed as IDF soldiers 'kill' boy playing Palestinian; women cover 'body' with Palestinian flag as crowd chants 'boycott Israel.' Mayor: Freedom of expression

Members of dozens of pro-Palestinian organizations held an anti-Israel exhibit on Brussel's main pedestrian-only street a few days ago, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Friday.

During the street play, one activist dressed as an IDF soldier "kicked" a Palestinian, and in another a man dressed as an Israeli soldier "shoots" a Palestinian boy and "humiliates" a "pregnant Palestinian woman".

In a particularly harsh scene, an activist playing a Palestinian woman is "forcibly separated" from her "children"."

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#BDS: Agrexo Blockaded at Belgian Airport: Campaign against Imports from Israeli Settlements to Europe

"On February 11, 2011, a group of Belgian peace activists blocked the entrance of the Israeli company Agrexco’s distribution centre at Liège Airport. The activists protested against the import of agricultural goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied territories.   

The settlements are in violation of international humanitarian law. Agrexco facilitates the economical growth of the settlements by exporting their agricultural produce to the worlds markets. The activists were aiming to prevent Agrexco from distributing its products on the European markets via Liège airport.

The blockade of Agrexco

The activists chained themselves to the entrance of the distribution centre at LACHS at Liège Airport, in order to block the trucks coming to collect Agrexco products. They demand guarantees that products traded by Agrexco, do not originate from the illegal settlements. As long as the company refuses to give this guarantee, the government should put a halt to the unethical trade of agricultural goods from Israel."

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#BDS: Belgian Bank excluded for involvement in Israel

"08-03-2011 | Belgian bank Dexia has been excluded from the Triodos sustainable investment universe because of its ongoing financing of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Dexia in Israel

Dexia Israel Bank (DIB), a subsidiary of Dexia, has financed Israeli settlements in the past. In response to shareholder and stakeholder pressure, DIB stopped new loans to Israeli settlements in June 2008. There are also indications that current loans are being withdrawn, although the longest maturity loan in the portfolio will not end until 2017. DIB’s actions have caused uproar in Israel and a regional council major in southern Israel called for a DIB boycott.

Despite the freeze on new loans and withdrawal by DIB, the bank still has loans outstanding to the Municipality of Jerusalem. Jerusalem lies at the heart of the occupied territories and since 1967 East Jerusalem has been under Israeli government rule. Settlements have been established for Jewish Israeli occupants only and settlers receive substantial financial benefits, as well as access to land and natural resources in the disputed territory.  By financing the municipality, DIB loans are potentially being used to finance human rights abuses against Palestinians in East Jerusalem."

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#BDS: Mass march against Agrexco, the largest exporter of illegal settlement products

"On February 12, 24 hours after activists locked locked Agrexco storage areas, more than a hundred activists marched on Liege airport in Belgium. Activists from Belgium were joined by French activists, who collectively marched to the airport where they gathered to protest the unloading and shipping of Agrexco flowers. 

The company Agrexco is the largest exporter of illegal settlement products, profiting from settlement and land theft primarily in the Jordan Valley. Each year, on Valentine's Day, the company earns large profits selling flowers that arrive Bierset and are sold under different labels, concealing their true origin.

Protestors gathered in front of CAL-LACHS Cargo Air Lines Air Cargo-Liege Handling Services, which is responsible for shipping Agrexco projects."

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#BDS: Appel au boycott d'Israël à Bruxelles

"BRUXELLES(EJP)---Une soixantaine d'activistes pro-Palestiniens, vêtus de T-Shirt verts portant l’inscription Boycott Israel, ont manifesté samedi devant le stand du tour-operator belge Exodis, un spécialiste des voyages en Israël exposant au salon des vacances à Bruxelles."

#BDS: Call for boycott of Israel at Brussels tourism fair

"BRUSSELS (EJP)---Some 60 pro-Palestinian activists wearing a T-shirt calling for a boycott of Israel circled a Belgian stand promoting Israel at the annual tourism fair in Brussels on Saturday."

#BDS: Campaign materials

As part of the campaign "Israel is occupying Palestine, I boycott" campaign material is made available to the Belgo-Palestinian Association. Feel free to contact us if you need it!

Postcard available for the campaign "Israel is occupying Palestine, I boycotted"

- The sheets containing data on occupation and reasons for the boycott

- Four postcards:

- Steven Van Ackere, Belgian Minister Etrangèes

- Catherine Ashton EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy

- The purchasing manager of your supermarket

- Listing the different products to boycott, that might serve as a reminder during your shopping

- Stickers BOYCOTT Made in Israel "to glue on Israeli products in your supermarket

- Bags of shopping "Israel is occupying Palestine, I boycott" (soon available)