#BDS: Calls to #boycott #Israel grow on #US campuses

On December 4, the council of the American Studies Association (ASA) voted unanimously to endorse the call from Palestinian civil society for an academic boycott of Israeli academic institutions (USACBI), becoming only the second academic association in the US to do so. The decision was described by the ASA as an "ethical stance", which "represents a principle of solidarity with scholars and students deprived of their academic freedom and an aspiration to enlarge that freedom for all, including Palestinians".

Support for the resolution was described to Al Jazeera by author and Professor of American Studies Alex Lubin as "nothing less than the breaking of what Edward Said called 'America's last taboo'…Creating a space within US society to break through the enforced silence on Israeli occupation".

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#BDS: Ann Arbor Transportation still won't allow ati-Israel ads #fuckIsrael

"The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority's board of directors held a special meeting Thursday to revise the agency's advertising policy after a federal judge declared parts of it unconstitutional.

But the agency maintains an anti-Israel advertisement calling for a boycott of Israel — what originally prompted a legal debate over the agency's policy — still won't be allowed on its buses."

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#BDS: U.N. Human Rights Council Calls for Boycott of U.S. Companies that do business in Israel #fuckIsrael

"A report soon to be released by the United Nations that calls for an international campaign of legal attacks and economic warfare on a group of American companies that do business in Israel, including Hewlett-Packard, Caterpillar Inc., and Motorola Solutions Inc.

The report attempts to instigate a campaign of boycott, divestment, sanctions, and legal action against a litany of international companies doing business in Israel. In addition to American companies, the U.N. targets include major European firms such as Veolia Environnement, Group 4 Security, the Dexia Group, the Volvo Group."

Read the full report here

#BDS: New California legislation targets BDS movement as “anti-Semitic” #fuckIsrael

"The California State Assembly has passed a resolution declaring criticism of Israel to be anti-Semitic—in a clear attack on the boycott, divestment and sanction (BDS) movement.

Passed by a bipartisan majority of Democrats and Republicans, the resolution—known as HR 35—specifically defines as anti-Semitic any speaker, film and event that describes Israel as “guilty of heinous crimes against humanity such as ethnic cleansing and genocide,” as well as “student- and faculty-sponsored boycott, divestment, and sanction campaigns against Israel.”

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#BDS: Los Angeles activists put #Veolia’s complicity with Israel’s human rights violations in the spotlight #fuckIsrael

"Last week, activists with various Palestine solidarity and BDS groups under the umbrella of the Dump Veolia coalition came together in protest of the city of Los Angeles’ efforts to renew contracts worth $160 million with Veolia, a French multinational urban transportation and systems corporation, for the city’s transportation needs.

Because of its involvement in contracting with Israel to build a light rail system that will connect West Jerusalem with settlement colonies in East Jerusalem and elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, Veolia has been a longtime target of BDS campaigns, especially in Europe and Australia. The corporation has lost billions of dollars worth of contracts as a result of sustained pressure on local councils by boycott activists since 2008."

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#BDS activists inject Middle East debate into L.A. bus contract discussion #fuckIsrael

"A group of activists affiliated with the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions, or B.D.S. movement, which seeks to pressure Israel in various ways, publicly opposed the renewal of a bus contract between the city of Los Angeles and a company whose corporate parent does business in the West Bank.

At a meeting of the Los Angeles City Council transportation committee on Sept. 12, members of the Dump Veolia LA Coalition urged the committee members to oppose renewal of a contract with Veolia Transportation to operate DASH shuttle bus services in the Downtown and Mid-City areas."

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#BDS Video: Boycott against #Israel at the University of Michigan #fuckIsrael

#BDS: Boycott "Israel" protest at the University of Michigan #fuckIsrael

On Septenber 4, 2012, a group of University of Michigan alumni, staff and community members peacefully demonstrated for a University boycott against Israel, in front of the Michigan Union. 

Then they proceeded to the University's Central Student Government (CSG) meeting on the third floor of the Union. The demonstrators asked the CSG to approve a resolution for a University boycott against Israel.
 
"They plan on doing the same on Tuesday, September 11, 2012, at 6:30 PM, in front of the Michigan Union. All who agree are welcome to join them."

#BDS: An Anti-Israeli Flag in an American Neighborhood

" A neighborhood in Ann Arbor has worked together on an initiative to take down an anti-Israeli flag being demonstrated in front of another neighbor's house. But the petition that has so far been signed by 11 households is not discouraging the man responsible for the display, as he has responded with a five page  letter defending his freedom of speech rights, asking his neighbors to re-consider their request.

Henry Herskovitz has lived on the block of Mark Hannah Place for over 29 years and has never really had problems with his neighbors, that is until now. The Jewish activist, who has been a prominent member of Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends (JWPF)  since its creation over eight years ago, decided to put up a flag hanging from a tree in front of his house that depicts the Israeli flag with a red "no" symbol slashed across it. Since the flag was put up in late May, he was surprised to receive a petition from his neighbors asking him to  take it down."

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#BDS: Cafe at Evergreen State College #US Announces Boycott of Israeli Products

"According to the Flaming Eggplant’s mission statement, one of the cafe’s goals is to “nourish the local food system by making delicious, healthy, ecologically and socially just food accessible to all.” In its statement of principles, the collective also expresses its commitment to “supporting political participation and direct action to create a just and egalitarian society.” Office Coordinator Cris Papaiacovou said, “We came to a consensus as a collective to support the Palestinian civil society call for BDS because it is directly in line with our mission and statement of principles.” He added, “We are proud to join this non-violent movement to pressure Israel until it ends its human rights violations against Palestinians.”

The café’s support of the boycott becomes the latest victory in ongoing student-led activism for Palestinian human rights at TESC. In the Spring of 2010, the student body voted overwhelmingly to support two resolutions, one calling for divestment from companies profiting from Israel’s occupation of Palestine, and the other prohibiting the use of Caterpillar Inc. equipment on campus. Rachel Corrie, an Evergreen student, was killed in 2003 by a weaponized Caterpillar bulldozer operated by the Israeli military as she attempted to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian family’s home in the Gaza Strip."

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#BDS: Obama's Church to Divest from #Israel

"The United Church is to boycott Israel and the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago is the congregation where Barack Obama has worshipped for two decades and he and his children were baptized.

The United Church of Christ just called for a boycott of goods produced in Israeli settlements, including eastern Jerusalem. In a new report released a few days ago in Canada, which will have severe consequences for the congregation in North America, the Church calls for an economic divestment against the Israel."

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#BDS: Minnesota Battle Over Israeli Bonds

"A legal fight is underway in Minnesota over the state’s investment in Israeli bonds that are used to support settlements and other Israeli actions in the West Bank deemed illegal under international law. Sylvia Schwarz, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, explains why she’s demanding the state’s divestiture.

“I do not think this is a radical call,” says Ronnie Barkan, of Boycott From Within (BFW), an Israeli human rights group that advocates boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) of Israel until it complies with international law and human rights consensus.

“Simply by investing in the State of Israel, Minnesota inadvertently supports the criminal policies of the State [of Israel], which are detrimental to both the Palestinians and the Israelis.”

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#BDS: Major Bay Area arts org worked closely with Israeli consul general to counter protests #US

"Here is a fascinating look inside the front lines of the Israel lobby. 

According to leaked emails, a major Bay Area arts organization worked behind the scenes with the Israeli consulate and the Jewish Federation to counter protests of Israeli films over the last two years.

The emails involve Frameline, a 35-year-old LGBT film festival that has become an institution in the Bay Area. Frameline has often shown Israeli films, and accepted sponsorship from the Israeli Consulate--and as a result it has faced boycott callsand protests in recent years.

The emails show that at a time when Frameline's executive director K.C. Price was telling the press he was "nonpartisan," he was urging Israeli consul general Akiva Tor as well as officials at the Jewish Federation to take action against the protests. "

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#BDS Israel in the #US

"Starting Monday, March 26, the billboard financed by Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends, IfAmericansKnew, and Deir Yassin Remembered will move to the western edge of the Detroit metropolitan area on Interstate 96 about a half-mile east of the Wixom Road exit, facing westbound traffic. This billboard continues to ask: “$8 Million/Day to Israel? 1-855-ITS-OUR-MONEY”. Tax deductible contributions to maintain this billboard are accepted at IfAmericansKnew.org and deiryassin.org. Please note “Billboard Project” with your donations."

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#BDS: Video: Students Physically Attacked for Interrupting Israel Talk in New Mexico

A group of University of New Mexico students "mic checked" anIsrael Alliance talk on their campusThursday night, when audience members got up out of their seats and physically attacked the protesting students.

"Mic check! Nonie Darwish speaks for Israeli apartheid!," yell the students at around 15 seconds into the video.  "And genocide at the hands of the IDF [Israeli army]!” From there, older male audience members begin to slowly walk their way up to the students (some of them young women), and start physically pushing and attacking them. At 55 seconds in, you can see one of the students goes flying over a row of seats.

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#BDS: Norcal Activists take on #Veolia

"The North Coast Coalition for Palestine  in the San Francisco North Bay are preparing to present a letter to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors opposing the county's contract with Veolia. The French multinational company currently operates the county's bus system and has come under international pressure due to its involvement in a light rail line in Occupied East Jerusalem. Activists plans to collect signatures and present the letter to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors."


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#BDS: Occupy Oakland chapter votes to support BDS #OO

"The Oakland, Calif., chapter of the Occupy movement overwhelmingly endorsed a proposal in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.

According to Twitter accounts by pro-Palestinian activists pushing the proposal, the statement won nearly unanimous backing in a vote Wednesday following a brief discussion. A lengthy statement on the Occupy Oakland website attacked US aid to Israel and suggested that Israel had "prodded" the United States into the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."

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#BDS: Open Letter to LGBTIQ Communities and Allies on the Israeli Occupation of Palestine

"We are a diverse group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and trans activists, academics, artists, and cultural workers from the United States who participated in a solidarity tour in the West Bank of Palestine and Israel from January 7-13, 2012.

What we witnessed was devastating and created a sense of urgency around doing our part to end this occupation and share our experience across a broad cross-section of the LGBTIQ community. We saw with our own eyes the walls—literally and metaphorically—separating villages, families and land. From this, we gained a profound appreciation for how deeply embedded and far reaching this occupation is through every aspect of Palestinian daily life."

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#BDS: Our Eyes Witnessed: On People of Color in the #US and The Palestinian BDS Movement

"Colorlines recently featured a story entitled “The Israel Lobby Finds a New Face: Black College Students,” which highlighted the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) recruitment of young black and brown college students to support their Zionist agenda.

According to AIPAC’s website, they recruit “[o]n campuses across America—from Ivy League universities, to small liberal arts colleges, to Historically Black and Christian schools,” as a means to help students, “find their voices in support of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.”

The success of recruitment and propaganda efforts, like that of AIPAC, might be a result of Israel’s efforts to focus attention on its ostensibly progressive track record of human rights while conveniently overlooking its human rights and international law infringements as it relates to its treatment of Palestinian people and possession of Palestinian land. Some critics cite Israel’s attempt to “pinkwash”, or wipe away its violations against Palestinians by illuminating its receptivity of LGBTQI people."

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#BDS: #US Scholars’ Delegation Calls for Academic and Cultural #Boycott of #Israel

"Five faculty from U.S. universities who recently completed a week-long visit to Occupied Palestine and Israel are calling on academic colleagues everywhere to support the United States Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI)."


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