#BDS: #British Natural History Museum attacked over links to illegal Israeli company #Ahava

"The Natural History Museum is today accused by a coalition of prominent academics and cultural figures of helping to break international law by leading a research project which involves an Israeli cosmetics company based in an “illegal” settlement in the occupied West Bank.

In a letter to The Independent, leading scientists and the film directors Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, condemn the London museum - which is the fourth most visited in Britain - for its research collaboration with Ahava - Dead Sea Laboratories (DSL), which sells beauty products based on minerals extracted from the Dead Sea."

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#BDS: When Desmond Tutu got the ‘Penn BDS’ treatment

"In light of the attacks against the upcoming Penn BDS conference, I offer a reminder of the time Desmond Tutu got the “Penn BDS” treatment at other US universities, even when he wasn’t talking about BDS or Israel.

The article below was written in the summer of 2010, soon after the Olympia Food Co-op decided to boycott Israeli goods. At the time, many non-Jewish white progressives in Olympia felt they should defer to the “Jewish community’s” wishes on the Palestine/Israel issue."

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Network Analysis for Palestine Activists: science for a successful #BDS campaign

"Network terminology is becoming increasingly commonplace in Palestine activist circles, as well as among anti-Palestinian groups. We speak of “viral videos” and “links to the far right.” Anti-Palestinians have formed an “Israel Action Network” and refer to “Hubs of Delegitimization.” Are networks the latest innovation in an evolving arsenal of advocacy? Or just a catchy buzzword? The answer is neither.

Any two things that are related can be said to belong to a network. A flock of birds is a network. A group of friends is a network. Our own bodies consist of complex networks. Airports and flight routes are networks. Networks offer us a framework for understanding relationships–a framework which may be new to us–but are hardly new in their own right."

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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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URGENT APPEAL: HOPE ~ Higher Opportunities for Palestinian Education #Gaza

"My name is Nader Elkhuzundar, and I’m a 24-year-old Palestinian from Gaza. I have lived in the Gaza Strip since I was a child. I am the oldest of four children. Being the oldest comes with high expectations from my family, and a strong sense of duty towards my country and people. Although living in the Gaza Strip is a challenge; I have been able to pursue educational opportunities in my areas of interest. In 2008 I earned a diploma in Computer Programming with an 81.53 percent grade point average. I also now hold a BSc Management Information Systems (MIS) degree with an 83.48 percent GPA from the University of Palestine, which I received in March 2011. Since graduating from university I have tried hard to secure a job so that I may support my family and advance obtain work experience.  I have often received feedback from potential employers saying that I need to further my education in order to obtain a position."


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#BDS #IAW: VIDEO: Israeli Apartheid Week: Call it as it is

#BDS: مؤتمر "هرتسيليا" الإسرائيلي ينعقد وسط انتقادات للمشاركة العربية فيه

ينعقد مؤتمر "هرتسيليا" الإسرائيلي بمشاركة عدد كبير من القادة الإسرائيليين وشخصيات دولية بينها رؤساء ووزراء أوروبيون وكبار المسؤولين في مؤسسات ومنظمات اقتصادية عالمية، تبحث "الإستراتيجية الأمنية والسياسية والاقتصادية لدولة إسرائيل".

ويعتبر هذا المؤتمر أحد أهم المؤتمرات الأمنية الإستراتيجية لإسرائيل، والذي يسعى لمساعدتها في تحديد المخاطر الأمنية التي تحيط بها وكيفية مواجهتها، وسيعقد المؤتمر تحت عنوان "إسرائيل والشرق الأوسط في "عين العاصفة"".  

إقرأ\ي المزيد

#BDS is Nazism and Omar Barghouti is Hitler

"Whenever you think that smears against the Palestinian solidarity movement cannot get more inflammatory or sickening, something new appears. In the latest shot against the upcoming boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) conference at the University of Pennsylvania next weekend, the movement is being openly compared to Nazism by a University of Pennsylvania professor."


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The #BDS movement grows in #Italy

"The following statement was issued at the third national BDS meeting in Italy, held January 21 and 22 in Bologna, Italy:

Over the weekend of January 21-22, the third national meeting of the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel was held in Bologna, Italy. Roughly 80 activists from over 20 Italian cities representing groups, associations and political parties throughout Italy participated. The scope of the meeting was to evaluate the progress of ongoing campaigns, establish strategic objectives and shared work methods, exchange information between the various Italian groups working on BDS and reassess organizational aspects of the BDS movement in Italy."

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Penn’s president condemns article likening #BDS conference to Nazism as ‘counter to her personal values and civility’

"Organizers of the BDS conference (boycott, divestment and sanctions) at the University of Pennsylvania this weekend are facing mounting incitement against the conference and rising security costs. Today they called on Penn president Amy Gutmann to condemn an article in the school newspaper that called their work "genocidal" and likened them to Nazis. Tonight Gutmann's office issued a statement condemning the article."


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Attacks on University of Pennyslvania #BDS conference

BDS is Nazism and Omar Barghouti is Hitler says UPenn professor in shocking smear, Ali Abunimah
Whenever you think that smears against the Palestinian solidarity movement cannot get more inflammatory or sickening, something new appears. In the latest shot against the upcoming boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) conference at the University of Pennsylvania next weekend, the movement is being openly compared to Nazism by a University of Pennsylvania professor. Read more here.

Anti-Defamation League reprises debunked quote in attempt to discredit Helena Cobban and Penn BDS conference, Alex Kane

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is playing a leading role in the escalating debate over the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement and this week's pro-BDS conference at the University of Pennyslvania. Over at the organization's "Access ADL" blog, the ADL has begun to publish what they call are highlights from "five of the most anti-Israel individuals scheduled to speak at the conference." But they completely miss the mark in their attack on Helena Cobban, and instead attribute a quote to Cobban that she says she never said and for which there is no evidence of.  Read more here. 

#BDS Success: Lara Fabian Out of Lebanon!

Thank You Lara
Lara Fabian was forced to cancel a concert planned for Valentine's Day in Lebanon after activists launched a campaign against the singer due to recently surfaced surfaced of her at a pro-Israeli banquet. Read more here.

Lara Fabian Out of Lebanon: Lessons Learned
The success of boycott activists in preventing a pro-Israel pop singer from performing a Valentine’s Day concert in Lebanon despite accusations of “cultural terrorism” and heated debates on Facebook may change the way boycott is advocated and legally protected in the country.  Read more here.

French campaigns to intensify efforts in support of Palestine

 French pro-Palestinian organizations and figures promised to intensify their events and activities in solidarity with the occupied people of Palestine in general and the besieged people of Gaza in particular. This came during the 10-day visit made by head of the Palestinian NGOs Amjad Ashawa to Paris and other French cities. He had the chance to meet with French officials, heads and activists of civil organizations and solidarity campaigns. During his presence in France, Ashawa participated in a meeting held by the solidarity campaign "French boat to Gaza". Many French political figures and national figures are members of this campaign. He also met with officials from the French foreign ministry and stressed the need for the French role in supporting the Palestinian people's rights and pressuring the Israeli occupation to end all forms of aggression against them.  Source

Short history of #BDS in France

We cannot mention BDS in France without mentioning the work of the Coalition against Agrexco (CCA) of which BDSF has been a partner all the way. The CCA had immediately grasped the importance of making it a European struggle, and it has been a laboratory of BDS and of international solidarity. As the first great BDS battle in France and in Europe against an Israeli company, it had the merit of "relocating" international solidarity that is usually exogenous (we are in solidarity with Palestinians over there), into actions against a target that is over here, in France and in Europe. This battle was led together with the BNC who was instrumental in refocusing the struggle against the company as a whole (products being the way to get to the broader target). This battle also showed that the agricultural question, which includes questions of land, water and methods of production, goes well beyond food, and that it was at the heart of environmental and economical problems of our time. Finally, the CCA imposed an unprecedented symbolic defeat to the Israeli colonial ideology.  Read more here. 

The #BDS movement grows in Italy

Over the weekend of January 21-22, the third national meeting of the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel was held in Bologna, Italy. Roughly 80 activists from over 20 Italian cities representing groups, associations and political parties throughout Italy participated. The scope of the meeting was to evaluate the progress of ongoing campaigns, establish strategic objectives and shared work methods, exchange information between the various Italian groups working on BDS and reassess organizational aspects of the BDS movement in Italy.  Read more here.