Boycott

A million dollar festival will not rescue Israel’s image as an apartheid state

PACBI

Occupied Ramallah, 15 August  2010

Once again, the Brand-Israel machine is in high gear, this time organizing a million-dollar international youth extravaganza in Eilat in September 2010 called “Funjoya.”  This unabashed propaganda exercise is sponsored by the Israel Ministry of Tourism and the Israeli Student Union, among other official and semi-official bodies.  The Ministry of Tourism explains one of the aims of the festival: “branding Israel as an attractive tourism destination for students, an improvement in Israel’s image among this target group and facilitating multi-cultural encounters for students from Israel and European countries.” [1]

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The silent treatment

New Statesman

Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack tells William Parry why he is boycotting Israel.

The movement for a cultural boycott of Israel in response to its treatment of the Palestinians, modelled on the boycott of apartheid South Africa, could eclipse decades of disingenuous political charades in engaging western intellectuals, academics and artists. Internationally renowned figures such as Naomi Klein and Ken Loach have supported the call, and now one of Britain’s most successful bands, Massive Attack, is publicly backing the boycott.

“I’ve always felt that it’s the only way forward,” Robert Del Naja, the band’s lead singer, tells me when we meet at the Lazarides gallery in Fitzrovia, London. Del Naja is an artist as well as musician and his face and fingers are speckled with paint. Dozens of his pictures are strewn
all over the wooden floorboards, drying. “It’s a system that’s been applied to many countries. It’s a good thing to aim for because it applies the continual pressure that’s needed.”
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U.S. actors back Israeli boycott of West Bank theater

Haaretz

More than 150 American actors, writers, directors and other artists sign letter of support for the Israeli actors who said they would not perform in Ariel.

The American signatories include Cynthia Nixon, who plays Miranda on “Sex and the City”; Mandy Patinkin, who played Inigo Montoya in “The Princess Bride”; and character actor and writer Wallace Shawn, who played the principal in “Clueless.”

Ten days ago, the Israeli actors caused a storm when they released a petition stating they would not perform in the West Bank. Their move was prompted by reports that the theater companies were planning performances at the new cultural center in Ariel.

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Boycotted, Bothered and Bewildered

Forward: The Jewish Daily

Israel entered disturbing, unfamiliar territory this summer in its struggles against boycotts and economic warfare. After nearly a decade of noisy but largely toothless campaigns to isolate it on the international stage, Israel now faces a concerted effort by Palestinians under its rule to isolate the Israeli settlers living among them in the West Bank.

The weapon of choice is a boycott of settlement-based products, services and jobs. And Jerusalem doesn’t have a clue what to do about it.

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Anti-Israel economic boycotts are gaining speed

Haaretz.

The sums involved are not large, but their international significance is huge. Boycotts by governments gives a boost to boycotts by non-government bodies around the world.

The entire week was marked by boycotts. It began with a few dozen theater people boycotting the new culture center in Ariel, and continued with a group of authors and artists publishing a statement of support on behalf of those theater people. Then a group of 150 lecturers from various universities announced they would not teach at Ariel College or take part in any cultural events in the territories. Naturally, all that spurred a flurry of responses, including threats of counter-sanctions. More >

Church boycott calls ring louder

Electronic Intifada

The world’s churches have long been one of the battlegrounds of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. With the strengthening of the BDS movement, a number of churches across the globe have seen the boycott of Israeli and Israeli settlement goods hotting up, and recent weeks have witnessed some notable victories.

The British Methodist Church has seen a number of resolutions on Israel passed in recent years. In 2006, says Dr. Stephen Leah, a Methodist preacher and member of the church’s conference, a vote to divest from companies profiting from the occupation was passed “overwhelmingly,” and other motions condemning Israeli actions in Gaza and encouraging church members to campaign for a just peace have been welcomed.

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There’s a difference, but still we boycott both

Morning Star (letter)

The Israeli Channel 10 programme Who Is Organising The Worldwide Hatred Of Israel Movement was I’m sure part of the Israeli culture of “We are the victims.”

This is emphasised within the Israeli education system on a daily basis, making young Israelis believe that they are hated throughout the world because they are Jews, which would of course be anti-semitic. However this is a long way from the truth.

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Leeds Festival1

Leeds Festival Alternative Report (August 30)

Leeds PSC attended the Sunday finale of the Leeds Music Festival, focusing on LCD Soundsystem and The Drums who are currently billed to play the Heineken Music Conference in Tel Aviv. We distributed the current list of bands planning to play Israel this year to inform fans of who is breaking the boycott.
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Success as Pollokshields, Glasgow joins boycott of Israeli dates

SPSC.

Hard work by Friends of Al Aqsa and SPSC activists pays off as Asian shops in key area of Glasgow declare themselves Israeli produce free!

In the month leading up to Ramadan SPSC Glasgow have combined the promoting of the Rod Cox/Gideon Levy event with joining Friends of al Aqsa in their campaign to urge Muslim shoppers and shopkeepers to boycott Israeli Medjoul dates, which are in fact produced in illegal settlements, particularly in the Jordan Valley.

Despite the almost overwhelmingly positive response from the Muslim community, Friends of Al Aqsa identified one shopowner in Pollokshields who was ignoring the calls to boycott. Pollokshields is one of the areas of Glasgow with a strong and proud Muslim community, established over many decades and with several large shops this store owner was setting a negative example that Friends of Al Aqsa felt could not go unchallenged. Several weeks ago Friends of Al Aqsa asked SPSC Glasgow to join a protest/picket outside the shop-owners’ flagship grocery store in Pollokshields, Strawberry & Spice Gardens, a request we readily accepted. More >

53 theater figures vow not to perform in settlements

Haartez.
In a petition, the performers said they would not perform in Ariel or any other settlement.

Fifty-three Israeli theater professionals, including performers, playwrights and directors, have signed a petition stating they would not appear in the West Bank settlement Ariel.
The issue surfaced following a report last week in Haaretz that several of Israel’s leading theater companies, including the Habima National Theater, the Cameri Theater, the Be’er Sheva Theater and Jerusalem’s Khan Theater, were planning to perform at the new cultural center in Ariel. More >

Heineken Music Conference 1

Leeds PSC Exclusive: Latuff Cartoons of Heineken Music Conference

New Carlos Latuff cartoons about Heineken Music Conference (in Tel Aviv, Israel) created on request of Leeds PSC! Use them for your boycott leaflets! Our thanks to Latuff.

Download high resolution images (right click link below then save as): More >

No Business as Usual with Israel: PACBI Salutes Faithless

PACBI

Occupied Ramallah, 15 August 2010

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) salutes the British dance group Faithless for declining to play in Israel this summer.  The cancellation of the group’s Israeli gig is the latest in a string of cancellations of performances in Israel by artists and musicians of conscience, artists who say no to normalizing relations with Israel, no to business as usual with a state that practices the most pernicious forms of occupation, colonialism and apartheid.

We applaud Faithless frontman Maxi Jazz for the unequivocally clear message explaining the band’s decision:

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150 Irish artists pledge to boycott Israel

Irish Times.

A CULTURAL boycott of Israel was launched yesterday, with more than 150 Irish artists announcing that they intend not to perform or exhibit in Israel, or to accept any funding from institutions linked to the Israeli government.

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) said it was in protest at Israel’s “treatment of the Palestinian people”.

Raymond Deane of the IPSC cited a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry in 2005 saying they considered culture a propaganda tool.

He said: “Artists who perform there are backing it [the Israeli government] whether they like it or not.” More >

Global conference passes RMT anti-Israel motion

JC.

The RMT transport union has passed a motion condemning Israel at an international conference representing more than 4,600,000 union members.

The resolution, voted for by delegates at the annual International Transport Federation (ITF) conference, calls for action on “illegal Israeli settlements”.

The RMT, which is led by Bob Crow, seconded the motion proposed by the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) at the Mexico event. More >