This report, Hundreds converge on Ramallah for boycott summit from the Conference Steering Committee, was published on the Electronic Intifada on November 29, 2007.
It describes the application of South African boycott, which led to the downfall of Apartheid, to Israel. Its application to Israeli apartheid practices, its incessant military occupation, and its obvious intent to finish the colonization of the West Bank, is and has been the purpose of this international effort. And it grows every year.
An important milestone in building the global boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign was achieved in Ramallah on 22 November 2007. Some 300 activists, members of unions, associations and NGOs in towns, villages and refugee camps of the occupied West Bank, with monitors from the global solidarity movement in Britain, Canada, Norway, Spain and South Africa, convened for a day of discussion and debate about ways to promote all forms of boycott against Israel among Palestinian community organizations, unions, as well as political, academic and cultural institutions. Organizers and participants left the conference with a sense of accomplishment: practical recommendations are in place for building the popular Palestinian BDS campaign as a strategic form of civil resistance in the long struggle ahead against Israel’s regime of apartheid over the Palestinian people.
The conference was opened by Dr. Gabi Baramki (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel-PACBI) who reminded participants of the fact that boycott has been a tool of the Palestinian struggle since the 1920s. He stated that the power of popular boycott derived from international law and universal ethical principles, and emphasized the timeliness of a Palestinian popular boycott movement, especially now, when isolation and fragmentation are imposed more than ever on the Palestinian people, in order to bring about loss of hope, dignity and surrender. Boycott and popular struggle contributed to the liberation of India and South Africa, he stated, adding that, while it is true that the challenge for Palestinians is bigger, because South Africa never enjoyed the level of support Israel has from the United States and Europe, the Palestinian boycott campaign can be effective because of Israel’s ultimate dependence, politically, diplomatically and economically, on the West.
But what is perhaps more interesting is the remarks made at the end of the Annapolis Conference by Ehud Olmert, the Israeli PM, which would agree with this boycott approach. This from the BBC:
Olmert warns of ‘end of Israel’
Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said failure to negotiate a two-state solution with the Palestinians would spell the end of the State of Israel.
He warned of a “South African-style struggle” which Israel would lose if a Palestinian state was not established.
Mr Olmert was returning from the Annapolis conference in the US where he and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas pledged to launch formal peace talks.
The two leaders set a goal of reaching a peace deal with US support in 2008.
In the meantime, there was a Gaza rally against Mid-East talks also reported:
Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated in the Gaza Strip against the Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, in the United States.
Leaders of the Islamist movement Hamas, which governs Gaza, said the summit was “doomed to failure”.
Smaller demonstrations, staged in the Fatah-governed West Bank, were broken up by police loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Earlier, three people were killed in Gaza, in two attacks by Israel’s army.
On Daily Kos I discovered this bit of malarkey from the Jerusalem Post, for which I can find no official confirmation whatsoever on the BBC or Ajazeera English. Of course, it was immediately pumped up by the right wing Zionist propagandists who, although they prefer silence to putting Israel’s occupation/colonization in the spotlight, are permitted to exploit Daily Kos, while well over two dozen liberal members have been banned from this allegedly left wing site for supporting peace.
Hamas demands UN rescind ’47 partition.
JPOST.COM STAFF
Nov 29, 2007 13:32 | Updated Nov 29, 2007 14:55
Hamas on Thursday called on the UN to rescind the 1947 decision to partition Palestine into two states, one for Jews and one for Arabs.
The group said in a statement, released on the 60th anniversary of the UN vote, that “Palestine is Arab Islamic land, from the river to the sea, including Jerusalem… there is no room in it for the Jews.”
Regarding the partition decision, Hamas said that “correcting mistakes is nothing to be ashamed of, but prolonging it is exploitation.”
Meanwhile, President Shimon Peres told Army Radio that recognition of the 1967 borders began with the Oslo accords.
“This is one of the greatest achievements. Without it, there would be no chance for peace,” he said.
Unable find a single confirmation of this report or its source And then there’s Peres still trying to play the peace advocate, when in truth he should be returning his Nobel Peace Prize to Sweden. Just where did Oslo take us, Mr. Peres? To an acceleration of settlements on the West Bank and more deception at the Camp David/Taba talks.
Contrary to popular belief, however, Hamas, if it had been invited to Annapolis, would likely have joined the Conference. But it wasn’t invited. It’s the Bush doctrine: whatever Israel says goes.
Hamas to consider joining Annapolis summit if invited.
GAZA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) — An aide of deposed Prime Minister Ismail Haneya said on Wednesday that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) would consider joining an international conference on Mideast peace to be held Annapolis, the United States later this year, if the movement was invited. Ahmed Yousef told reporters in Gaza that if Hamas movement was invited to join Annapolis conference, “it would think about joining and it can detour around its constitution.”
The bullshit back and forth goes on.