The carnage in Gaza continues. While most of the world sees what is really happening as Israel terrorizes 1.5 million people in the open-air prison of Gaza, the US Congress again makes sure that the US acts in a manner contrary to world opinion. The vote definitely does not reflect the US opinion, though – and it is time to flex some muscles. Time to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement
BDSMovement.net is born out of the need to offer all those interested and active in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement a shared space for information, analysis, exchange of ideas and experiences. This website is overseen by the steering committee of the Palestinian BDS National Committee and has been adopted as a tool of the ICNP (International Coordinating Network on Palestine) to support efforts of networking and coordination.
Oh, why bother, you may think!
Follow below::
Israel is a small nation with limited availability of natural resources. It is therefore highly dependent on trade – more so than most other nations. South Africa – a much bigger nation, rich in resources – eventually succumbed to the international pressure to end apartheid. Ironically, there were very tight bonds between Israel and South Africa during the apartheid regime. For some unexplained reason it now seems as if Israel is tracing South Africa’s steps into apartheid, rather than out of it.
Anyway, most of the site’s readers are familiar with Naomi Klein – not the least because of her fairly recent book, The Shock Doctrine – an absolute ‘must read’.
In her op-ed in the Guardian today, she comes out strongly in support of such actions:
It’s time. Long past time. The best strategy to end the increasingly bloody occupation is for Israel to become the target of the kind of global movement that put an end to apartheid in South Africa. In July 2005 a huge coalition of Palestinian groups laid out plans to do just that. They called on “people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the apartheid era”. The campaign Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions was born.
Read her article to see the arguments against the most common objections to such action:
- Punitive measures will alienate rather than persuade Israelis.
- Israel is not South Africa.
- Boycotts sever communication; we need more dialogue, not less.
And there are signs that BDS will soon become a potent factor in this conflict.
The removal of Coca-Cola from thousands of restaurants in Malaysia in protest at US support for Israel will hurt the local economy, the company has said.
The drinks company was responding to boycotts of US-made goods called by Muslim groups in Malaysia.
[…]
Former leader Mahathir Mohamad has also called for a global boycott of the US dollar and US products.
Norway has been the site of a flurry of Palestine solidarity activism and BDS initiatives over the past week, as tens of thousand of people have called for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Oslo, and major trade unions are mobilizing in support of a comprehensive boycott and divestment campaign.
[…]
POLITICAL STRIKE: Thursday ALL trains in the whole of Norway, and all trams
and subways in Oslo, will stand still for two minutes as a result of a
political strike organized by the Norwegian Locomotive Union and the Oslo
Tram Workers Union in protest of the Israeli invasion of Gaza.A large selection of Norwegian trade unions and organizations has endorsed a
new campaign for the withdrawal of all State investments in Israel. The call
is endorsed by so far 6 of the largest national trade unions.The Union of Trade and Office Workers calls on all members to ask their
employers to remove Israeli produtcts from stores. The union is the by far
largest union of workers in all types of private and public stores in
Norway.The confederation of Norwegian Trade Unions (LO), with apr. 1/5 of the whole
Norwegian population as members, condemns the Israeli bombing and invasion
in Gaza and calls for demonstrations.The Norwegian Church has protested Israels invasion of Gaza and was,
according to media, “called to the carpet” by the Israeli embassador.
Where else have people had enough of the war crimes
Israel’s current assault on the Gaza Strip cannot be justified by self-defense. Rather, it involves serious violations of international law, including war crimes. Senior Israeli political and military leaders may bear personal liability for their offenses, and they could be prosecuted by an international tribunal, or by nations practicing universal jurisdiction over grave international crimes. Hamas fighters have also violated the laws of warfare, but their misdeeds do not justify Israel’s acts.
[Yes! – of all places – that is an op-ed from today’s Wall Street Journal!]
Have you started already?
I encourage all those who think there is any kind of popular support for Hamas in the world to go ahead and try to arrange sanctions and boycotts. I think you’ll find that very, very few people will cooperate and that it won’t make a bit of difference. The anti-Semites are very vocal, but they are an inconsequential minority with virtually no influence. But go ahead and try. Israel has withstood much worse in its history. It won’t make any difference. The world will be laughing at you.
Another delightful comic moment by mikep – thanks, Mike, for once again providing the comic relief we all need!
This is such a naive post it is troublesome to respond.
Did you ever hear about the military occupation that is going on and its purpose, the colonization of the remainder of what is left of historical Palestine? Or the killings that it has taken to pursue this goal on Israel part?
Hamas is only Israel’s latest red herring to avoid international calls for peace negotiations and a two state solution. This attempt to deviate the world’s attention from its colonialism is apparently just not working, and so, the DBS movement continues and enlarges. South Africa saw the same thing happen in the 80s.
Shergald, mikep is a commedian who periodically drops by to allow us all to have a little laugh. Comic relief, you know?
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Posts on a number of blogs such as RedState, European Tribune and
AlterNet.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."He is one of those zioclones who go around posting nonsense everywhere. Wonder if he gets paid for it.
Best to laugh at him or ignore him. Nothing he posts is even worth debating.
It’s time for boycott. Israel has given the world their middle finger. Well, it works both ways. Fuck them.
Israel just warned Gaza to brace for war escalation.
This is sickening. Let’s be real, call it for what it is – Palestinian extermination.
Even the Vatican’s Ambassador warned Israel that “they’ve turned Gaza into a Concentration Camp..the once oppressed are now oppressors”
It’s time for the money vote:
Say no to more American tax dollars for Israel, including arms sales. Cut off the pledged $30 billion — $3 billion per year over the next ten years. Unions should refuse to unload or service any airlines flying into Israel. Buy nothing of Israel origin.
The only thing Israelis understands is money. World opinion means nothing.
And don’t give me that crap that Israel has endured worst in history. Gazans are human beings. How unconscionable can Israel’s Ashkenazi Jews be? Never again is their battle cry. Well it’s happening, the Jews are engaging in Palestinians ethnic cleansing.
It’s a dark day for all Jews worldwide.
This Israel Gaza action is not over rockets. In the last 8 years 17 Israelis died from rockets. This war is over natural gas. A significant find off the coast of Gaza — one trillion cubic feet — equivalent to one hundred and fifty million barrels of oil. Hamas is in the way. Israel’s puppet, Abbas is ready to sign on the dotted line.
This is not just Israel’s theft of land and natural resources. It’s a theft of all moral and human dignity.
Israel has stolen humanity and all things once considered sacred.
I pity you if you think the world sides with Israel.
I think this is a great idea & I intend to lend my support right away.
I think this is a great way of providing PEOPLE a mechanism to do what their GOVERNMENTS won’t.
“The ocean & I have many pebbles…”
I have been boycotting Israeli products for decades, and suggesting it to others who are upset by Israel’s actions. It is one of the small things that anyone can do without taking too much time, or making a lot of sacrifices.
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(Haaretz) 23 dec. 2008 – Britain has stepped up inspections of Israeli imports to make sure products from West Bank settlements not enter duty-free. In addition to random inspections of Israeli goods by the British tax authority, Britain has taken the lead in trying to get the European Union to set labeling standards to make clear to consumers which products come from Israel and which come from settlements in the West Bank.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.".
ASTAKOS, Greece (Reuters) – In the tender documents, the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) said the ship was to carry 325 standard 20-foot containers of what is listed as “ammunition” on two separate journeys from the Greek port of Astakos to the Israeli port of Ashdod in mid-to-late January.
Air Force Lt. Col. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, said he would not comment on shipping routes for security reasons but confirmed a shipment of ammunition to Israel was planned.
“The delivery of ammunition is to a pre-positioned U.S. munitions stockpile in Israel in accordance with a congressionally authorized 1990 agreement between the U.S. and Israel,” Ryder said.
“This previously scheduled shipment is routine and not in support of the current situation in Gaza.”
The shipment originated in the United States, Ryder said. He provided no further details on the intended cargo.
A “hazardous material” designation on the manifest mentions explosive substances and detonators but gives no other details.
≈ Cross-posted from my diary — Israel Deliberate Targeting of Refugees ≈
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."You guys crack me up. I’ve never heard such uninformed, infantile nonsense in my life. But if you don’t want to hear other opinions, that’s fine. I have no problem with that. Lots of other sources of amusement out there, and plenty of places where mature people engage in serious discussion. I’m outta here. Enjoy.
One final comment though, since I can’t resist. Since you call yourself “progressives” (what a joke), are you aware that the people you are supporting and allying yourself with are profoundly misogynist, profoundly homophobic, profoundly anti-democratic, profoundly anti-progressive in every sense of the word? But I guess that’s where you’re really at. Get all the women into burkas, kill all the gays, destroy democracy and the rule of law. Set up a totalitarian world where different opinions are not allowed. Well, good luck with it. Enjoy preaching to yourselves. Thank god no one is paying attention.
Mikep, YOU crack US up! You are funnier than Stephen Colbert!
Well, we’ll miss the entertainment. People with grand delusions, living in denial are often tragic to watch. But you’re hilarious.
” …are you aware that the people you are supporting and allying yourself with are profoundly misogynist, profoundly homophobic, profoundly anti-democratic, profoundly anti-progressive in every sense of the word? …”
So your argument is that they are “sub-human” & deserve extermination (or, at least, to be ‘cleansed’ from “the Land of Israel”)?
Hmmm .. where have I heard that argument before? Sounds familiar somehow …
That argument, which is made ever so subtly by the Israelis (as well as by you), is one of the reasons I oppose the State of Israel.
As far as Palestinian misogyny, homophobia & conservatism goes – I don’t think I’d find them any worse than … oh, say, the average white male resident of Alabama.
Hardly an excuse for 50 years of atrocity & suffering the Israelis have visited on these people.
God! This IS hillarious! Profoundly undemocratic! Really. One of only two democratically elected governments in the Arab world (Lebanon being the other) is “profoundly undemocratic”. And the people – Hamas – who willingly participated in a democratic election, won, and immediately had their newly-elected ministers and parliamentarians arrested by the tens by “the only democracy in the Middle East”, which also imposed a medieval siege to collectively punish the people for electing them, then were subjected to a putsch instigated and sponsored by the aforementioned “only democracy” and its powerful North American ally – why, they are, I am sure, even MORE profoundly anti-Democratic.
That Mikep really IS a comedian!
As for the other stereotype, the misogyny, I guess Mikep has never met a Palestinian woman – or a Palestinian man for that matter.
Agreed – the rich irony of “undemocratic because we don’t like who you elected” is truly something to behold.
As to the issue of conflating the attitudes of, oh .. say, the Saudis with those of the Palestinians; that’s another issue entirely.
It’s clear that mikep likes his facts cartoon-simple, so that he can make his judgements quick-like & stick to ’em, then get back to the real work clearing brush. Life is a lot easier that way.