Economic Boycott of Israel Works: 21% of Israeli Exporters Affected

[ProgressiveMuslim]

Written by Alternative Information Center (AIC)
Sunday, 29 March 2009


The Marker 21% of Israeli exporters have been directly affected by the boycott movement since the beginning of 2009. So reports today (29 March) The Marker, a Hebrew-language economic newspaper.

This number is based on a poll of 90 Israeli exporters in fields such as high tech, metals, construction materials, chemistry, textile and foods. The poll was conducted in January-February 2009 by the Israeli Union of Industrialists.

The AIC is working to receive a copy of this poll, and will translated and distribute relevant sections of it in service of the global boycott movement.

http://www.alternativenews.org/content/view/1665/381/

[Jefferson23]

1. "This international backing must stop.That is the only way to stop the insatiable Israeli violence"

I think it is important to add the list of names of Israeli citizens who support an economic boycott. My hope is that the list will become much longer, the names below include scholars and artists.


We are calling on the world to stop Israeli violence and not allow the continuation of the brutal occupation. We call on the world to Condemn and not become an accomplice in Israel's crimes.

In light of the above, we call on the world to implement the call by Palestinian human rights organizations which urges:

• "The UN Security Council to call an emergency session and adopt concrete measures, including the imposition of sanctions, in order to ensure Israel's fulfillment of its obligations under international humanitarian law.
• The High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfill their obligation under common Article 1 to ensure respect for the provisions of the Conventions, taking appropriate measures to compel Israel to abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, in particular placing pivotal importance on the respect and protection of civilians from the effects of the hostilities.
• The High Contracting Parties to fulfill their legal obligation under Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention to prosecute those responsible for grave breaches of the Convention.
• EU institutions and member states to make effective use of the European Union Guidelines on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law (2005/C 327/04) to ensure Israel complies with international humanitarian law under paragraph 16 (b), (c) and (d) of these guidelines, including the adoption of immediate restrictive measures and sanctions, as well as cessation of all upgrade dialogue with Israel. "

Signed by 540 Israeli citizens (first list):

Avital Aboody, Sami Abu Shehadeh, Moshe Adler, Haim Adri, Gali Agnon, Bilha Aharoni, Hagit Aharoni, Saida Ahmed, Danny Aisner, Orna Akad, Aviv Aldema, Ra'anan Alexandrowicz, Joseph Algazy, Omer Allon, Dan Almagor, Orly Almi, Tali Almi, Tamar Almog, Udi Aloni, Yuli Aloni-Primor, Colman Altman, Janina Altman, Ahmad Amara, Eitan Amiel, Nitza Aminov, Gish Amit, Yossi Amitay, Naama Arbel, Tal Arbel, Rana Asali, Maisoon Assadi, Keren Assaf, Zohar Atai, Najla Atamnah, Rutie Atsmon, Michal Aviad, Hanna Aviram, Jasmin Avissar, Amira Bahat, Noam Bahat, Daniela Bak, Abeer Baker, Saleh Bakri, Rim Banna, Oshra Bar, Yoav Barak, Daphna Baram, Michal Bareket, Hila Bargiel, Ronny Bar-Gil, Yoram Bar-Haim, Ronnie Barkan, Osnat Bar-Or, Racheli Bar-or, Yossi Bartal, Raji Bathish, Dalit Baum, Shlomit Bauman, Esther Ben Chur, Hagit Ben Yaacov, Tal Ben Zvi, Yael Ben-Zvi, Avner Ben-Amos, Ronnen Ben-Arie, Ur Ben-Ari-Tishler, Ofra Ben-Artzi, Yotam Ben-David, Smadar Ben-Natan, Shmuel Ben Yitzchak, Avi Berg, Daniel Berger, Tamar Berger, Anat Biletzki, Itai Biran, Rotem Biran, Shany Birenboim, Rozeen Bisharat, Yafit Gamilah Biso, Liran Bitton, Simone Bitton, Yahaacov Bitton, Rani Bleier, Yempa Boleslavsky, Hagit Borer, Ido Bornstein, Irith Bouman, Haim Bresheeth, Aya Breuer, Shlomit Breuer, Dror Burstein,

list continues here:http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/658-a-call-from-within-signed-by-israeli-citizens

[Igel]

2. This, of course, says nothing about the actual effect of the boycot.

Or whether the effects are something new. After all, Most Arab countries have boycotted Israel for what, the last 60 years?

[Jim Sagle]

3. What a foul campaign of extermination by economic means.

[Sezu]

4. At the recent Arab summit, Bashir was given blanket immunity

and well wishes by most if not all of the Arab countries there despite the fact he is OFFICIALLY wanted as a war criminal.. Anyone hear about any boycotts against these harborers of a war criminal.

"Arab summit backs Sudan's Bashir over warrant
By Andrew Hammond
DOHA (Reuters) - An Arab summit voiced support for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on Monday, rejecting an international arrest warrant issued against him for alleged war crimes in Dar fur.


Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir attends the final session of an Arab summit in Doha March 30, 2009. An Arab summit voiced support for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on Monday, rejecting an international arrest warrant issued against him for alleged war crimes in Darfur. (REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah)
"We reiterate our solidarity with Sudan and our rejection of the measure of the ... International Criminal Court against his Excellency (Bashir)," said a final statement read at the summit in Qatar's capital Doha.

Bashir thanked the summit, saying the warrant issued against him "targets Sudan's national unity" and promised action to solve Sudan's problems. "We will try to do all we can to realise peace in all Sudan," he said.

Bashir flew to the small Gulf Arab state on Sunday after visits to Egypt, Eritrea and Libya in the weeks since the warrant, accusing him of masterminding war crimes, was issued."

Yeah, didn't think so.

[shira]

8. Youtube: So you want to boycott Israel?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcHwyW9xOyI

If you're going to do it, do it right.

:eyes:

[Tripmann]

9. And what did you consider the boycott of south african goods....

...to protest apartheid? I'd use the term 'extermination' more appropriately if I were you. Attempts to tie every action of protest against israeli agression to the holocaust is a nonsense that doesn't carry much weight around here. Myself and many people I know have stopped buying Israeli produce since the new year as a means of protest, nothing more.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

10. Wow Jim. If you think peaceful means of protest are "extermination" I'd love to hear how you

describe Israel's massacre in Gaza.

[Neo Atheist]

16. and Hamas didn't do anything wrong, right?

[shaayecanaan]

5. I noticed on my supermarket shelves this week...

there was a dairy-free chocolate brand that had disappeared. It is produced in Israel - I used to buy it as I don't tolerate dairy very well. I stopped buying it after Gaza. I imagine enough people did the same - I presume that the market for vegan chocolate is pretty left-leaning anyway.

[grassfed]

6. Israeli grapefruit sold as 'Produce of Cyprus'

Israeli grapefruit sold as 'Produce of Cyprus'

FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE 17.MAR.09
Claims have been made that a leading European supermarket has been palming off Israeli grapefruit to customers as "Produce of Cyprus".

Investigations into the claims are being conducted by Environmental Health Officers from the Health Service Executive, who are under contract to Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

The reason for the alleged scam, is because consumers across Europe have been boycotting Israeli goods since the incursion into Gaza at the start of the year, which left over 1,000 people dead.

Indymedia reports that the Cypriot ambassador to Ireland, Sotos Liassides has referred this matter back to Nicosia and asked the supermarket chain to remove all reference to Cyprus on the grapefruit labels, commenting that the supermarket are "trying desperately to get rid of their Israeli grapefruit stock by presenting it as Cypriot."

http://www.famagusta-gazette.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=69&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=8058&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2350&hn=famagusta-gazette&he=.com

Trader Joe's has a lot of Israeli products - read everything carefully before buying.

[grassfed]

7. The Israeli barcode starts with 729

http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/9

[ProgressiveMuslim]

11. Also reported in Jerusalem Post.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1238354477394&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

And this is just getting started!!

[ProgressiveMuslim]

12. Britain defends West Bank labeling

By JONNY PAUL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT, LONDON
Print Subscribe



The British government has denied reports that a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the labelling of West Bank produce will lead to a boycott of Israeli goods.


The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said on Friday that the roundtable meeting, which is hosted by the Cabinet Office, is only an industry consultation to look at the feasibility of giving the public more details on the origins of produce.

The meeting will also look at ways DEFRA can advise food producers who decide voluntarily that they want to provide the public with more information.

"It is a small roundtable meeting as part of an industry consultation process, to discuss the draft of new, voluntary guidance on origin labelling of produce sourced from the Occupied Palestinian Territories ," a DEFRA spokesman told The Jerusalem Post.


Providing country-of-origin labelling on foods is voluntary in the UK, with some producers choosing to state if a product comes from Israel or the West Bank. DEFRA and the Food Standards Agency provide voluntary guidance and advice on how producers can make origin labelling more informative for consumers.

DEFRA said the guidance is in response to enquiries from the food industry and members of the public regarding what origin should be stated on food and drinks produced and packed in the West Bank.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1238354475939&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[GoesTo11]

13. I recently got a present that was chosen specifically because it was from Israel

Thanks!

For those who want to counter any boycott of Israel, this site has some nice products.

http://www.israeliproducts.com/

Taking a vacation to Israel might be the best way to show your support.

[Tripmann]

14. "Taking a vacation to Israel might be the best way to show your support."

Or maybe send over extra white phosphorous for the IDFs next round of war crimes...

Or maybe send over some more pairs of those magic glasses that make children look like hamas militia...

Yes, yes, lets all show our support to the real victims of the conflict, the Israeli business owners

:sarcasm:

[GoesTo11]

15. No one says you have to go there

But for those who support Israel, even if they don't support everything Israel does, take a nice vacation there. Enjoy the sun and sea in Eilat, take in the culture in Tel Aviv, live the history in Jerusalem, hike the nature in the north and in the Negev, do a spa at the Dead Sea. Find some good luxury hotel or average hotel rates. Not an unpleasant way to drop a couple grand if you were going to take a vacation to the Caribbean or Mexico or Greece instead.

[Kurska]

17. I"m going to Israel this Winter via one of the 2 week birth right programs

Really looking forward to it

[GoesTo11]

18. It will make you more informed about the Israeli side of these discussions.

Good for you. I'll bet you make some great friendships on the program too.

[Kurska]

19. There are such a myraid of good programs out there n/t

[Vegasaurus]

20. My grandsons have done Birthright

and they were life changing.

Have a great trip.

[Violet_Crumble]

31. Thanks for posting that link. I now know what products NOT to buy...

And I won't be vacationing in Israel anytime soon if it means I'd be showing support for what Israel did in Gaza.

[Behind the Aegis]

32. Here is some more things for you to boycott or not buy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcHwyW9xOyI

[Violet_Crumble]

33. That video was remarkably idiotic...

You really have to wonder if the twits that come out with rubbish like that have two brain cells to rub together...

[Behind the Aegis]

34. Probably one more brain cell than those boycotting Israel.

[Violet_Crumble]

35. Very doubtful given the idiotic content of that video...

And considering it was only a few seconds into the thing that they were conflating Israel with Jews and any boycott of Israeli products now with Nazi boycotts of Jewish shops and services in Nazi Germany, it's pretty clear that a gnat would have more brainpower than the twits who produced that thing...

Do you think it's idiotic to boycott Israeli products? Why?

[GoesTo11]

36. Entirely up to you!

Sorry to ruin your plans to vacation in Israel and buy Dead Sea bath salts. But now that you know they would support Israel, how could you spend your money on those things? You also have to check carefully when you buy your Matzo or Hanukkah candles.

[Violet_Crumble]

37. Thank you for acknowledging that I still do have freedom of choice!

I didn't have any plans happening to vacation in Israel, and since Gaza Israel's now moved to the 'won't be going there' category.

I'm not religious, so I don't know why you think I'd be wanting to buy Matzo or Hanukkah candles...

Until Gaza happened, I'd made sure I didn't purchase anything produced by settlers in the West Bank. After Gaza, I'm now taking care when doing my grocery shopping at Woolies that nothing I buy is made in Israel. Not all that hard, considering I don't think there's much made in Israel that gets sold in Woolies, but if I find something that is, I'll buy an alternative made somewhere else. It's done entirely for my own peace of mind and I have no illusions that what I do on an individual level will affect anything, so I'm a bit surprised at the hostility that emerges from some when someone like me decides to make their own small personal stand like this. Like it's not like screaming at me's going to change my mind one bit, and it's not like anyone can force me to buy any product I don't want to...

[Jefferson23]

21. Since a few here are advocating a vacation in Israel, one could

spend their money on a cause that actually tries to bring peace.

Rendezvous Gaza! Support the Free Gaza HOPE FLEET and help SHATTER the Israeli Siege!


Monday, 30 March 2009 14:20 Written by Free Gaza Movement

DEAR FRIENDS: The Free Gaza Movement will again challenge Israel's illegal closure of the Gaza Strip and collective punishment of its civilian population by sailing the HOPE FLEET, a flotilla of passenger and cargo ships, to Gaza at the end of May 2009 - to be followed by freedom riders this summer. We are turning to you, our friends & supporters, to help make Hope come alive.
Our small yet committed group has already made five successful voyages to Gaza, delivering needed human rights workers & humanitarian supplies, taking out Palestinian students and medical patients, and helping to lessen Gaza's terrible isolation from the world. We are confident that with the universal outrage over Israel's massacres in Gaza we will be able to send a flotilla of ships to shatter the siege and deliver a message of international hope and solidarity to the people of Palestine.

March 30th, 2009 marks the BDS (Boycott/Divestment/Sanctions) Global Day of Action against Israeli violence <1>. Responsible BDS actions were used to end apartheid in South Africa. Today, Israeli policies of racism, ethnic cleansing and the brutal military occupation of Palestine demand equally determined & direct action to overcome them. When our governments fail to act, we - the citizens of the world - must stand up and make our voices heard. Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights grants all people the right to leave and return to their own country - a right that Israel summarily denies Palestinians.

We are looking for ships wishing to join the Hope Fleet and sail to Gaza in late May, and we are looking for high-profile people, including parliamentarians and celebrities, who want to join us and demand that a besieged Gaza cannot forever remain an open-air prison with no access to the world. The Free Gaza Movement will continue to challenge Israel's brutal policies. We will go to Gaza again, and again, and again, until the Israeli siege is broken and the people of Gaza have access to the rest of the world.

If you are interested in joining or supporting this action, please email Iristulip(at)gmail.com. We will begin collecting names and information as we ready for this historic voyage. With your help, we will make the HOPE FLEET a reality.

For more information, please visit our website: www.FreeGaza.org

[oberliner]

22. Not sure that they claim to be trying to bring peace

The headline talks of "shattering the siege" - don't see anything about peace in that press release.

[Jefferson23]

23. I guess if you believe that peace will be achieved without the end

of the siege, you'd be correct. Why you would even imagine that would be possible, I do not know.

[oberliner]

24. The one does not necessarily lead to the other

And there are other ways to support bringing an end to the seige than this one.

I would reiterate that they do not mention peace or seeking peace as one of their goals.

The word peace does not appear on their "our mission" page in any form.

[Jefferson23]

25. I would like to hear what other ways you think should be considered.

The objectives, if it is not peace, what do you presume is their goal? As they state:

"delivering needed human rights workers & humanitarian supplies, taking out Palestinian students and medical patients, and helping to lessen Gaza's terrible isolation from the world." "Responsible BDS actions were used to end apartheid in South Africa." The list goes on, appears clear their efforts are not to continue to see Palestinians suffer.

We do know that Israel uses the word "peace", a lot, and we know what that has translated into for the Palestinians, don't we?

[oberliner]

26. How about this?

http://www.onevoicemovement.org/get-involved/

I would also recommend sending donations to charitable organizations such as:

http://www.savethechildren.org/get-involved/fundraising-challenges/alt-ways-to-give-gaza.html

[Jefferson23]

28. You didn't answer my question, which was,

"The objectives, if it is not peace, what do you presume is their goal?"

One Voice, from their website: Throughout the rounds of voting, consensus was found on each of the ten major issues at the heart of the conflict. 76% of Israelis and Palestinians - the same percentage on each side - were found to support a two-state solution.

Issues voted on:

1. End of conflict
2. Education and reconciliation
3. Refugees
4. Holy sites
5. Jerusalem
6. Security
7. End of occupation and terror
8. Settlements
9. Borders
10. Two-state solution

FreeGaza, speaks directly to these issues, if your main objection to FreeGaza was (Boycott/Divestment/Sanctions), you could have just said so from the start.

Keep in mind that FreeGaza includes the International Solidarity Movement.

[oberliner]

29. I'm not sure what their goal is

I think that different people get involved with the group for different reasons (similar to the ISM).

When I was reading about their first trip, I followed the updates that were prepared by Yvonne Ridley for the Iranian PressTV website and I did not get the sense that she was interested in bringing peace to both Palestinians and Israelis. Her agenda was not entirely clear to me, but her rhetoric did not exude peace. I'm not positive that she was speaking as an official representative of the group but I seem to recall her having some sort of spokesperson role.

[Jefferson23]

30. If you object to BDS,

that is one thing, otherwise their goals are in step with OneVoice. How they characterize the actions of Israel may irritate you, that doesn't change the goals they have laid out.

[shira]

27. and Free Gaza would help Palestinians.....how?

so Hamas can bring in more weapons, hide them among civilians, and then exploit those civilians as shields when they attack Israel so that many more Palestinians die? I admit, I don't see how supporting Free Gaza helps Palestinians in either the short or long term. Great for Hamas though.

You mentioned the ISM.

You realize they hang out in the occupied territories and know very well how Hamas exploits civilians as human shields. They know of the tunnels underneath schools, mosques, and homes which Hamas militants use, how they store weapons in schools, mosques, hospitals, and homes....call for human shields to rooftops of IAF targetted buildings, recruit kids for military purposes, fire on Israel from civilian locations, etc......not very nice for Palestinians who aren't warmongers, you know.

And although the ISM is fully aware of the way Hamas victimizes Palestinians, they've never once condemned Hamas for this.

Interesting, huh?

[Vegasaurus]

39. Honor killings, stonings, kidnappings,

no freedom of speech, the press or religion, but the ISM doesn't care at all.

It's all excused for "cultural differences".

[LeftishBrit]

38. I am sympathetic with the aims of Free Gaza; I have some reservations about them in practice

I have a lot of respect for Jeff Halper himself, and support the *aims* of the mission.

My reservations are:

(1) For a small organization, they don't seem to vet their activists very well. I would not trust someone like Yvonne Ridley, who is actively pro-Jihad; and I am concerned that they did not repudiate the support of far-right-winger Phil Tourney.

(2) There are other organizations (established registered charities) that I would think more likely to get the maximum amount of help where it's needed.

The Disasters Emergency Committee has co-ordinated a lot of provision of aid:

www.dec.org.uk


As regards longer-term peace projects, I would also recommend supporting the Alliance for Middle East and/or some of its constituent organizations:

www.allmep.org

and the British Shalom-Salaam Trust

www.bsst.org.uk