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The Global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against the Apartheid state of Israel has re-issued it's call to the world:

Now, more than ever, the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee, BNC, calls upon international civil society not just to protest and condemn in diverse forms Israel's massacre in Gaza, but also to join and intensify the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions ( BDS) campaign against Israel to end its impunity and to hold it accountable for its persistent violation of international law and Palestinian rights. Without sustained, effective pressure by people of conscience the world over, Israel will continue with its gradual, rolling acts of genocide against the Palestinians, burying any prospects for a just peace under the blood and rubble of Gaza, Nablus and Jerusalem.

There are many challanges to organizing, and more importantly sustaining, a boycott campaign. On the consumer level, the key is finding the right target. There is a new one to add to the list (for the ladies mainly): L'Oreal.

In this holiday season, the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee, BNC*, calls upon people of conscience all over the world to boycott all the products of the French cosmetics giant, L'Oreal**, due to its deep and extensive involvement in business relations with Israel, despite the latter’s continued occupation and apartheid policies against the indigenous Palestinian people.

L’Oreal’s operations in Israel began in the mid-1990s, motivated in part by political considerations. Since then, L'Oreal Israel, the company’s subsidiary in Israel, has operated a factory in the Israeli town of Migdal Ha'emek in the Lower Galilee. The settlement of Migdal Ha'emek was established in 1952 on lands belonging to the ethnically-cleansed Palestinian village of al-Mujaydil, whose original inhabitants are still denied the right to return to their homes. Like almost all other Jewish settlements built in the midst of Palestinian villages in the Galilee, inside Israel, Migdal Ha’emek discriminates against Palestinian citizens of Israel, denying them the right to buy, rent or live on any part of the town, simply because they are “non Jews.”

L'Oreal Israel manufacturers a line of products using Dead Sea minerals under the name "Natural Sea Beauty" that is exported to 22 countries. It should be noted that one third of the western shore of the Dead Sea lies in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. While the entire shore and its resources are systematically closed to Palestinians by Israeli military occupation and apartheid practices, Israel exploits the Dead Sea for international tourism, mining, and improving its image.

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L'Oreal brands are listed on their website; they include The Body Shop (believe it or not!), Lancome, Diesel and Ralph Lauren.

Students and striking workers picket Starbucks at LSE

Photo credit: La Lutte Continue!

Students and striking local government workers united to picket a London School of Economics (LSE) event in Starbucks on Kingsway, Holborn last week, in opposition to their support for the state of Israel's occupation of Palestine.

The LSE Annual Fund and Alumni Relations departments had teamed up with Starbucks to offer an "afternoon of free coffee and cake tasting for Postgraduates," in a clear attempt by the global coffee chain to undermine the role of the LSE Students' Union as the primary supplier of refreshments on LSE's campus.

Students have previously expressed outrage at LSE Director Howard Davies' active support of organizations complicit with Israel's occupation of Palestine. Davies, a member of the National Council of the Academic Study Group of the Friends of Israel Education Foundation, has previously refused the School's endorsement of informal links established between LSE academics and Birzeit University in Palestine. The Academic Study Group was founded in 1977 for the "promotion of new collaborations" with Israeli institutions. Israeli human rights groups have accused these institutions of being "part and parcel of Israel's colonial system of oppression against the Palestinians."

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Meanwhile, Starkbucks CEO and Chairman Howard Schulze is renowned for actively supporting the Zionist occupation of Palestine. In 1998 he was honored by the Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah with "The Israel 50th Anniversary Friend of Zion Tribute Award" for his services to the Zionist state in "playing a key role in promoting close alliance between the United States and Israel." The Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah funds Israeli arms fairs and the Zionist propaganda website, honestreporting.com. Schulz's work as a propagandist for Israel has been praised by the Israeli Foreign Ministry as being key to Israel's long-term PR success. In 2002, whilst the Israeli army was slaughtering Palestinians in Jenin, Nablus and Bethlehem he made a provocative speech blaming the Palestinians of terrorism, suggesting the intifada was a manifestation of anti- Semitism, and asked people to unite behind Israel. Starbucks still continues to support Zionism by sponsoring fund raisers for Israel.

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UNISON activist and former LSE student, James Caspell stated: "Whilst we are striking over fair pay, students and workers in Britain should unite and show solidarity with our Palestinian comrades at every opportunity, who live in effective open air prisons and denied of basic material security."

LSE Students' Union is twinned with An-Najah University in the West Bank, and last year voted to divest from companies operating in Israel or providing the state with arms.

Complete article at Electronic Intifada

Great to see union activits and students working together for a just cause. Also, I can't believe LSE managed to twin with An-Najah considering their zionist-sympathetic director.

Invest in Peace, Divest from Occupation

The BDS movement (Boycott Divestment Sanctions) against Apartheid Israel has been gaining incredible momentum this past year. Most recently, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers voted to support the boycott movement, which makes it the first national union in North America to do so - a historical moment.

Jewish Voice for Peace has recently launched a blog, Invest for Peace, to support American churches and Christian communities with their brave BDS initiatives. Check it out here.

What I really like about this campaign is that it gives the BDS movement a face, literally. JVP is requesting allies to post a short message along with their photo on the blog:

This week, Methodists have a chance to make history, but they need your support. They are gathering at their General Conference, a meeting that takes place once every four years, to make policy decisions for their 11.5 million member denomination.

They have already felt the sting of charges of anti-semitism for taking principled stands on the Israeli occupation, as well as considering selective divestment.

They need to hear from Jews and allies who are willing to stand up, tell the truth, and act for justice.

We've created a website for Methodist delegates (and Presbyterian delegates who are meeting in June) called "Invest in Peace."

Please send a photo and a short, positive message of support for our blog www.investinpeace.org. You can do this easily by sending an e-mail to investinpeace@jewishvoiceforpeace.org with a photograph attached and your personalized message in the body.

I think what the photo does is re-emphasize the fact that the Palestinian supporters are a diverse group of people from different faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds all of whom realize the injustices committed by Israel against the Palestinians and are not willing to remain silent about it. At the end of the day, this is what the global BDS movement is all about.

I'm sure JVP could use all the support they can get!

Looks as Though We Are Down to 3439673 Reasons to NOT Shop at Wal-Mart

I stated in a previous post that there were 3439674 reasons for people of conscience to not shop at Wal-Mart. There's good news, the number of reasons has dropped to 3439673:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is dropping a controversial effort to collect over $400,000 in health care reimbursement from a former employee who suffered brain damage in a traffic accident.

The world's largest retailer said in a letter to the family of Deborah Shank of Cape Girardeau County in Missouri that it will not seek to collect money the Shanks won in an injury lawsuit against a trucking company for the accident.

Wal-Mart's top executive for human resources, Pat Curran, wrote that Shank's extraordinary situation had made the company re-examine the situation.

Full Story: STL Today

Please do not get me wrong. We should still be avoiding Wal-Mart as though it is the Black Plague. The list of legitimate criticisms against this corporate monster is endless.

Rather this news should be seen as an inspiration, a reminder that the power of the people and bad PR is still a force to be reckoned with.

The Great Israeli Boycott V.2.0

Recently I started getting emails from friends and people about the "The Great Israeli Boycott.” I thought to myself “it’s take two ya’all.” However, I think the sincere efforts of the activists were to re-ignite the first Israeli boycott by introducing a version 2.0. The following are some thoughts that arise from this new investment in a tried and true social movement tool.

On the outset, this is criticism based on “been there, done that”. No endorsement, rather ideas and a call for a larger Muslim activist discussion on the topic of the methodology of Boycotting Israel. Here is what you can expect.

1. Lessons- Ashes of Failure

• Boycott 101
• Apartheid South Africa
• Arab Boycott of Israel

2. Lessons- Shimmer of Hope
3. Great Israeli Boycott v.2.0


Lessons of the Ashes of Failure

I remember six years ago I was part of the first ISRAELI BOYCOTT. I seem to be still part of that, though, I have to say in hindsight that first time we had it all wrong. As college students we rallied around a great idea, but I felt then as I do now, that we are not creatively approaching this issue of Israel and Americans/America's tacit support- BLIND- of all things Israel. Here is why we failed the first time with the boycott.

Boycott 101

The definition of a "boycott" is "the act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with someone or some other organization as an expression of protest." As we Palestinian activist know, this definitely is our intent- as an expression of protest toward Israeli Occupation and violence (the recent Baby Butcher’s Raiding Parties of Gaza along with the past 60 years of occupation, violence, dehumanization, assassinations and demolitions along with a list of other things).


The BOYCOTT became a popular political western term- by definition- during the Irish Land war against an absentee land owners (someone who didn’t live in Ireland on his estate but rather in England, but collected taxes on everything and everyone there). This land lord had a crusty old guy looking over the property by name of Captain Boycott.


The Irish folk basically organized, rallying to socially ostracize Boycott, by stopping work, stopped paying taxes, even delivering mail to the crusty old man. The purpose of all this was a demand in reduction in rent. Unable to do anything, 1000 policemen escorted volunteers to come pick his harvest. At the end all of this was pointless since it cost him and the Earl more money. He left Ireland and his name to the idea of social isolation of someone/ something for political/economic benefit.


From Islamic history, the Seerah, of the profit we can trace the practice of the boycott against the Muslims.


According to tradition, the leaders of Makhzum and Abd Shams, two important clans of Quraysh, declared a public boycott against the clan of Banu Hashim, their commercial rival, in order to put pressure on the clan to withdraw its protection from Muhammad SAW. The boycott lasted for three years but eventually collapsed mainly because it was not achieving its purpose.


The reason it was not achieving its purpose was because many sympathetic tribe members were sneaking in goods to the Muslims. We know that the following year was known as the “year of Sorrow” because of the death of the Kadijah RA and Abu Talib the Prophet SAW uncle. That is our heritage.


In the British colonies of America (the future US) there was the “No Taxation without Representation” and the “Slave manufactured goods” boycott. Ghandi led a boycott of East India trading company goods, including the Salt Satyagraha, where after declaring independence on January 20, 1950 Gandi led a march against the “salt tax” that the British imposed on the Indians, walking 400 kilometers spreading the word of the non-violent boycott of British tax on salt- a staple for ALL communities in India. Coming to Ocean, Gandi began the process of making his own salt, thus avoiding the tax. The British responded by imprisoning 60,000 people.


Another famous boycott includes the Montgomery Bus boycott. You can read all about it here.

Then there was the complex action against Apartheid South Africa, and also the Arab Trade boycott of Israel- yes you didn’t know? I hope to discuss a bit more in depth in the next post. Your thoughts on the first Boycott...and any other actions that might have taken place against Israel.

The Gaza Genocide

I find it very hard to describe or comment on what is happening in words...after watching the footage of children being taken to hospitals and morgues on stretchers and then hearing the deftening silence from the rest of the world...what can I say? I guess the more important question is, what can I do?

Two articles on Electronic Intifada provide some insight, although, it really doesn't take a genius political analyst to understand the situation because Israel no longer cares about hiding, or justifying its brutal measures, and the rest of the world does not even pretend to care. They're too busy preparing for Israel's 60th anniversary celebration, or slapping more restrictions on Iran for developing imaginary nuclear weapons.

The Gaza Genocide, by Laila Haddad - excerpts:

Is it only when Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai used the word shoah to describe what will come to Gaza that some media outlets took note. Here was an Israeli government official himself invoking the Holocaust, of his people's most horrific massacre, in reference to the fate of Gaza.

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It is as though what has been happening in Gaza -- what continues to happen -- whether by way of the deliberate and sustained siege and blockade, or the mounting civilian death toll, is acceptable, and even encouraged. Israeli historian Ilan Pappe has said that genocide "is the only appropriate way to describe what the Israeli army is doing in the Gaza Strip" after much thought and deliberation.

But the real genocide in Gaza cannot or will not be assessed through sheer numbers. It is not a massacre of gas chambers. No.

It is a slow and calculated genocide -- a genocide through more calibrated, long-term means. And if the term is used in any context, it should be this. In many ways, this is a more sinister genocide, because it tends to be overlooked: all is ok in Gaza, the wasteland, the hostile territory that is accustomed to slaughter and survival; Gaza, whose people are somehow less human; we should not take note, need not take note, unless there is a mass killing or starvation.

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The Time for Worldwide Boycott is Now, by Omar Barghouti

Going back to the question of whether anything should and could be done to stop Israel, the answer is a certain yes. South African apartheid crimes were challenged not only by the heroic struggle of the oppressed masses on the ground in South Africa; they were also fought by worldwide campaigns of boycott, divestment and sanctions against the regime, with all its complicit economic, academic, cultural, and athletic institutions. Similarly, international civil society can, and ought to, apply the same measures of non-violent justice to bring about Israel's compliance with international law and basic human rights. Even the threat of sanctions has proven effective enough in the past to halt Israel's repeated campaigns of death and devastation.

Complete article here

B.I.G. campaign against Israeli products in Ann Arbor

Anne Remley, left, and Linda Wotring, both of Ann Arbor, stand out in front of the People's Food Co-op on Fourth Avenue in Ann Arbor, with a photograph of two Palestinian women sitting a pile of rubble that once was their home. The pair are heading a group from Ann Arbor called B.I.G., Boycott Israeli Goods.

[LON HORWEDEL/ANN ARBOR NEWS]

It all started last winter when a few shoppers noticed some Israeli couscous for sale.

They formed a group called Boycott Israeli Goods, stood outside the co-op and collected about 600 signatures of co-op members who believe the issue should be put to a vote. That was enough to force a referendum on the issue among the nearly 6,000 members.

BIG member Anne Remley said the campaign highlights the need to show resistance to Israel's military occupation of Palestinian land.

"We are inviting the members of the co-op to stand up for Palestinian human rights and to send that message to the government of Israel from the well-informed, ethical, caring people who tend to be co-op members," said Remley, a co-op member for 36 years.

Read on at mlive.com

An inspiring example of a grass-roots boycott movement against the illegal Israeli occupation in Palestine. Collectively, such small efforts make a big difference.

Above all, it's good to know that despite all the Zionist propaganda in the US, average Americans are catching on to the worldwide BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement against the Apartheid State of Israel.