Israeli Boycott campaign launched
Boycotts and divestments constitute effective non-violent resistance to the
ongoing occupation and oppression perpetuated by Israel. The educational aspects
of these campaigns can be the most powerful tool to activists to reach out to
consumers and the economic sector. The precedent of the success of this
campaign is found in the major part it played in the abolition of Apartheid in
South Africa. This call to boycott Israeli goods and leisure tourism is herby
launched with a specific and first step: a call to action on one product for the
month of March (Israeli tomatoes on-the-vine).
There are already initiatives of boycotts in many countries. A group of Israeli
Jews and Arabs called last year for a boycott of Israeli products and leisure
tourism (http://www.matzpun.com/ Matzpun is Hebrew for conscience).
Gush Shalom has called for a boycott of settlement products (see
womeningreen.org ).
Some groups in Europe have also called for boycotts (e.g.
bismilah.com,
inminds.com ).
A "Boycott Israeli goods" campaign
was also launched last year by British citizens and members of the British
Parliament (see aquascript.com ).
Divestment campaigns were initiated at Universities in Michigan and California.
The Palestine Right to Return Coalition has been working on asking Intel to
divest and disinvest from Israel. Intel built a plant on land whose owners were
driven out by Israeli forces after the war (see
al-awda.org .
A workshop on boycotts was held at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut on
February 23rd and attended by a number of organizational representatives and
activists. The attendees unanimously agreed to take four specific actions
collectively:
1) We ask all activists to act in March by going to their supermarkets and
looking for Israeli tomatoes (box should say 'Made in Israel' or 'Carmel
tomatoes' especially for tomatoes on-the-vine). Explain to the store manager
your objections to the presence of Israeli products while Israel violates human
rights and International law and practices apartheid. Ask them to replace this
product with equivalent products not produced in Israel. This will be a first
and concerted effort involving all activists to kick off our boycott Israeli
Goods campaign.
2) We will set-up a web page for the Boycott Israeli Goods (BIG) campaign which
will include: a) Frequently asked questions about boycotts, b) list of products
and companies, c) step by step instructions for actions (e.g. divestments,
leafletting), d) a petition and database of supporters, e) specific alerts
3) We need help in doing this and we have set-up a listserve for people who are
interested in helping (e.g. with the web-page, with drafting alerts, with data
gathering). To join this volunteer group, please send a blank message to
BoycottIsraeliGoods-subscribe@yahoogroups.com (this list will be restricted
solely to organize boycotts and divestment actions).
4) This project will be inclusive of all interested groups and organizations.
Thus, we ask your organization to join this effort. If you are a member of an
organization, please ask them to endorse this and to join by having a
representative on the committee (see #3). A list of organizational endorsements
will be publicized on the webpage (in planning).
BoycottIsraeliGoods@yahoogroups.com |
