We, Palestinians, Jews, citizens of Israel, join the Palestinian call for a BDS campaign against Israel, inspired by the struggle of South Africans against apartheid. We also call on others to do the same.
We are devoted to the promotion of just peace and true democracy in this region. We are particularly opposed to Western governments' decision to boycott the Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, most especially in besieged Gaza. This is particularly outrageous given the same Western governments' prolonged support of Israel's apartheid and other daily violations of international law.
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Campaigns
December 13, 2010
To Adidas International Headquarters ([email protected]),
We are a group of Israeli citizens who support the Palestinian 2005 Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it complies with international law and universal principles of human rights. We have noticed the mounting campaign [1] against your company's sponsorship of the Jerusalem Marathon scheduled to be held in March, 2011. Going through the settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev in occupied East Jerusalem, to the background view of the illegal apartheid and annexation wall, and circling the Hebrew University, which is built on land belonging to the East Jerusalem neighborhood Issawiyah - this marathon boasts of the Israeli illegal control and occupation of the oppressed indigenous Palestinian population of East Jerusalem. Indeed, as the campaigners noted, the marathon aids and abets a violation of international law, namely the war crime described by article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states: “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies”.
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Statement
Tindersticks cancelled their Tel-Aviv shows
Dear Stuart Staples, David Boulter, and Neil Fraser of Tindersticks,
We are a group of Israeli citizens who support the Palestinian Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) on Israel, as a means of bringing to an end the decades-long systematic oppression of the Palestinian people, which occurs daily in our name. We were surprised to learn about your upcoming performances in Israel and urge you not to let your music become part of the Israeli facade of normalcy, enabling the ongoing and ruthless oppression of the Palestinian people.
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Statement
Dear officials of Leiden University,
We are a group of Israeli citizens. It has recently been brought to our attention that Leiden University had decided to host a special lecture at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University on Thursday 25/11, commemorating a speech by Professor Rudolph Pabus Cleveringa during the Second World War, in which he protested the removal of Jewish faculty members.
The statement issued by Leiden University reads as follows:
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Campaigns
Dear participants of the Tel-Aviv Epos International Art Film Festival,
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General
On july 9 2005, the Palestinian Boycott National Committee (BNC) issued its unified call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions from Israel, demanding full rights for Palestinians.
It is particularly troubling that the Cape Town Opera House decided to perform in Tel Aviv, with no other play than Porgy and Bess.
As the opera did not heed Desmond Tutu's call to cancel the show, a group of Israeli BDS supporters decided to emancipate the songs on opening night.
Watch it on youtube!
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Statement
“It behooves all South Africans, themselves erstwhile beneficiaries of generous international support, to stand up and be counted among those contributing actively to the cause of freedom and justice…we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians” (Nelson Mandela, Pretoria, 4th December, 1997)
Dear singers, musicians and other members of the Cape Town Opera,
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General
By Emily Schaeffer
The call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel is gaining momentum. At the same time, it is widely misinterpreted, unfortunately by skeptics, opponents and proponents alike.The basic premise behind BDS movements initiated by civil society is that they are a grassroots, international, non-violent means of expressing stern disapproval of a country’s choice to oppress or discriminate against a group of people in contravention of international law and principles of equality, humanity and justice – with the hopes of bringing about positive change. The idea is to refuse to normalize interactions with such a country until it aligns its behavior with these laws and standards. Ideally, it is a short-term action because the change sought is achieved. Such was the case in South Africa, and so too do BDS supporters aspire regarding Israel.
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Statement
October 27, 2010 Dear Chester Bennington, Brad Delson, Joe Hahn, Mike Shinoda, Rob Bourdon and David Farrell of Linkin Park,
We are a group of over 150 Israeli citizens, who support the Palestinian United Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it complies with international law and universal principles of human rights1. On November 15 your band Linkin Park is scheduled to perform in Tel-Aviv, Israel, thus undermining the most unified Palestinian form of non-violent struggle, which has already gained substantial recognition across the globe. We therefore urge you to cancel your Israel show, which is inevitably a show of support for Israel's apartheid.
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Campaigns
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September 14, 2010
To the board and member theatres of the European Theatre Convention (ETC),
We, Jews, Palestinians, citizens of Israel, write to you today asking you to cancel the Israeli theatre The Cameri's membership of the ETC, due to The Cameri's implicit and now also explicit role in sustaining the occupation of Palestine and the oppression of the Palestinian people.
As you may already know, on Wednesday, August 25, an Israeli newspaper revealed1 that the major theatres in the country, including The Cameri, are to perform in the newly established cultural centre of Ariel. Ariel is one of the largest settlements in the occupied West Bank, located approximately 16 kilometres east of the internationally recognized “green line”, on expropriated agricultural Palestinian land. As any other settlement for Jews-Only, Ariel's existence is in itself a violation of international law, breaching article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which prohibits an occupier from transferring it's own civilian population into occupied territories. Ariel regularly contaminates Palestinian water and agricultural lands2. Moreover, the West Bank separation wall and the roads for Israelis only that surround it form severe restrictions on Palestinian freedom of movement and further expropriate Palestinian lands and resources. In 2004 the international court of Justice in Hague ruled the Israeli-built West Bank separation wall to be entirely illegal as well.