The working class movement in Turkey is starting to join the Boycott Against Israel Campaign. While the working class movements around the world has escalated the campaign against Israel by refusing to unload Israeli cargo ships, the Dock Workers Union “Liman-Is“ is the latest union in Turkey joining the anti apartheid, anti racist campaign against the state of Israel.
The recent campaign against Israel started by the left and progressive organizations is beginning to get support from the workers’ unions as well. The movement against Israeli apartheid was successful in bringing the entire spectrum of the left against Israel’s racist and imperialist regime. However now, the movement is starting to gain support within the working class organizations as well.
The Boycott Against Israel/movement aims to cut all ties, military, economic, diplomatic, academic and cultural, with the state of Israel.
Following the Physicians’ Association of Turkey which had endorsed the campaign from the very beginning, the dock workers’ union Liman- Is is now also calling for a comprehensive boycott against the reactionary state of Israel. The movement had organized a successful symposium for Palestinian rights and against Israel where the representatives from the world had gathered to discuss the the strategy of such a boycott. During the discussions, the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers of Turkey, a participant in the symposium, announced it was joining the boycott against Israel.
The statement from Liman-Is union is below:
“Humanity is once again confronted with the bloody face of Israel when it attacked, murdered, and wounded many innocent civilians who were on their way to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“This attack by Israel, which had for years displayed the most brutal and barbaric terror in Palestine, is now aimed towards the third party civilians. This must be taken as an assault against all of humanity.
“The attack that was protested throughout the world and condemned harshly by the UN also brought people out to the streets in Turkey. The government’s announcements indicate that further sanctions against Israel is to be expected.
However, Israel needs to be replied not only through the channels of the government, but through all institutions and organizations that direct societies, most of all, through NGO’s and unions.
“Our union Liman-Is, has decided to boycott the ships from Israel which has become a machine of death and torture. In the framework, no member of our union will give service to Israel in any docks that we are organized at.
“Liman-Is union invites all unions and NGO’s organized in our country and throughout the world to join this boycott and protest campaign.
Orange kiosk in the East Jerusalem settlement of Pisgat Ze'evOrange advertising and signage in the settlement of Ariel
Throughout our research around the West Bank it has become obvious that one of the most common ways for international companies to profit from the occupation market is through secondary involvements, such as operating franchises, in Israel’s illegal settlements. Companies such as Blockbuster, Tower Records and Lee Cooper have franchises of their businesses in settlements, Western Union trade in settlements automatically through their deal with the Israeli Post Office.
International companies like these accept royalties from their franchisee’s for the right to use the brand, boost their brand recognition and open a maket for their goods. However, by operating in a less direct way, they hope to be held less accountable for their actions.
For the BDS movement to let this happen would be a mistake.
One good example of how a seemingly distant involvement by a company can have a huge impact on the ground is the agreement by the mobile phone company Orange, which is owned by France Télécom, to license the Israeli Partner Communications Company to use its name and logo. Orange now has a shop or kiosk in many of the larger settlements in both the West Bank and the occupied Golan and advertises very heavily in them. Orange mobile phone masts (operated by Partner Communications) are located both inside the settlements themselves and on land specifically confiscated for the masts. The masts are situated to benefit the settlements and the Israeli army. The Palestinian Authority, in its crack down on settlements and enforcement of the boycott, recently called for all Israeli mobile phone networks, including Orange, to be banned in Palestinian cities. Orange is entirely separate from the Partner Communications Company, but this does not mean that they are innocents in the situation.
When Partner launched Orange Israel the brandname was registered by Hutchison Whampoa, who were a major shareholder in Partner. The success of the new network when it was launched in 1999 is generally considered one of the best advertising efforts undertaken in Israel, largely due to the brandname. Hutchison Whampoa divested their shares from Partner in 2009. Since France Télécom took over Orange PLC in 2000 they have made a conscious decision to keep supporting the activities of the Israeli company, whose success relies heavily on Orange brand recognition. By withdrawing the licence for their name and logo Orange could take a very visible stance against the occupation rather that silently aiding it.
Partner Communications (Orange Israel) has kiosks in the settlements of Pisgat Ze’ev and Modi’in Illit and has erected over 160 antennas and telecommunication infrastructure facilities on occupied territory.
The nation-wide blockade of all goods to and from Israel is under way.
– Tens of containers were put under blockade tonight.
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By midnight at 00:00 on the 23rd June the Swedish Dock-workers union week-long blockade of goods to and from Israel started. The ongoing nation-wide blockade in Swedish harbors, that is based on the request of the united Palestinian union-movement, is The Swedish Dockworkers Union’s attempt to contribute to pressure Israel into:
1. Lifting the blockade on Gaza
2. Allowing an independent, international investigation of what happened at the Israeli boarding of the so called Freedom Flottilla when nine people were shot to death.
In the harbor of Gothenburg the blockade were initiated without any complications. About ten containers, both Israeli imports and exports were immediately identified in the container terminal. All of which have been separated and will stand untouched in the harbor of Gothenburg until the end of the blockade at 24:00 the 29th of June.
– Everything has passed very calmly and I believe it will continue to do so until next Wednesday, says Peter Annerback, chairperson of the Swedish Dockworkers Union section 4 (Hamn4an) and member of the unions executive committee in a late comment.
– Since we are not in a conflict with our employers a “conflict-contained” container that carries any medical equipment will be allowed exemption, continues Annerback.
– We have identified more goods on its way to or from Israel than we had expected. We thought the flow of goods would be much lower considering the blockade has been announced for twenty days, says Hamn4ans trustee Erik Helgeson.
– Our ambition is of course that our action can be one of many grassroots initiatives that will keep the eyes of the world focused on the 800.000 children that lives isolated in Gaza. The Palestinian civilian population must be allowed to rebuild their economy, their infrastructure and freely integrate with the rest of the world. The war on Gaza and Israel’s brutal blockade have made all this impossible for over three years now, Helgeson ends.
The Swedish Dockworkers Union have explained the motives behind the unions blockade of Israeli goods in two articles:
If passed, the bill will lead to heavy sanctions on Palestinian authorities and individuals, as well as Israeli and foreign activists By JNews
Monday, 21 June, 2010 – 22:26
A new bill (full translation below), the third in a series of proposed laws seeking to restrict the activities of peace activists and human rights organizations in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), has been proposed by a group of Members of Knesset.
The first bill, tabled in February and known as the “NGO Funding Bill”, seeks to limit foreign governmental funding of activist groups in Israel, by defining their activities as political and denying them charitable status.
The second bill, tabled in April, will close down and forbid registration of charities involved in or providing information for overseas law suits against Israeli officials suspected of war crimes. This bill is known as the “Universal Jurisdiction Bill.”
The third bill, submitted to the Knesset Law Committee for approval on 15 June by 24 Members of Knesset from both the coalition and the opposition, is more comprehensive, and seeks to outlaw any activities promoting any kind of boycott against Israeli organisations, individuals or products, whether in illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) or in Israel proper.
The bill targets Israelis, the Palestinian Authority, Palestinians and foreign governments and individuals, and, if passed into law, will impose fines, economic sanctions and entry bans against initiators or supporters of boycott activities.
This bill was proposed after a decision was taken by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank to cut all business ties with the illegal Israeli settlements and to boycott their produce.
If it becomes law, the bill will lead to the imposition of heavy financial and property-related sanctions on the Palestinian Authority (defined by Israel as “a foreign political entity”) and on individual Palestinians, and could reverse existing contracts and agreements with Israel.
All three proposals were tabled in the wake of incitement campaigns by right wing groups and agitators against Israeli human rights groups, peace activists, critical academics and liberal grant-givers (such as the New Israel Fund).
If passed, the laws will seriously damage the financial viability of NGOs and their ability to function legally in Israel and the OPT. They will criminalize some NGOs’ activities as well as those of volunteer peace activists and intellectuals who work together with groups overseas for human rights and social justice.
All the bills await further votes in the Knesset before they can pass into law.
Translation of the proposed bill, “Prohibition on imposing a boycott – 2010” (unofficial)
Eighteenth Knesset
Law proposal by MKs Zeev Elkin, Dalia Itzik, Arieh Eldad, Ophir Akonis, Tzahi Hanegbi, Moshe Gafni, David Rotem, David Azulai, Zevulun Orlev, Yariv Levin, Hayim Katz, Yoel Hasson, Tzipi Hotovely, Lia Shemtov, Robert Iltuv, Abraham Michaeli, Menachem Eliezer Mozes, Yaakov Katz, Ruchama Avraham-Balila, Magali Wahba, Karmel Shama, Danny Danon, Itzhak Vaknin, Uri Maklev
Proposed bill – Prohibition on imposing a boycott – 2010
Definitions:
1. “Person” – as defined in the Law of Interpretation 1981;
“Area under the control of the state of Israel” – including the areas of Judea and Samaria;
“Boycott” – demanding that others not maintain relations with a person;
“Boycott against the state of Israel” – boycott imposed on a person because of his relations with the state of Israel or with areas under the control of the state of Israel;
“Foreign political entity” – as defined in article 36a(a) of the Law of Associations 1980
Prohibition on boycott against the state of Israel:
2. It is prohibited to initiate a boycott against the state of Israel, to encourage participation in a boycott, or to provide assistance or information with the intention of promoting a boycott.
Boycott – a civil wrong:
3. An act of a citizen or resident of Israel in violation of Article 2 constitutes a civil wrong and the orders of tort law [new version] shall apply to it.
Damages:
4. The court shall order damages for a civil injustice done as defined in this law in the following manner:
a) punitive damages of up to 30,000 NIS to the injured party, subject to evidence of injury done;
b) Additional damages in accordance with the scale of injury and subject to evidence of injury.
Fines
5. In addition to the provisions of Article 4, a resident or citizen of Israel who acts in violation of Article 2 shall pay a fine as defined in Article 61(a)(3) of the Penal Law 1977.
Those who are not residents or citizens of Israel:
6. A person who is not a resident or citizen of Israel and a Magistrates’ Court has defined at the request of the Minister of Interior that he has acted in violation of Article 2:
a) His right to enter Israel shall be revoked for ten years at least;
b) Until the end of the revocation of his right to enter Israel, he and his representatives shall be forbidden to carry out any action in Israeli bank accounts, in shares traded in Israel, in lands or in any other property demanding registration of transfer.
A boycott imposed by a foreign political entity:
7. If a foreign political entity passed a law imposing boycott on the state of Israel, and so long as it has not canceled this law; or if the [Israeli] government has determined by a majority that a foreign political entity has violated Article 2, and so long as the government has reached no other decision:
a) The foreign political entity and its representatives shall be prohibited from carrying out any action in Israeli bank accounts, in shares traded in Israel, in land or in any other property requiring registration of transfer;
b) No sum of money or property shall be transferred by any organ of the state of Israel to the foreign political entity or its representatives, under laws, agreements or governmental decisions that were adopted prior to the definition according to Article 7 or to enactment of the law;
c) Israeli citizens or the state treasury, who are damaged by a boycott imposed by a foreign political entity, may sue for damages from the sum accumulated according to paragraph (a) under the provisions of Article 4 above and subject to necessary changes.
Regulations:
8. The Minister of Justice is appointed to set regulations for the implementation of this law, and he shall consult the Minister of Interior with regard to implementing the provisions of Article 6(a).
Applicability:
9. a) The law shall apply from the day of its publication;
b) Despite paragraph (a) above, anyone who has initiated a boycott or encouraged participation in boycott according to Article 2 in the year prior to the publication of the law, it shall be assumed that he is still initiating a boycott or calling for a boycott even after the publication of the law.
Explanation:
This law aims to protect the state of Israel in general and its citizens in particular from academic, economic and other boycotts, which are imposed as a result of any ties to the state of Israel.
In the USA there is a similar law that protects its friends from boycott by a third party, and the assumption is that a citizen or resident of the state shall not call for the imposition of a boycott on his own country or of its allies. This assumption has proved untrue with regard to the citizens and residents of Israel.
If the USA protects its friends through law, it should be self-evident that Israel has the duty and the right to protect itself and its citizens through law. The proposed bill distinguishes between three different types of boycott: a boycott imposed by a resident or citizen of Israel; a boycott imposed by a foreign citizen or resident; and a boycott imposed by a foreign political entity, according to the definition of the Israeli government or according to a law enacted by the foreign political entity.
The balance between public and state interests and individual liberties is expressed through the limitation of the law’s applicability to the initiation or promotion of a boycott, while abstaining from involvement in the personal decisions of individuals choosing a product or a service.
TRANSLATION ENDS
This article may be reproduced on condition that JNews is cited as its source
Marshall Schwartz of Oakland waves an Israeli flag across the road from pro-Palestinian supporters protesting the Israeli Zim Shipping Line at the Port of Oakland on Sunday.
John Sebastian Russo / The Chronicle
Marshall Schwartz of Oakland waves an Israeli flag across the road from pro-Palestinian supporters protesting the Israeli Zim Shipping Line at the Port of Oakland on Sunday.
(06-20) 12:35 PDT OAKLAND — Hundreds of demonstrators, gathering at the Port of Oakland before dawn, prevented the unloading of an Israeli cargo ship.
The demonstrators, demanding an end to Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, picketed at Berth 58, where a ship from Israel’s Zim shipping line is scheduled to dock later today. The day shift of longshoremen agreed not to cross the picket line.
International pressure to end the Gaza closure has increased since Israeli commandos stormed a flotilla of ships attempting to run the blockade on May 31, killing nine people. Last week, Israeli officials announced that they would loosen but not lift the blockade, allowing more goods to enter the impoverished area.
“Our view is that the state of Israel can not engage in acts of piracy and kill people on the high seas and still think their cargo can go anywhere in the world,” said Richard Becker, an organizer with ANSWER, one of many peace and labor groups involved in Sunday’s action.
Becker estimated that 600 to 700 people joined the demonstration, many of them arriving at 5:30 a.m. Oakland police, who estimated the crowd at 500 people, reported no arrests.
The demonstrators want to block the unloading of the Zim ship for a full day. After convincing the day shift of longshoreman to honor the picket line, the demonstrators dispersed around 10 a.m., Becker said. The ship is scheduled to arrive in mid-afternoon, and the demonstrators plan to gather again around 4:30 p.m. and re-establish their picket line before the evening shift of longshoremen arrives at 6 p.m.
On Tuesday night in the basement of the Advent Lutheran Church on the Upper West Side in NY, an ad hoc group of Jews sponsored a forum about “Jewish perspectives” on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign (BDS), with a panel of four Jews, two for and two against, and about 200 people jammed into the sweaty basement.
The event soon morphed into a spirited discussion about Zionism, and is there such a thing as a Jewish democratic state; and the most obvious question came up halfway through, Why is this happening in a church? Gail Miller of Jews Say No answered, “A number of us approached every synagogue and every Jewish center in the city” and were turned down repeatedly– later Miller specified that they had gone to six synagogues and two Jewish centers.
So much for free debate inside the Jewish community.
End the Occupation, Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church
ST. CHARLES, ILL. June 15, 2010 – At its annual conference, the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) of the United Methodist Church (UMC) voted to divest all holdings in three international corporations that profit from the occupation of Palestine. This action is in response to a plea by Palestinian Christians for action, not just words.
Divestment is a nonviolent form of economic protest long-used by churches and other shareholders to encourage companies to end unjust practices. By selling its investments in Caterpillar (CAT), General Electric (GE) and Terex (TEX), the NIC expresses its commitment to do no harm with its investments and affirms the call of the UMC Book of Discipline to “avoid investments that appear likely, directly or indirectly, to support violation of human rights” (Paragraph 716).
These three companies are among 20 targeted by many UMC conferences across the country because they (1) have a presence on occupied land, (2) are involved with the physical settlements, checkpoints and the separation wall, or (3) support activities of the Israeli military in the occupied territories.
Connie Baker from the End the Occupation Task Force of the Board of Church and Society which brought forth the resolution stated: “We are resolute in our support of peace for both Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land and the rights of each to co-exist according to the principles set forth in the Geneva Conventions. It is a small step, but an important one.”
The conference will also send a list of the 20 identified companies to the nearly 400 local churches in Northern Illinois and encourage them to consider divestment from any corporations on the list.
For the list of targeted corporations, which was compiled by the New England Conference (UMC) Divestment Task Force, please see: http://www.neumc.org/pages/detail/375.
A dozen pro-Palestinian activists and an Israeli film cameraman recording material for a news documentary faced aggressive store security staff during a peaceful protest about Israeli goods in a large Tesco store in Leytonstone, northeast London on Sunday June 13.
“I was shocked at the behaviour of Tesco’s security staff towards our relaxed, cheerful and totally unthreatening action,” said Ellie Merton, chairwoman of the Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign (WFPSC).
“We were holding up examples of produce from illegal Israeli settlements and stolen Palestinian land, chanting to urge shoppers to join the boycott campaign. Then out of nowhere two burly security guards pounced on the Israeli Channel 10 cameraman, seized his equipment and then attempted to confiscate all cameras being used by us and members of the public.”
Protesters calmly stood their ground, stressed the peaceful nature of their protest and insisted on being allowed to present a letter to the store management asking them not to stock Israeli goods. Other members of staff intervened and accompanied activists, now singing a boycott song led by professional soprano Deborah Fink, to the customer services desk.
Walthamstow resident Josephine Tyrconnell-Fay said: “I didn’t think much of the duty manager’s customer service. I had to ask her repeatedly to accept our letter, in contrast to other supermarkets around the country where managements have been much more willing to understand what campaigners are doing and why.”
After Israel’s latest display of criminality, killing nine international humanitarian aid workers and peace activists on a boat taking aid to the beseiged Gaza Strip, WFPSC got together with Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG) to hold Sunday’s action.
Campaigners say the sale of goods produced in Israel or its illegal settlements legitimises Israel’s criminal occupation of Palestinian lands.
By stocking these goods supermarkets are complicit in supporting the economy of a violent apartheid state that disrespects international law and undertakes ethnic cleansing.
“As consumers and activists we are proud to be part of the non-violent global campaign to hold Israel to account for its continual war crimes against Palestinians,” said Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, secretary of J-BIG.
Contacts:
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi – 07759 024659
A dozen pro-Palestinian activists and an Israeli film cameraman recording material for a news documentary faced aggressive store security staff during a peaceful protest about Israeli goods in a large Tesco store in Leytonstone, northeast London on Sunday June 13.
“I was shocked at the behaviour of Tesco’s security staff towards our relaxed, cheerful and totally unthreatening action,” said Ellie Merton, chairwoman of the Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign (WFPSC).
“We were holding up examples of produce from illegal Israeli settlements and stolen Palestinian land, chanting to urge shoppers to join the boycott campaign. Then out of nowhere two burly security guards pounced on the Israeli Channel 10 cameraman, seized his equipment and then attempted to confiscate all cameras being used by us and members of the public.”
Protesters calmly stood their ground, stressed the peaceful nature of their protest and insisted on being allowed to present a letter to the store management asking them not to stock Israeli goods. Other members of staff intervened and accompanied activists, now singing a boycott song led by professional soprano Deborah Fink, to the customer services desk.
Walthamstow resident Josephine Tyrconnell-Fay said: “I didn’t think much of the duty manager’s customer service. I had to ask her repeatedly to accept our letter, in contrast to other supermarkets around the country where managements have been much more willing to understand what campaigners are doing and why.”
After Israel’s latest display of criminality, killing nine international humanitarian aid workers and peace activists on a boat taking aid to the beseiged Gaza Strip, WFPSC got together with Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG) to hold Sunday’s action.
Campaigners say the sale of goods produced in Israel or its illegal settlements legitimises Israel’s criminal occupation of Palestinian lands.
By stocking these goods supermarkets are complicit in supporting the economy of a violent apartheid state that disrespects international law and undertakes ethnic cleansing.
“As consumers and activists we are proud to be part of the non-violent global campaign to hold Israel to account for its continual war crimes against Palestinians,” said Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, secretary of J-BIG.
It is after considerable contemplation that I have lately arrived at the decision that I must withdraw from the two performances scheduled in Israel on the 30th of June and the 1st of July.
One lives in hope that music is more than mere noise, filling up idle time, whether intending to elate or lament.
Then there are occasions when merely having your name added to a concert schedule may be interpreted as a political act that resonates more than anything that might be sung and it may be assumed that one has no mind for the suffering of the innocent.
I must believe that the audience for the coming concerts would have contained many people who question the policies of their government on settlement and deplore conditions that visit intimidation, humiliation or much worse on Palestinian civilians in the name of national security.
I am also keenly aware of the sensitivity of these themes in the wake of so many despicable acts of violence perpetrated in the name of liberation.
Some will regard all of this an unknowable without personal experience but if these subjects are actually too grave and complex to be addressed in a concert, then it is also quite impossible to simply look the other way.
I offer my sincere apologies for any disappointment to the advance ticket holders as well as to the organizers.
My thanks also go to the members of the Israeli media with whom I had most rewarding and illuminating conversations. They may regard these exchanges as a waste of their time but they were of great value and help to me in gaining an appreciation of the cultural scene.
I hope it is possible to understand that I am not taking this decision lightly or so I may stand beneath any banner, nor is it one in which I imagine myself to possess any unique or eternal truth.
It is a matter of instinct and conscience.
It has been necessary to dial out the falsehoods of propaganda, the double game and hysterical language of politics, the vanity and self-righteousness of public communiqués from cranks in order to eventually sift through my own conflicted thoughts.
I have come to the following conclusions.
One must at least consider any rational argument that comes before the appeal of more desperate means.
Sometimes a silence in music is better than adding to the static and so an end to it.
I cannot imagine receiving another invitation to perform in Israel, which is a matter of regret but I can imagine a better time when I would not be writing this.
With the hope for peace and understanding. Elvis Costello
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