Category Archives: BDS

Activists who confronted Chelsea Clinton at vigil give their story

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Full disclosure, I was an undergraduate student at NYU, where I very occasionally wrote for the student newspaper. In so many ways, this particular kerfuffle is happening in my backyard. On Friday, a vigil for the Christchurch victims was held at New York University. Rose Asaf is a senior at NYU. She is an Israeli-American Jewish woman, and she co-founded the Jewish Voice for Peace chapter at NYU. Rose’s best friend is Leen Dweik, also a senior at NYU. She is a Muslim Palestinian woman whose main organizing centers on Palestine solidarity efforts. When Chelsea Clinton arrived, Rose tweeted the video below, … Continue reading →

Rep. Eliot Engel maintains silence on Netanyahu’s Kahanist alliance and supremacist comments.

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Rep. Eliot Engel (NY-16) is the Democratic chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. As such, he is the Democrat with the most power over foreign policy since the Senate and White House are controlled by Republicans. Just a week ago, he spent significant chunks of his time working to pass another resolution aimed squarely at Rep. Ilhan Omar. Right wing media and Trump claimed Rep. Omar’s remark at the DC coffeehouse was anti-semitic or a “dual loyalty” allegation. Their hypocrisy on this issue was staggering, and misinformed, but Rep. Engel decided he would jump right into it without review, and condemned Rep. Omar’s remarks. Which … Continue reading →

For a moment, let’s talk about Palestinian’s feelings

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Over the past few days, we have discussed how the wrong words used in service of advocacy for Palestinian rights may cause offense to some Jewish-Americans. It is right and proper to have this discussion. In the pursuit of a better world, in our search for the right path to a better foreign policy, we should not inadvertently cause harm to our allies and innocents. Nor should we further any form of bigotry. Let’s also stop for a moment and consider the feelings of Palestinians, Palestinian-Americans and their allies. They have been largely absent from most commentator’s consideration during this week’s debate. By conjunction, let … Continue reading →

Nikki Haley blocks UN Palestinian rights statement as Israeli troops kill journalist in press vest.

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The United States for a second week in a row blocked a UN Security Council statement supporting the right of Palestinians to “demonstrate peacefully” and endorsing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for an independent investigation into deadly protests in Gaza. Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters at UN headquarters in New York on Friday evening that 14 of the 15 council nations agreed to the statement, but the United States, Israel’s closest ally, objected. — www.timesofisrael.com/… Nikki Haley’s move to block a recognition of Palestinian’s rights was opposed by the Palestinian ambassador to the UN. Trump’s mid-east envoy, Jason Greenblatt said … Continue reading →

Israel bans Code Pink and Jewish Voice for Peace from entering country while NYT forgets Gaza exists

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The New York Times’ Jerusalem bureau chief, David Halbfinger has a lengthy article about how recent Trump administration and Israeli actions have led Palestinians to more seriously consider changing their position to advocate for a single state with equal rights for all. It’s titled: As a 2-State Solution Loses Steam, a 1-State Plan Gains Traction: The Israeli right, emboldened by President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, is not the only faction arguing for a single state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. The Palestine Liberation Organization has also begun to ask whether that might not be such a bad … Continue reading →

DSA votes for BDS. NYT’s Jerusalem bureau chief says they self-censor and Israel practices apartheid.

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90% of the delegates to the Democratic Socialists of America 2017 convention voted to adopt Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS). The text of the resolution read: 1. Democratic Socialists of America declares itself in solidarity with Palestinian civil society’s nonviolent struggle against apartheid, colonialism, military occupation and for equality, human rights, and self-determination. 2. Democratic Socialists of America responds to Palestinian Civil Society’s call by fully supporting BDS. 3. Democratic Socialists of America affirms that any political solution to the ongoing crisis must be premised on the realization of basic human rights, including all rights outlined in the BDS call. … Continue reading →

Senate/House bill would make it a felony to support a boycott of Israel.

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Senate bill 720 seeks to criminalize speech supporting a boycott of Israel. The bill is meant to target the growing BDS movement. Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality. BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS call urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law. This anti-boycott bill is part of a long tradition that seeks to undermine labor, civil rights and liberation movements employing non-violent protest. I’ll explore the history of anti-boycott laws … Continue reading →

Israel’s occupation has lasted 50 years, it’s on track to run for 50 more.

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As the 50th anniversary of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza approaches, there will be several lengthy retrospectives. One of the better ones was, surprisingly, published by the NY Times today. Nathan Thrall is a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. He’s also the author of “The Only Language They Understand: Forcing Compromise in Israel and Palestine.” he makes a persuasive case that the Israeli occupation is on track to run another 50 years, aided and abetted by the US. The widely held misconception that the occupation is unsustainable and prone to collapse any minute now, under the weight … Continue reading →

#BDS, New Sign of Hope as Lutherans Take Action

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In the interest of full disclosure, I must say that I was raised as a Lutheran.  Because of that, I have been keeping a close eye on what the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has been doing up until now about BDS, the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, that brought down apartheid in South Africa, as it applies to the Occupation of Palestine and the grossly discriminatory system of apartheid that the Israelis use today. It was the huge American churches divesting from South Africa which finally brought an end to apartheid (to oversimplify the situation), and many US churches have … Continue reading →

Palestinian Rap Video Responds to DJ Khaled Taking Blood Money from Sabra #BDS

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In February, 2016, DJ Khaled, a Palestinian American music producer, performed a concert for Sabra Hummus in California. Sabra Hummus has been on the boycott list for several years now due to their support for the Israeli military, which has committed gross human rights violations against the Palestinian people. Join us as we call on Khaled to #boycottSabra and raise awareness about the injustice against the Palestinian people. The music was actually written by DJ Khaled.   [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWI6uzJG4kM[/embedyt]     … Continue reading →

Israel lobby panics about ‘spoiled’ next generation of American leaders turning against it

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Reprinted from Mondoweiss.net by Philip Weiss Last week the New York Times reported a shocking statement from the former University of California chancellor on the importance of stopping the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS) on campus because it threatens to poison the next generation of American leaders against the special relationship between the United States and Israel. Linda K. Wertheimer reported: [I]n December, Mark G. Yudof, former president of the University of California system, helped create the Academic Engagement Network. The group has some 275 members, mostly faculty, on about 110 campuses working in opposition to the B.D.S. movement. … Continue reading →

Going to Philly? Stand with Arab Americans for Palestine

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DNC: Will you be in Philadelphia for the DNC? Fill out this form to let us know about your plans! (End the Occupation) Events: Sunday, July 24, 2016, 6 PM: AFSC Town Hall on Islamophobia Monday, July 25, 2016, 11 AM: US Campaign & AFSC, “Progressive for Palestine: Is the US Ready to Rethink Policy on Israel?” Tuesday, July 26, 2016, 2 PM: Jewish Voice for Peace, Boycotting for Justice: Building Progressive Grassroots Power Tuesday, July 26, 2016, 4 PM: Philly to Palestine Contingent at the DNC Tuesday, July 26, 2016, 9 PM: Arab American Institute, Arab American Block Party Wednesday, July 27, … Continue reading →

Marching to Cuomo’s House

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by Adalah NY at mondoweiss.org [Two days ago], a diverse group of about 150 New Yorkers protested in front of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Westchester County residence, calling on him to rescind his recent executive order attacking the grassroots boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement (BDS) for Palestinian rights. Legal organizations like the New York Civil Liberties Union and Palestine Legal have stated that Governor Cuomo’s executive order threatens the Constitutional rights of all New Yorkers to engage in boycotts and other economic acts of conscience in support of human rights and social justice struggles. The protesters marched from the Mount Kisco … Continue reading →

Clinton marshals African-American surrogates against BDS to stop pro-Palestinian influence ‘in the public narrative’

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by Philip Weiss at mondoweiss.net Election campaigns serve a lot of purposes, and it is increasingly obvious that Israel supporters on whom Hillary Clinton is dependent are using her campaign to put the knife in Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. You will recall that Bernie Sanders’ loyalists on the Democratic platform committee spoke up for Palestinian rights and even BDS at an early meeting of that body, and Cornel West said the party was “beholden to AIPAC”, the leading Israel lobby group. West was on to something. Today Jewish Insider reports that an AIPAC board member sees the Clinton campaign as … Continue reading →

Palestine News Round Up–Israel and the Brexit Vote

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Presbyterian and UU breakthrough votes on Palestine By Anna Baltzer The largest gathering of UUs in the country just voted on whether to endorse the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)’s recent divestment from companies complicit in the Israeli occupation. The general assembly achieved a simple majority while falling short of the two thirds needed for passage.   ‘It’s a real problem if the thing we get upset about is stones’ –Ehrenreich deflects talking points on public radio By Philip Weiss We’re closely following the reception of Ben Ehrenreich’s big new book, The Way to the Spring, because he is offering American … Continue reading →