Consensus wisdom: The boycott of Israel is working
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- Written by Larry Derfner Larry Derfner
- Published: 21 July 2013 21 July 2013
- Hits: 5841 5841
[For original links and format, go to 972mag.com]
The only way to stop its spread is to end the occupation, say a growing number of prominent voices (none of whom, by the way, support the boycott).
From reading my digital mail, I see that a lot of people who say they oppose the occupation also oppose the boycott against Israel, and not only on moral grounds, but for practical reasons as well. It won’t work, they say, it won’t convince anyone, it’ll have a boomerang effect by making Israel even more intransigent. I’ve made my arguments against the moral objections to the boycott (here, here and here), but now I want to yield the floor to much more prominent speakers – all of whom oppose the occupation and, explicitly or presumably, the boycott too – who have been warning lately that the world is gradually turning its back on Israel, and the only way it can avoid eventual isolation is by freeing the Palestinians. In other words, they’re saying the boycott is having an impact, and it’s growing. The catalyst for this gathering concern was Stephen Hawking’s decision in early May to boycott last week’s Presidential Conference in Jerusalem.
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ACTION: KING COUNTY METRO PLANS TO RUN HATE GROUP’S FALSE BUS AD ABOUT PALESTINIANS
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- Written by Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign
- Published: 18 July 2013 18 July 2013
- Hits: 9199 9199
Please see the press release and action alert by member group Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign and take action to protest King County's discriminatory advertising policies. (See bottom for people to contact!)
KING COUNTY METRO PLANS TO RUN HATE GROUP’S FALSE BUS AD ABOUT PALESTINIANS
You are being sent this email alert by The Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign (SeaMAC)
King County Metro has plans to place false and misleading ads on Metro buses that violate Metro’s own advertising policy guidelines (Section 6.2.4). The planned ad, paid for by the notorious Pamela Geller and her Islamophobic organization The American Freedom Defense Initiative, copies and uses the same photo as SeaMAC's recent bus ad which said "Equal Rights For Palestinians – The Way To Peace,"changing the text to read: “The Palestinian Authority Is Calling for a Jew-Free State - Equal Rights for Jews.” It is both false and misleading.
Read more: ACTION: KING COUNTY METRO PLANS TO RUN HATE GROUP’S FALSE BUS AD ABOUT PALESTINIANS
Israel: Demolitions of Bedouin homes in the Negev desert must end immediately
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- Written by Amnesty International Amnesty International
- Published: 18 July 2013 18 July 2013
- Hits: 5444 5444
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 18 July 2013
Israel must immediately halt all demolitions of Arab Bedouin homes in communities in the Negev/Naqab desert which the government has refused to recognize officially, Amnesty International said, following news that the village of al-'Araqib was once again razed by land authorities.
“The Israeli authorities must halt demolitions in these communities and change course completely to guarantee all citizens’ right to adequate housing,” said Philip Luther, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.
“The Israeli government’s Prawer-Begin plan would lead to the forced eviction of tens of thousands of Arab Bedouin citizens of Israel. The plan is inherently discriminatory, flies in the face of Israel’s international obligations and cannot be accepted in any circumstances.”
Bulldozers from the Israel Land Administration, accompanied by a large and heavily-armed police force in more than 60 vehicles, arrived in al-‘Araqib early on Tuesday morning and began to destroy 15 shacks, effectively flattening the village and displacing 22 families.
The village, which has never been officially recognized by the Israeli authorities despite the residents’ longstanding claims to their lands, has been demolished more than 50 times in the past three years. Each time, residents have tried to rebuild their homes, constructing makeshift shelters on the same land.
Read more: Israel: Demolitions of Bedouin homes in the Negev desert must end immediately
EU takes tougher stance on Israeli settlements
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- Written by Harriet Sherwood, The Guardian Harriet Sherwood, The Guardian
- Published: 17 July 2013 17 July 2013
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'Earthquake' directive will prohibit EU states from signing deals with Israel unless settlement exclusion clause is included
Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 16 July 2013 08.50 EDT
The directive covers all areas of co-operation between the EU and Israel, including economics, science and culture, but excludes trade. Photograph: Reuters/Corbis
Future agreements between the European Union and Israel must include the explicit exclusion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank or East Jerusalem, according to a new EU directive described by an Israeli official as an "earthquake".
The EU guidelines, adopted on 30 June, will prohibit the issuing of grants, funding, prizes or scholarships unless a settlement exclusion clause is included. Israeli institutions and bodies situated across the pre-1967 Green Line will be automatically ineligible.
White House unsure plan to waive visas for Israelis will fly, Israel seeking new, unique "Major Stragetic Partner" status!
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- Written by BRADLEY KLAPPER and MATTHEW LEE BRADLEY KLAPPER and MATTHEW LEE
- Published: 17 July 2013 17 July 2013
- Hits: 5779 5779
White House unsure plan to waive visas for Israelis will fly
Some lawmakers and administration officials concerned that Arab-Americans would still be barred from entering Israel
By BRADLEY KLAPPER and MATTHEW LEE
Times of Israel, July 15, 2013
http://www.timesofisrael.com/white-house-unsure-plan-to-waive-visas-for-israelis-will-fly/
WASHINGTON (AP) — Legislation that would let Israelis visit the United States without visas but not demand full reciprocal treatment for all Americans wishing to travel to the Jewish state could put Congress and the Obama administration on a collision course in coming weeks.
Israel’s entry into the 37-nation US Visa Waiver Program is the most controversial element in a pair of broader US-Israel bills dealing with everything from improving cybersecurity to enhancing economic cooperation. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is hoping to get the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s approval before Congress’ August recess. A version by Senator Barbara Boxer is picking up support in the Senate.
Both would create a new category of US ally — “major strategic partner” — designating Israel as the only such nation. And they would call for the inclusion of Israel on a list of countries whose citizens can visit the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, granted they register electronically before boarding a flight.
The administration and some lawmakers are concerned the legislation doesn’t do enough to eliminate Israeli discrimination against Palestinians and Arab-Americans seeking to enter its borders. They also say Israel still fails to meet other legal requirements for the program.