Regular Thursday Picket of Marks and Spencer – Report 12/02/04
Every day the situation for the Palestinian people gets worse, with more atrocities committed against them by the racist, aggressive, expansionist Israeli state. Responsibility for this situation lies with the British state who enabled the Zionists to get a foothold in Palestine and have supported their racist state ever since. The Israelis learnt their techniques of oppression from the British: holding innocent Palestinians without charge or trial; methods of torture; invading their homes and destroying their possessions (the Israelis use Caterpillar bulldozers to demolish entire Palestinian houses); murdering arbitrarily. During the Great Rebellion of 1936-1939 the British used such tactics to crush the Palestinians. Today they continue to arm Israel and give ideological support.
There is growing awareness in Britain of the dreadful situation Palestinians face but where is the challenge to the forces here that contribute to the suffering of the Palestinian people? How successful is the Boycott Israeli Goods campaign??
The Boycott of Barclays Bank provided a focus in the anti-apartheid movement, which had a significant effect on the fall of the racist regime of South Africa, with Barclays forced to pull out. But apartheid has not been eradicated from the world; Israel is carrying out apartheid policies in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Boycott Israeli Goods campaign could be effective if it maintains a focus on the biggest corporate offender in this country – Marks and Spencer. They support Israel ideologically and with £240 million of trade every year.
Palestinians need solidarity urgently. They suffer every day and we cannot wait for one peaceful demonstration through the back streets once in 6 months. Their struggle must be voiced repeatedly by those with awareness or experience because the mainstream media does not give the full picture. Yet the movement in Britain to support them spends its time in cosy meeting rooms learning and discussing and doing nothing! It is important that British people travel to Palestine to help defend the people against the heavily armed Israeli army and to inform those that can’t go about the situation, but where do they go and what do they do on their return?
Every week for just two hours in the evening when Marks and Spencer opens late on Oxford Street VTI holds a picket to spread information and urge people to boycott M&S. We face Zionists fascists whose only reason for being there is to shut us up. The struggle is happening in this country, on the streets. Some join us, old and new faces, but this movement is going nowhere. Where are those who have seen with their own eyes the oppression of Palestinians? While the Zionists gather gullible youths to drop stink bombs in their pathetic attempts to stop us from communicating the truth to a wider public, the ‘pro-Palestinian pseudo intellectuals’ cannot bear to boycott M&S because they could not dream of buying their knickers from somewhere else, or complain that the picket gives voice to communists and Muslims. These people do not care about the Palestinian people, only about their selfish sectarianism. Why do we not hear the testimonies on the streets of those privileged to visit Palestine?
The Zionists are threatening us here in London. This group – Betar – send funds to the IDF, believe that Israel, the all Jewish state, should run from the Nile to the Euphrates. In other words they do not wish solely to occupy Palestine but also Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan and part of Iraq. Check out their Website. They have attacked Palestinian supporters in France and in Britain. This week a group came and faced us head on in front of the picket. Unsurprisingly the police were slow to respond, but they react quickly when one of our picketers steps out of the cage they have imprisoned us in.
What will it take for the Palestinian supporters out there to act? When the Palestinians are completely crushed? When our small picket of dedicated and passionate individuals is fatally attacked by thugs who uphold Israel as a great democratic country and a victim? It is no coincidence that they hold up British flags next to their Israeli ones (and US flags of course).
Victory to the Intifada is fighting racism on the streets in Britain and calls for people with a minimal sense of justice and sensibility to oppose Zionism, and stand up against the bloody violence that the British government and corporations, particularly M&S, feed.

M&S foots the bill, Israel uses cash to kill! Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! Free Palestine!

Join us: Thursdays 6-8pm, M&S, Marble Arch end of Oxford Street, London.
Contact:  victoryintifada@hotmail.com