Skip to content or view screen version

Easy Jet Event to Encourage Israeli Tourism Picketed by Pro-Palestine Demonstrators

Rose | 11.10.2009 17:33 | Palestine

Pro-Palestine Supporters picketed the start of a 5 day Israeli Tourism event held in Spitalfields market, East London. Despite efforts by Israeli security to get demonstrators to move, police made no efforts to move them on to the frstration of the Pro-Israel organisers.




To celebrate the new low cost Easy Jet route to Tel Aviv, Easy Jet are holding a five day event with a big orange bus touring the city to promote “Tel Avivian goodness”. It is being undertaken to further celebrate the city’s centenary. In response, Palestine activists from International Solidarity Movement, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and other groups protested in front of the Big Orange bus. In solidarity with the unified Palestinian call out for an economic and cultural boycott of Israel, protestors sought to show that tourism feeds the Israeli economy which in turn supports the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands.

The Israeli security there were clearly frustrated with the presence of activists and the police were duly called upon for support. In an ironic twist, the police gently requested protestors to move, and when protestors decided against this, no further action was taken. Israeli security and Easy Jet organisers were visibly frustrated and made numerous appeals to the police to move the protestors but failed to get the demonstrators to budge.

Most members of the public showed support with the protest and asked relevant questions with a few Israelis showing their opposition.

After a couple of hours, protestors left, pleased they had ruffled the feathers of those promoting Israeli tourism.

Please find below the promotion message for the event and the dates and locations for their five day tour.

“ To present EasyJet's new route to the Big Orange and celebrate the
city's centenary, Tel Aviv will be coming to London this October!

For 5 days, a double-decker bus crammed full of Tel Avivian
goodness will tour London and give a glimpse into the many facets
of Tel Aviv's character.

Day 1 - 11th October, Spitalfields Market, 10am - 5.30pm

Market Tel Aviv- enjoy the smells & tastes of Tel Aviv's markets in
the middle of East London - craft stalls, Turkish coffee, mint tea,
shakshouka, olives, baklava, and live music.

Day 2 - 12th October, Leicester Square, 1pm - 5.30pm

Bohemian Tel Aviv - Day 2 sees a typical Tel Aviv coffee shop
scene, replete with mismatched sofas & chairs, stacks of books, and
a soundtrack provided by street performers & musicians.

Day 3 - 13th October, Coin Street, Southbank, 12pm - 6pm

Tel Aviv, city of beaches - enjoy sunbeds, beach umbrellas, beach
balls, backgammon, matkot, live music, and a surfing simulator!
And hopefully some sun .

Day 4 - 14th October, Broadgate, 9am - 7pm

Tel Aviv: 100% architecture, 100% Bauhaus - more examples of which
are found in Tel Aviv than any other city in the world!
Architecture aficionados should not miss Day 4's outdoor
photography exhibition & lecture.

Day 5 - 15th October, Old Truman Brewery, 5pm - 10.30pm

Tel Aviv nightlife - Day 5 will finish the tour with a party open
to all, guaranteed to give a glimpse into just why Tel Aviv is
known as the city that never sleeps - with a little help from DJs &
dancers."

It is hoped Pro-Palestine Activists will help picket and protest these events. All Israeli tourism feeds into the Israeli economy that supports the occupation.

Rose

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

HURRAH

11.10.2009 18:12

Excellent action. Spread the word, BSD!
And for those interested in how "hip" Tel Aviv is dependent on the not-so-hip ethnic cleansing of Jaffa:

 http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9529.shtml

SMASH ZIONIST RACISM

ninetto


more on ethnic cleaning and Tel Aviv/Jaffa

11.10.2009 18:21

Most people do not know that Tel Aviv's image of liberal/modern/hip is a fog-screen to hide the very same crimes that the Israeli government commits in the West Bank and East Jerusalem...

Here is another very good article on the subject:

 http://www.wrmea.com/archives/July_2008/0807014.html

Nineto


Easyjet? BRILL!

11.10.2009 21:28

BRILLIANT - I've always wanted to swim in the dead sea- they say it's really good for your skin!

condition sufferer


taken with a pinch of salt

11.10.2009 22:10

sounds like a smear campaign to me.

owen


the epitomy of abuse

12.10.2009 10:04

Wouldn't it be great to have no shame like the israelis. Occupy a country, ghettoise the people, build a massive war machine and even get the label of apartied from Desmond Tutu, not to mention kill hundred of thousnds of people. Then after sixty years of this, go on a Cliff Richard style publicity trip with images of the prized produce(jaffa oranges) of their captives adorning the side of their double decker. What a disgrace! Please join the protests against israel,it's produce and the abuse it perpetuates in the middle east.

Moses