The ‘teach-in’ highlighted the connection between settlement companies, such as Israeli company Sodastream, and Israel’s theft of Palestinian water.
It illustrated the massive discrepancy between water consumption in Israel’s illegal settlements in the West Bank, where settlers consume an average of 400 litres/person/day, and Palestinian communities living near the settlements, which have access to as little as 20 litres/person/day. To put this in its context, the World Health Organisation recommended daily minimum is 100 litres/person/day.
Israel has enforced its apartheid allocation of water with over 2000 military orders which prevent Palestinians from accessing the water beneath their feet. These military orders prevent Palestinians living in Area C* from digging wells, pumping water from rivers, collecting rainwater as it runs off the mountains, or using natural springs.
Why Ecostream?
Israeli company Sodastream opened its first UK shop in Brighton in August 2012. Within weeks local Palestine solidarity activists launched a campaign, with weekly pickets outside the shop.
Opening the shop was a crude attempt by Sodastream to green-wash its connections with Israeli apartheid, by branding itself as ‘Ecostream’ - hoping to exploit Brighton’s green credentials (Brighton has the only Green Party MP, and Green Party led council in the UK).
However, Sodastream didn’t bank on the strength of opinion there would be against a company that manufactures all its products in the illegal Israeli settlement of Mishor Adumim. Right from the start, the slogan of: “Don’t tell lies Ecostream, Ethnic Cleansing in not green”, was regularly heard on the protests, referring to settlement companies complicity in the forced removal of Palestinians from vast areas of the West Bank, including the community of Khan ar Ahmar near Mishor Adumim settlement.
The irony of Sodastream’s claim to provide: “Sparking water ... at the touch of a button” is glaringly obvious, given their complicity in Israel’s apartheid occupation that systematically denies water to Palestinians throughout the West Bank and Gaza. The pickets have been supported by Brighton Jordan Valley Solidarity since day one, many of whom have spent time with Bedouin communities throughout the Jordan Valley and seen the destruction of water wells and pipes, confiscation of portable water tanks and pumps, and the closed military zones that prevent Palestinain access to natural water springs. When Jordan Valley Solidarity held its international gathering in Brighton in November 2012 they joined the weekly picket of Ecostream. Having so many people there had a massive impact.
We call on Palestine Solidarity activists to join us every Saturday 1.00 – 3.00pm outside Ecostream, 142 Western Road, Brighton. One the 4th Saturday of each month we will hold special event (such as the Mock Trial of Ecostream street theatre on 23rd February and the World Water Day teach in on 23rd March). We look forward to seeing you there.
The EcoStream protests are part of a wider international movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), following a call in 2005 by over 130 civil society organisations in Palestine ( http://www.bdsmovement.net/). The BDS Call urges a boycott of all Israeli companies until Israel complies with international humanitarian law, recognizes the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality, the rights of return of refugees and ends the siege of Gaza and the occupation of all lands occupied in 1967.
The campaign has now become one of the main frontlines in the global movement for BDS, aimed to accelerate progress for the self-determination of the Palestinian people and to expose Israel’s human rights abuses.
For more information about the EcoStream protests in Brighton, see www.brightonpalestinecampaign.org
For more information on Soda Club see  http://corporateoccupation.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/targeting-israeli-apartheid-jan-2012.pdf pages 96-102 and www.whoprofits.org/company/sodastream-soda-club-group