Many of us joined the demonstration marking the 60th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) this weekend in London. The demo showed that there is still widespreade support for the Palestinian people amongst the general British populace. However, two things of sad importance should be noted:
Firstly, the march was much smaller than those held just before the Iraq invasion (when Palestine was thrown into the limelight) and the one two years ago during the invasion of Lebanon by Zionist troops.
Secondly, there are no further widespread demos organised in the foreseeable future.
If we are to build (rebuild?) the Palestine solidarity movement and make it effective, we must move beyond having just the yearly stroll from Temple to Trafalgar and hold events on a more perminent basis. Furthermore, such demonstrations must take place against Britain's strong links to Israel, as this is the state that we live in and the one that we can and must hold to account.
For the past 7 years there have been ongoing weekly demonstrations against Britain's biggest retail sponsor of Israel - Marks and Spencer. These have been taking place every week outside the company's flagship store on Oxford St. This Thursday we will be holding a special Street University at the store from 6pm to 8pm to mark the 60th anniversary of the Nakba. The event will include speeches, music, poetry and street theatre. Come along and join us in ongoing action - this Thursday and the same time every week! Details of M&S's links to the Zionists stae are below:
Why boycott M&S? Because M&S …
• is the biggest British retail corporate sponsor of the Israeli state and funds the brutal, racist occupation of Palestine.
• supports Israel with £240 million in trade each year (Jewish Chronicle, 8/12/2000) and sells goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements.
• advocated ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians: “large sections of the Arab population of Palestine should be transplanted to Iraq and other Middle Eastern States” (Israel Sieff, M&S chairman - reported in the Jewish Chronicle 21/09/1941)
• sees “aiding the economic development of Israel as one of its fundamental objectives” (Marcus Sieff, M&S chairman, Management: The M&S Way, 1990)
• “was prominent, even essential from the 1960s to the 1980s… partly because of its strong links to Zionism; and partly for its success in getting Israeli goods to the British market place” (Barry Kosmin, cited in the Jerusalem Report 5/6/2000)
• was a key diplomatic ally for Zionism in the 1920s to 1940s, working closely with Chaim Weizmann of the World Zionist Organisation (Israel’s first President)
• is “as close to Israel today as it has even been” (M&S Spokesperson, Jewish Chronicle, 22/12/ 2000)
Firstly, the march was much smaller than those held just before the Iraq invasion (when Palestine was thrown into the limelight) and the one two years ago during the invasion of Lebanon by Zionist troops.
Secondly, there are no further widespread demos organised in the foreseeable future.
If we are to build (rebuild?) the Palestine solidarity movement and make it effective, we must move beyond having just the yearly stroll from Temple to Trafalgar and hold events on a more perminent basis. Furthermore, such demonstrations must take place against Britain's strong links to Israel, as this is the state that we live in and the one that we can and must hold to account.
For the past 7 years there have been ongoing weekly demonstrations against Britain's biggest retail sponsor of Israel - Marks and Spencer. These have been taking place every week outside the company's flagship store on Oxford St. This Thursday we will be holding a special Street University at the store from 6pm to 8pm to mark the 60th anniversary of the Nakba. The event will include speeches, music, poetry and street theatre. Come along and join us in ongoing action - this Thursday and the same time every week! Details of M&S's links to the Zionists stae are below:
Why boycott M&S? Because M&S …
• is the biggest British retail corporate sponsor of the Israeli state and funds the brutal, racist occupation of Palestine.
• supports Israel with £240 million in trade each year (Jewish Chronicle, 8/12/2000) and sells goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements.
• advocated ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians: “large sections of the Arab population of Palestine should be transplanted to Iraq and other Middle Eastern States” (Israel Sieff, M&S chairman - reported in the Jewish Chronicle 21/09/1941)
• sees “aiding the economic development of Israel as one of its fundamental objectives” (Marcus Sieff, M&S chairman, Management: The M&S Way, 1990)
• “was prominent, even essential from the 1960s to the 1980s… partly because of its strong links to Zionism; and partly for its success in getting Israeli goods to the British market place” (Barry Kosmin, cited in the Jerusalem Report 5/6/2000)
• was a key diplomatic ally for Zionism in the 1920s to 1940s, working closely with Chaim Weizmann of the World Zionist Organisation (Israel’s first President)
• is “as close to Israel today as it has even been” (M&S Spokesperson, Jewish Chronicle, 22/12/ 2000)
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Why the selective criticism of Israel while ignoring other countries?
14.05.2008 11:12
The only reason that there are still Palestinian refugees today is because the arab countries which they fled to refused to resettle them in their countries and kept them for 60 years in rundown refugee camps as political pawns.
Israel is no worse than America which occuppied the land of the native American Indians or Austrailia which occuppied the land of the Aborigines.
And while arab countries such as Saudi Arabia commit horrendous human rights abuses such as beheading and stoning to death, why is that only Israel gets criticised?
Cynic
It isn't
14.05.2008 12:24
Now, which other country is constantly in the news with its celebration of 60 years of ethnic cleansing, and its total imprisonment of over 1.5 million people?
Perhaps Cynic isn't cynical enough, or perhaps he is obsessed with Israel?
One track mind?
Re: Why the selective criticism of Israel while ignoring other countries?
14.05.2008 13:00
"The only reason that there are still Palestinian refugees today is because the arab countries which they fled to refused to resettle them in their countries and kept them for 60 years in rundown refugee camps as political pawns."
Wow, so it is the evil neigbouring Arab states who are to be blamed for Israeli state human rights abuses.
"And while arab countries such as Saudi Arabia commit horrendous human rights abuses such as beheading and stoning to death, why is that only Israel gets criticised?"
Yes, Saudi Arabia and Israel have a lot in common. They are both religious states which make second class citizens of non-believers, they are both backed by the US, and they both commit appalling human rights abuses. Israel targets an entire populace who are not Jewish and whose land they are not entitled to (unless you believe the fantasy story of a 2000 year old book) whilst the Saudi regime targets mainly women. So why do activists "target" the Israeli (state) rather than Saudi Arabia? Probably because of the extent of the human rights abuses, because they are backed by our own governments, because UK weapons manufacturers supply them to commit their atrocities, because the US backs them to place them in a strategically advantageous position to invade regimes with the intention of corporatising natural resources at huge cost to the livelihood of the people who live there. As you can see there is a much bigger picture.
x
Zionists on the agenda.
14.05.2008 13:41
Situated at 11 Bolton Road, Eastbourne, BN21 3JU. Tel 01323 410810.
Jolly Roger
End the Occupation, End the War
14.05.2008 14:39
Because it is an unjust situation, consciously perpetuated by Extremists, who reject peace and coexistence, and dream of the Cultish goal of "greater Israel", which means the annexation of all of historic Palestine.
Why shouldn't it be criticized, when its criminal actions have been going on for decades, with no signs of letting up, and a world of politicians willing to Appease these Extremists?
"While we are constantly reminded by the far left"
Meaning anyone who knows the facts behind Zionism's war on Palestine, which encompasses people from all walks of life and political perspectives - while supporters of Extremist Zionism comprise only a small, radical hard Right Fringe, even within the Jewish community.
"of the 750,000 Palestinian refugees who left Palestinian in 1948"
You mean were driven out by force, their homes destroyed, and their villages erased from the maps, in the act of Ethnic Cleansing which created the desired demographics for the European state in Palestine.
"no one for talks about the ..."
Because that's irrelevant. But loads of people talk about those things, so even your Disinformation is dishonest.
"The only reason that there are still Palestinian refugees today is because"
Zionist Extremism rejects the legally-binding Right of Return, because it would threaten Israel's demographics of Apartheid.
"Israel is no worse than America"
You're not really helping your case, especially right now ...
"And while arab countries such as Saudi Arabia commit horrendous human rights abuses (...) why is that only Israel gets criticised?"
Are you insane? The media is filled with such condemnations, often bordering on Islamophobia, while Israel gets a virtual free pass.
Your problem seems to be that Israel is held to the same standards as the rest of the world, and, for some reason, you think it should receive some special treatment (which it already does!).
Zionist Extremism Key Impediment to Peace