Valentine's Mass Demonstration against Carmel-Agrexco

This protest is to highlight the overwhelming public opposition to the sale of Israeli goods and in support of Palestinian farmers who are not able to market their goods internationally.

The picket aims to expose this company's complicity in murder, theft and
damage of occupied land, collective punishment, apartheid, ethnic
cleansing, and other breaches of International Law to public scrutiny.

Tom Hayes of the BIG campaign said:

“The aim of the protest is to draw attention to this company's sale of flowers from occupied Palestinian land on Valentines Day. We are asking the British public not to buy blood stained flowers for their loved ones this year – Our aim is to shut their operations down for the day.."

Following the murder of over 1,300 people and the maiming of nearly 6,000, the majority women and children in Gaza, it is vital that we keep in the public consciousness that by purchasing Israeli goods they are supporting the slaughter of innocent people.

Actions like the one on Saturday are a chance for the British public to
show solidarity with the Palestinians who are suffering war crimes at the
hands of the Israelis. Carmel Agrexco, a state owned company, is at the
heart of Israel's colonisation and exploitation of Palestinian land"

Carmel Agrexco is the largest importer of illegal settlement goods into
the UK. The Valentines Day period is one of their most profitable as the company imports thousands on tonnes of fresh flowers from Israel and the illegal settlements.

Shoppers on the British high street probably know Agrexco better as the Carmel, Coral and Jaffa brands importing a wide range of produce including peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, herbs, spices, flowers and avocadoes.

ENDS

For further information and press interviews contact
 thewallmustfall@riseup.net for interviews/pictures
Tel 0207 700 6192 / 07957431276


Notes to Editors

Images and reports from our previous demonstrations can be found at
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2008/carmelagrexco/

Report on Carmel's Involvement in the Jordan Valley:
www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/09/322537.html

War on Want's Report - "Profiting from the Occupation":
www.waronwant. org/?lid=12671

Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights in 1967 in
contravention of international law.

Since then Israel has moved over 380, 000 settlers into these occupied
territories in contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention (article 49),
the Hague Regulations and United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

Israel continues to build an illegal apartheid wall inside the West Bank
despite the Advisory Ruling of the International Court of Justice in 2005
that the wall is illegal. Fifty five illegal Israeli settlements will be
on the Israeli side of the wall separated from the West Bank.

Since 2000 Israel has demolished 628 Palestinian houses, home to 3, 983
people, in acts of collective punishment. These demolitions constitute a
war crime. (Above statistics confirmed by Israeli Information Centre
Btselem see www.btselem.org)

3, 808 Palestinians have been killed as a direct result of Israeli
military actions and 29, 456 injured during the current upraising which
began in September 2000.

www.bigcampaign.org / www.palestinecampaign.org /
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2008/carmelagrexco/