L.A. Launches Nation's First Israel Divestment Campaign

[georgephillip]

In just a few years the Palestinian campaign to boycott Israeli goods has become truly global

Despite Israel’s siege of Gaza, and the escalating displacement in the Negev and East Jerusalem, Palestinians have some reason to celebrate. In Washington (State) a food co-op has passed a resolution calling for a boycott of Israeli products, confirming that the boycott movement – five years old last month – has finally crossed the Atlantic.

"Support for the move came from prominent figures including Nobel peace laureates Desmond Tutu and Máiread Maguire, and Richard Falk, the UN’s special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories.

"The movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel was launched in 2005, a year after the international court of justice had found Israel’s wall and colonies built on occupied Palestinian territory illegal.

"Over 170 Palestinian political parties, unions, mass movements and NGOs endorsed the movement, which is led by the BNC, a coalition of civil society organisations.

"Rooted in a century of Palestinian civil resistance, and inspired by the anti-apartheid struggle, the campaign crowned earlier, partial boycotts to present a comprehensive approach to realising Palestinian self-determination: unifying Palestinians inside historic Palestine and in exile in the face of accelerating fragmentation.

BDS avoids the prescription of any particular political formula and insists, instead, on realising the basic, UN-sanctioned rights that correspond to the three main segments of the Palestinian people: ending Israel’s occupation and colonisation of all Arab lands occupied since 1967; ending racial discrimination against its Palestinian citizens; and recognising the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, as stipulated in UN resolution 194."

It is STILL Israel's illegal occupation of historic Palestine driving ALL the violence on both sides of the conflict.

Besieging Israel's Siege

 

[Ozmar]

Passing some law in California stifling people's free speech in regards to supporting Israel will go to the Supreme Court. I almost guarantee it. And when it gets there, the justices will have to decide whether sending funds to Israel would be considered funding a "terror" organization. As we all know, the justices on the Supreme Court (liberal and conservative) would never make such a denouncement of Israel, one of our allies.

Go for it California. It will just get struck down.

 

[daveman]

Dumbass.

Did you pick your "job" or did the government also do that for you?

I enlisted right before my 28th birthday, which at the time was the cutoff for active duty. The government picked my AFSC (MOS for you other branches). I came in Open Mechanical. I was given 3E0X2, Electrical Power Production.

May I enlighten your ignorance of all things military any further?

Your total ignorance of the mass murder the US military inflicts on this planet is at least as ugly as a Dick Cheney speech at an American Legion Convention.

And yet you're still in America taking advantage of that mass murder. I really don't know how you can live with the guilt.

And judging by "your" picture, I wouldn't throw around words like "virgin" and "prude" too often, unless the sound of others laughing at you is something you need.

I'd introduce you to my daughters, if for no other reason than to show them what sort of alleged man not to marry, but I really don't trust you.

How many children have you fathered?

Obviously you need the government to direct your pathetic, chickenshit existence on an hourly basis since you've NEVER detailed any actual accomplishment in life except a willingness to say "Yes, Sir (and Ma'am) whenever you're expected to.

Now, that's hilarious.

S-L-A-V-E.

My accomplishments are detailed in the Veterans forum. You've had multiple opportunities to describe what you've done.

You've refused them all. So that means you ain't done shit. NOTE: Bitching impotently on the internet demanding other people do what you're unwilling to do and change the world to suit you is NOT an accomplishment.

But it's all you've got.

 

[georgephillip]

In early March of 1966 I spent ten days processing out of the USAF. I lied about "back pain" and received a medical discharge within my first month of service.

My lie was a mistake I paid for in various ways over the decades since then; however, it also prevented me from participating in the American invasion of South Vietnam which cost millions of innocent people their lives and health.

One of the "Big Lies" of that time was the nobility of that invasion, and the sacrifice America was making to "bring freedom" to the oppressed. In my view, one of today's similar Big Lies is the "purity of arms" exhibited by Israel in her illegal occupation of historic Palestine.

Big Lies tend to Blow Up Big.

When a majority of Americans stopped supporting the killing in Vietnam, a "Vietnam Syndrome" came into existence and didn't fade until the fall of the Soviet Union.

If Americans come to see Israel's occupation as clearly as they saw the greed that drove the US to invade South Vietnam, Republicans AND Democrats will vanish from the page of time and we'll all be more free.

And so will most Israelis and Palestinians.

Boycott.
Divestment.
Strike.

 

[georgephillip]

Passing some law in California stifling people's free speech in regards to supporting Israel will go to the Supreme Court. I almost guarantee it. And when it gets there, the justices will have to decide whether sending funds to Israel would be considered funding a "terror" organization. As we all know, the justices on the Supreme Court (liberal and conservative) would never make such a denouncement of Israel, one of our allies.

Go for it California. It will just get struck down.

"If a majority of voters support the measure, it becomes California law and the public retirement systems in California will have to sell their stocks (divest) in those companies that provide goods and services to Israel which violate UN Resolutions, the Geneva Conventions, and international rules of human rights.

"It is important to note that the Initiative will in no way jeopardize the pension benefits of PERS and STRS members."

Los Angeles Launches

How is the constitutionality of this effort any different from the Disinvestment in South Africa campaign that took place between 1977 - 1989 in the US?

California will go for it and lead the way on holding Israel to the same human rights standards demanded of Sudan and South Africa.

 

[Ozmar]

Israel is an ally. It is not an enemy regime.

 

[Sunni Man]

Israel is an ally. It is not an enemy regime.

Most people don't realize that Israel is by far the worst enemy that America has.

 

[daveman]

In early March of 1966 I spent ten days processing out of the USAF. I lied about "back pain" and received a medical discharge within my first month of service.

Were you drafted, or did you enlist? Either way, what made you want to break your contract?

 

[daveman]

Israel is an ally. It is not an enemy regime.

Most people don't realize that Israel is by far the worst enemy that America has.

Dumbass.

 

[georgephillip]

In early March of 1966 I spent ten days processing out of the USAF. I lied about "back pain" and received a medical discharge within my first month of service.

Were you drafted, or did you enlist? Either way, what made you want to break your contract?

Enlisted as part of a "buddy program" to avoid the draft.

My buddy reneged and joined the Marines.

I would have to credit homesickness as the excuse for breaking my contract.

 

[daveman]

In early March of 1966 I spent ten days processing out of the USAF. I lied about "back pain" and received a medical discharge within my first month of service.

Were you drafted, or did you enlist? Either way, what made you want to break your contract?

Enlisted as part of a "buddy program" to avoid the draft.

My buddy reneged and joined the Marines.

I would have to credit homesickness as the excuse for breaking my contract.

Okay. Thank you for your initial willingness to serve, even if it was for the wrong reason.

But that's all you deserve thanks for.

 

[georgephillip]

Thanks.

I think.

With the exception of the mutually assured destruction of both rival superpowers during the cold war, do you believe this nation has faced any threat to its existence since the end of WWII?

 

[daveman]

Thanks.

I think.

With the exception of the mutually assured destruction of both rival superpowers during the cold war, do you believe this nation has faced any threat to its existence since the end of WWII?

No. But our allies and our interests have been threatened, and we stepped in militarily.

Let me guess: We don't have "the right" to do that.

 

[georgephillip]

That was the condemnation coming from Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu after "a group of Israeli actors, directors, and playwrights declared they would not take part in productions at a new performing arts center in Ariel", an enclave (or settlement) that's a half-hour drive from Tel Aviv and 12 miles inside the occupied West Bank.

"The population of Ariel is largely secular, and about half the residents are immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

"The town has traditionally attracted people looking for better housing at lower prices, rather than ideologically driven settlers claiming what they consider their biblical homeland.

"The settlement was founded in 1978 by a group of employees of Israel's military industries and has since mushroomed into one of the largest Israeli enclaves on the West Bank."

"We have reestablished an emotional, psychological and cultural Green Line between the settlements and us, between the occupation and us," said Yaron Ezrahi, a political scientist who signed an academicians' letter of support for the artists boycott.

One of the artists, actor Yossie Polak, isn't so sure whether the declaration he signed would have any lasting impact:

"I think the word 'occupation' has somehow returned to public consciousness, but it can be submerged one again...We'll have to wait and see."

Israeli Enclave...

 

[georgephillip]

Thanks.

I think.

With the exception of the mutually assured destruction of both rival superpowers during the cold war, do you believe this nation has faced any threat to its existence since the end of WWII?

No. But our allies and our interests have been threatened, and we stepped in militarily.

Let me guess: We don't have "the right" to do that.

I think the official (UN) position is we do not have the right to use force as a first resort in order to protect our interests and allies.

There also seems to be a violation of the moral principle of universality in that we are free to intervene in the Persian Gulf while rival powers don't have the same right in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

[georgephillip]

Israel is an ally. It is not an enemy regime.

I don't think human rights violations have anything to do with friend or foe. Israel's occupation of historic Palestine violates international law according to the UN, the Geneva Conventions, and the World Court.

If the "new media" makes it possible for Americans today to gain the same insights into Israeli apartheid that previous generations acquired into the South African version, simple morality requires the Jewish State be held to the same standards as every other state.(except the US, of course)

 

[Trajan]

"On Wednesday, September 8th, at a noon press conference in Los Angeles in front of the Israeli Consulate, the California Israel Divestment Campaign, a culturally diverse group of compassionate Americans announced the launch of California ballot initiative

well, just thank god they are 'compassionate'.....

 

[georgephillip]

"On Wednesday, September 8th, at a noon press conference in Los Angeles in front of the Israeli Consulate, the California Israel Divestment Campaign, a culturally diverse group of compassionate Americans announced the launch of California ballot initiative

well, just thank god they are 'compassionate'.....

"Compassionate" sounded like poor word choice the first time I read this article.

It still does, for some reason.

 

[daveman]

Thanks.

I think.

With the exception of the mutually assured destruction of both rival superpowers during the cold war, do you believe this nation has faced any threat to its existence since the end of WWII?

No. But our allies and our interests have been threatened, and we stepped in militarily.

Let me guess: We don't have "the right" to do that.

I think the official (UN) position is we do not have the right to use force as a first resort in order to protect our interests and allies.

There also seems to be a violation of the moral principle of universality in that we are free to intervene in the Persian Gulf while rival powers don't have the same right in the Gulf of Mexico.

The UN is strangely silent when nations other than the US and Israel use military solutions to their problems. The UN has no credibility.

 

[blu]

Israel is an ally. It is not an enemy regime.

Most people don't realize that Israel is by far the worst enemy that America has.

indeed, how peaceful our country would be if we weren't propping up scum like israel and saudi arabi