BDS News

600 People Attend Landmark Conference in Toronto

(Toronto, October 9, 2006) -- Over 600 people attended the landmark
conference, Boycotting Israeli Apartheid: The Struggle Continues, held from
6-8 October in Toronto, Canada. The conference represents a watershed moment
in the Palestinian solidarity movement, with leading anti-apartheid
activists from Palestine, South Africa, Canada and England addressing the
way forward in the global campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions.

Jamal Juma', coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign in Palestine, told
the opening night that the burgeoning boycott, divestment and sanctions

TEL AVIV, September 27, 2006 (WAFA) - Belgian hi-tech company specialising in development consulting, U2U, notifies manager of Israeli company seeking cooperation that "your country has conducted war crimes and because of the apartheid regime it rules on Palestine".

According to Israeli "Yedioth Ahronoth" newspaper, U2U company firm its boycott to Israel over war crimes.

The Newspaper also revealed that it has received several complaints from Israeli companies that have encountered refusal of companies from various countries to cooperate with Israelis because of the war.

By SHERI SHEFA (Staff Reporter - Canadian Jewish News)

TORONTO - Business people, politicians and philanthropists gathered last week to urge Canadian Jews to invest in Israel’s growing economy and give a boost to the newly formed Canada-Israel Chamber of Commerce, whose predecessor fell apart four years ago.

More than 160 people attended a reception, panel discussion and video presentation held at the Global Group Centre in Toronto to learn about investment and trade opportunities between Israel and Canada.

07 OCTOBER 2006 - BOYCOTT ISRAELI GOODS DAY OF ACTION (SATURDAY OCTOBER 7TH), THERE ARE ALREADY MANY ACTIONS PLANNED AROUND THE UK:

BIG Day of Action - October 7th

*Bradford* email bradfordpsc@yahoo.co.uk for details *Brent Boycott stall* opposite Sainsbury's on Kilburn High Rd and actions highlighting the ethics of selling Israeli goods. Help needed, contact brentpsc@hotmail.com for details *Brighton and Hove* email thewallmustfall@riseup.net for more details *Bristol* please email witenagemot2@tiscali.co.uk or phone 0117 941 3135 for details *Camden* Flying Picket of stores selling Israeli goods. email camden@palestinecampaign.org or call 07919871845 *Cardiff* Call 01443 202610 to find out about boycott actions in Cardiff *Durham* Actions planned on October 14th, email vinmcintyre@lineone.net for more details *Exeter* 12-2pm Exeter High Street picket oustide Tesco For more info contact postmaster@exeterpsc.org *Halifax* email danielr@gn.apc.org or call 01422 320139 for more details, organised by Halifax Friends of Palestine *Oxford* Leafletting in central Oxford, watch this space *Plymouth* Boycott Israeli Goods action outside recently opened marks and Spencers flagship store. More information can be found on www.plymouthaction.info/palsc.htm or e-mail plymouth_psc@blueyonder.co.uk *Whitechapel* Actions planned, watch this space

Congress expresses its solidarity with the peoples the Middle East. We will campaign for an end to the armed aggression of the U.S., Israel and their allies in the region. We call for the release of Palestinians, Iraqis and others held unjustly and without charge. We call on COSATU members to boycott Israeli goods and to demonstrate at the embassies of the U.S. and Israel. Our government should withdraw its ambassador from Israel and the Israeli ambassador to South Africa should be expelled.

Read the entire declaration...

We, South Africans who lived for decades under rulers with a colonial mentality see Israeli occupation as a strange survival of colonialism in the 21st century. Only in Israel do we hear of ‘settlements’ and ‘settlers’. Only in Israel do soldiers and armed civilian groups take over hilltops, demolish homes, uproot trees and destroy crops, shell schools, churches and mosques, plunder water reserves, and block access to an indigenous population’s freedom of movement and right to earn a living. These human rights violations were unacceptable in apartheid South Africa and are an affront to us in apartheid Israel.

CUPE ONTARIO WILL:

1. With Palestine solidarity and human rights organizations, develop an education campaign about the apartheid nature of the Israeli state and the political and economic support of Canada for these practices.

2. Support the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law including the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN Resolution 194.

The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) congratulates CUPE Ontario (Canadian Union of Public Employees) for passing Resolution 50 in support of the global campaign against Israeli Apartheid. The resolution passed with overwhelming support at the largest provincial convention in the union’s history, held May 24-27 in Ottawa, Canada. Over 900 delegates from CUPE locals across Ontario attended the convention. CUPE represents about 200,000 public sector workers in Ontario and is the largest public sector union in the province.

Resolution 50 expresses CUPE Ontario’s support for the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions until Israel meets its obligations to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalieable right to self-determination and fully complies with international law including resolution 194 calling for the right of return of Palestinian refugees.