Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid Victoria Justice for Palestine |
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Coaliton Against Israeli Apartheid: CAIA Victoria Join
us and the global action for Palestine contact: [email protected] Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions 1. BOYCOTTS Boycotts are one of many means used
to raise awareness and create economic problems for companies & countries involved in injustice & oppression.
These strategies are used to support justice and human rights in
regions or countries where other non-violent efforts and international
appeals, including UN resolutions, to overcome actions that are internationally
recognized as morally reprehensible, have so far failed to change
the oppressor. Boycotts give individual consumers political power
and choice; boycotts are even more effective when an organized campaign
by social movements and other organizations – like church & labour
- creates public awareness about and support for the issues. Retailers
can be educated about the products they sell, both privately and
publicly. Some will accept the necessity for the action; others may
respond only when economic pressure is exerted. These websites have long & extensive lists of products
to boycott – many
of which are sold in Canada. If you put www.bbcf.ca/_images/boycotts_etc_2008.pdf
in your browser seach you will find an adobe list. Also see http://www.inminds.com/boycott-brands.html http://www.inminds.com/boycott-settlements.html **List of possible boycott focus for Canadians Mountain Equipment Co-op (a membership organization) carries clothing,
equipment and Nike shoes made in Israel. See its online catalogue:
www.mountainequipment.coop/Products/product http://blog.mec.ca/2009/05/israel-apartheid-and-boycotts-part-3.html 2. DIVESTMENT
The range and variety of goods and brands sold by Israeli & global companies which support Israeli government policies are amazingly vast & encompassing from Gottex bathing suits to Tommy Hilfiger clothes to Smarties to Minute Maid juices to Evian water to HP foods to light fixtures to internet service to Time and Life magazines to Maggi cubes to yogurt to lipstick and bath salts to coffee to Kleenex to Huggies and mobile phones. Checking sources of everything is the only safe way to avoid supporting Israeli oppression of Palestine. A colleague has commented, in reference to all these corporate collaborators, “we never know who we may be supporting, buying little and local makes more sense every day”. Please note that no Israeli product has the ‘Fairtrade’ label. Fairtrade Palestinian olive oil is available in Canada – through 10,000 Villages & other outlets. *** HERE is some Coke vs. Pepsi lore*** Companies currently targeted as part of the BDS campaign include: Ahava: its products come from stolen Palestinian natural resources in the Occupied Territory of the Palestinian West Bank, and are produced in an illegal settlement. G4S: a British-Danish private security company that provides services and equipment to Israeli prisons, checkpoints, the Apartheid Wall and the Israeli police. Sodastream: an Israeli corporation that produces all of its carbonation devices in an illegal settlement in the West Bank. Veolia: the company also operates bus services to illegal settlements as well as dump waste on Occupied Land from illegal settlements at the Tovlan landfill. Veolia was involved in the construction of the Jerusalem Light Rail which has been designed to connect the illegal settlements built on East Jerusalem with the Israeli territory of West Jerusalem. 3. UNION ACTION
A resolution 50 passed by CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees)
Ontario in 2006 & 2007: 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. CUPW ( Canadian Union of Postal Workers) April 13-17th, 2008 passed
Resolution 338/339, in support of the global campaign of boycotts,
divestment and sanctions against Israeli Apartheid, a landmark for
the Palestinian solidarity movement in Canada. It represents the
first time in North American history that a national union has passed
a BDS resolution. The resolution recognizes Israel as an apartheid
state and expresses CUPW's support for boycott and divestment from
Israel. It was passed almost unanimously after nearly one hour of
discussion on the convention floor. CUPW represents more than 50,000
postal workers across Canada and has been at the forefront of campaigns
against privatization and deregulation at Canada Post. The union
has a proud history of international solidarity. During the South
African apartheid years, CUPW was at the forefront of labour solidarity
with South African workers and engaged in concrete actions such as
the refusal to handle mail from South Africa. The CUPW resolution
was modeled on Resolution 50 of the CUPE (Ontario). The resolution
commits CUPW to "support the international campaign of BDS until
Israel meets its obligations 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 lands as stipulated in UN Resolution
194." 4. SANCTIONS Sanctions are official government or government organization actions against another government. Our government has participated in sanctions against Iraq & has had to cooperate on some levels with USA sanctions against Cuba. The Mulroney Conservative Government was a world leader in the sanctions against South Africa. With public pressure we can change governments or government policies Both the present government & the Liberals have always supported the Government of Israel and have never criticized its occupation of Palestine: successive Canadian governments have given Israel preferential trading status under the Canada Israel Free Trade Agreement, an agreement that financially supports the Israeli government’s oppressive policies and does not even attempt to distinguish products that are from illegal Israeli settlements. It was implemented in 1997, for details see: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pbg/cf/b239/README.html
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