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Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods
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Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods Founding Statement
We are a group of British and Israeli Jews resident in the UK who have come together in this 40th year of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land to support the Boycott Israeli Goods (BIG) campaign.
In 1967, the Israeli army took military control of the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Since that time the government of Israel has built settlements, roads and other infrastructure for its Jewish citizens, using land and resources stolen from the Palestinian people. This situation continues, unchallenged by Western governments, despite Israel’s being in violation of international humanitarian law and over 60 UN resolutions.
Israel daily destroys Palestinian lives, livelihoods and homes; it continues to build its illegal colonies and separation wall on stolen land; it continues to control Gaza while slicing the West Bank into Bantustans, separating Palestinian families from their schools, places of work and agricultural land; it denies Palestinian refugees their right to return and operates a form of racism in many respects worse than the South African apartheid system. Its policies of intimidation and humiliation aim to destroy Palestinian hopes of statehood. Israeli businesses export freely from Palestinian land while the Palestinian economy is on its knees as a result of the occupation.
We believe that this constitutes a betrayal of the best trends in Jewish ethical tradition. It inflames hatreds in our unstable world and renders impossible the achievement of a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians. We therefore support the existing campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions to enforce Israeli compliance with international law.
We call on those of our fellow Jews who are inclined to support the State of Israel unconditionally to think critically about what Israel does in our names. We call on every ethical consumer, of any faith or none, to refuse to support the Israeli economy for as long as the illegal occupation and exploitation of Palestine persists.
contact jews4BIG@googlemail.com
J-BIG letter on the NUS boycott resolution in the Guardian, 25 April 2007 (scroll down past Mr Sugarman, Hackney's full-time zionist letter-writer)
and in the Jewish Chronicle, 27 April 2007:
Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG) welcomes the courageous decision of the NUJ.
Given Israel’s disregard for international law, pressure has to be increased by civil society if justice is to be achieved for Palestinians as well as Israelis. A boycott of Israeli goods is a legitimate form of grassroots action and is particularly appropriate as Israel is destroying the Palestinian economy. Such a boycott has been called for by peace organisations in Israel including the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.
We believe that Israel’s actions betray Jewish ethical traditions. The continuing occupation and exploitation of Palestinian land blocks a resolution to conflict in the Middle East and its global ramifications endanger world peace.
Deborah Fink, Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, Mike Cushman, Tony Greenstein, Deborah Maccoby, Professor Moshe Machover, Mike Marqusee, Ruth Tenne
jews4boycottingisraeligoods@yahoo.co.uk
J-BIG’s first year
Since releasing our founding statement in Feb 2007, JBIG has punched far above its weight given our small numbers. Our glossy leaflets and stickers bearing the slogan IT’S KOSHER TO BOYCOTT ISRAELI GOODS are very popular with Palestine solidarity activists and our banner always attracts attention. We initiated a high profile challenge to the Charities Advisory Trust over Peace Oil, argued the case for boycott in innumerable letters to media, authorities, trades unions and other organizations and put our message across at many meetings, pickets and rallies. Members of J-BIG have been interviewed on minority TV and radio stations and had articles and letters published in a range of media.
Here are a few highlights of the past year
Feb 2007
J-BIG’s first appearance as contingent on picket of Carmel Agrexco in Middlesex
March 2007
Drafted leaflets and helped organise football protest in front of the FA's offices at Soho Square
Football boycott article published on Comment is Free.
Article about launch of J-BIG – “A Spearheading New Initiative” – published on Media Monitors Network
April 2007
Letter in NUJ magazine supporting the union’s vote for boycott
J-BIG letter welcoming NUJ vote published in the Guardian and covered in the Iranian news agency IRNA
A shorter version appeared in the Jewish Chronicle
May 2007
Had stall at Palestine rally in Sheffield
June 2007
Banner had first outing at June 9th Enough! rally
J-BIG members actively supported Freedom Kites for Enough! with JfJfP and CADFA
Published statement supporting UNISON boycott decision
Letter supporting UCU boycott decision published in JC
July 2007
Jointly with BRICUP, picketed rally organised by Engage to challenge the boycott movement and followed up with a joint J-BIG - BRICUP news release.
August 2007
Wrote to PM Gordon Brown protesting at his links with JNF
September 2007
Drafted leaflets and helped organize picket of Wembley stadium for Israel-England football match
Sent letter to TUC’s Brendan Barber
October 2007
J-BIG letter supporting UCU boycott decision in Jewish Chronicle
November 2007
Israel expo picket, covered in the Harrow Times local newspaper
December 2007
Drafted open letter challenging Peace oil as a Christmas “Good Gift”, which led to articles in the Guardian and Independent and a J-BIG letter in the Guardian Money supplement.
January 2008
Supported pickets of Downing Street over Gaza siege
February 2008
Supported picket of diamond magnate Lev Leviev in Hatton Garden.
Sent letter of support to LSE SU over their boycott decision.
Sent letters to PM Brown and Royal Family challenging Windsor Castle JNF fundraiser
March 2008
Worked with JfJfP on Bitter Herbs campaign (labelling of Settlement produce)
April 2008
Picketed JNF dinner at Windsor Castle
May 2008
Rally to mark 60 years since the Nakba
June 2008
Letter to Boots
Members of J-BIG took part in various protests against the Israel 60th birthday rally, including non violent direct action, which led to 2 co-ordinators being dragged away by the police, one of whom was (unlawfully, we think), arrested.