Boycott Israeli Products - Direct Action Jervis Street Centre

by Conor.M - S.E.E.D Sat Jan 17, 2009 18:17

I was a little late today... I walked around town for a while, then went home. I had a big sign too... ah well. Hope it went disruptively well.

by Ronan Sat Jan 17, 2009 20:47

Yeah, it went well. There was a lot of support from onlookers who joined in. It finished well when we met up with the protest march outside.

Some footage from inside the Jervis St. Centre.

Of the start....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTqaMA5hr4c

Crowds gather at the protest...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9C9KqGr2h4

by Wake Up Mon Jan 19, 2009 00:43

Oh for gosh sake.Who in Israel does not serve in the military.

Should we have the same view of Palestinans who sell olive oil.Because they might be Hamas politicans or milita men,or wana be suicide bombers.

Wake up hypocrits.

I will buy more Israeli products than ever and have been doing the last 3 weeks

by Miriam Mon Jan 19, 2009 01:27

Burning a flag does not compare to shooting a child 18 times in the chest - her sister 12 times. Why dont you focus on the real violence (like the 410 children murdered in equally vile circumstances) instead of inventing panaceas for diverting attention from where the real criminality is going on. If one of these were your children you would be taking a different line, I bet. If one of these was an Israeli child, can you imagine the outrage that would greet it - and rightly so. Where is the outrage for these murdered children? Israel as a state has brought nothing but trouble and violence since its inception - in spite of the good wishes of its many decent citizens - Jewish and otherwise. Successive Israeli political parties have used the Palestinian issue for shameful political opportunism - as nothing more than a means by which to keep extreme Israeli opinion on side: the more dead Palestinians the better, regardless of considerations such as justice or even basic humanity.

by Gearóid Ó Néill Mon Jan 19, 2009 14:50

Maybe 'Wake Up' (another anonymous Zionist sympathiser) could suggest how the thousands of slaughtered in Gaza could "get a life" as advocated in his contribution foreword.

by Ronan - IPSC (pers. cap) Mon Jan 19, 2009 14:59

The people in Israel who don’t serve in the military are the brave refusniks to reject much of what their expansionist Zionist state does. There are an increasing number of them. The charge that Israel is an army with a state, rather than a state with an army has some truth in it, especially when you considered the high numbers of military people in government.

The reason why you would find it very difficult to boycott any Palestinian product is that Israel block much of the trade that could come from Palestine though trade agreements, physical delays, administrative delays, and by creating an environment in which it is very difficult to do business, nevermind export your goods. There are many other reasons why you can't boycott Palestinian products that can be laid firmly at Israel's door.

If the staff were in the army, then there is a possibility that they have been involved in war crimes. The staff of these companies are brought over from Israel doing a job that an Irish person (with no conscience) could do.

Well done, you keep buying Israeli products and support the killing of children, you’re in the minority.

Boycotts work, even at a low, awareness-raising level. A full political, academic, cultural, sporting and economic boycott of the Israeli state is something they are scard of.

Farmers claim UK, Jordan boycotting Israeli fruit

http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArtic...view/
1,2506,L-3656454,00.html

Fruit growers disappointed by canceled orders from abroad, leaving
produce to rot in warehouses

Yair Hason
YNet 01.16.09

Fruit growers in Israel have reported delays and reductions in orders
from abroad since the military operation in Gaza was launched, due to
various boycotts
against Israeli produce.

Farmers say much of their produce is being held in warehouses due to
canceled
orders, and fear a sharp decrease in fruit exports to countries such as
Jordan, Britain, and the Scandinavian countries.

"We export persimmons, and because of the fighting a number of
countries and distributors are canceling orders," Giora Almagor, of the
southern town of Bitzaron, told Ynet. He said some of the produce had
already been shipped while some was awaiting shipment in warehouses.

Almagor said a large number of cancellations came from Jordan.

"The produce stays packed in warehouses, and this is causing us massive
losses," he said.

"The longer the fruit waits in storage after sorting, the more its
quality decreases. We also have to pay for cooling the merchandise that
should have already left, and the cost in considerable," he added.

Ilan Eshel, director of the Organization of Fruit Growers in Israel,
said Scandinavian countries have also been canceling orders.

"It's mostly Sweden, Norway, and Denmark," he said. "In Scandinavia the
tendency is general, and it may come to include all of the chains."

Eshel says the boycott did not exist before the Gaza offensive was
launched.

"It's getting worse, and more voices can be heard calling to boycott
Israeli merchandise," he said. "Until the operation began we had
excellent business, though the economic recession in Europe was causing
a slight fall in the market."

He added that winter was an especially difficult season to be unable to
export fruit, because the avocado, persimmon, and citrus markets are at
their height.

by lulu Tue Jan 20, 2009 08:54

Medical Aid for Palestinians would welcome your donations of any amount; it can be done online.

by Reporter12 Tue Jan 20, 2009 15:32

Its official - the Boycott has really started to bite into Israel's export trade.

With the heightened Boycott since the start of the Gaza Bombardment Israel really feels the pinch already. This highlights in stark terms how instantly vulnerable Israel is to this tactic.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3656454,00.html

" Farmers say much of their produce is being held in warehouses due to canceled orders, and fear a sharp decrease in fruit exports to countries such as Jordan, Britain, and the Scandinavian countries. "

by Ronan - IPSC (pers. cap) Thu Jan 22, 2009 09:42

Veolia run the Luas tram system in Dublin.

Boycott all Israeli products and services. Please contact the government and state agencies to request that they do not renew any contracts with Isaeli companies or companies who support the occupation.
Thanks.

------ Forwarded Message
From: Omar Barghouti
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:14:10 -0000

Conversation: Diakonia: Veolia LOST 3.5 Billion EUR contract in Sweden
Subject: Diakonia: Veolia LOST 3.5 Billion EUR contract in Sweden

First MAJOR (huge!) blow to a company implicated in Israeli war crimes
and violations of international law ...

VEOLIA, the French company involved in the "Jerusalem Light Rail"
project, connecteing Jewish colonies in the OPT to West Jerusalem, LOST
the largest public transportation contract in Europe!

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, BDS, are starting to work. This is
the MOST effective form of solidarity with Palestinians, and with Gaza
in particular.

Our South Africa moment is approaching ...

Omar Barghouti

----------------------------------------

Diakonia Press Statement

Stockholm, 20 January 2009

Today the Stockholm community council in Sweden announced that the
French company Veolia who has been the current operator at the Subway's
in Stockholm County for 10 years lost the contract to the
MTR-cooperation.

The contracts for the coming 8 years is worth 3,5 Billion EURO and has
been the biggest ongoing public contract procurement process in Europe.

Although the board for county's public transportation ensured the
decision was based on commercial factors the debate about Veolias
involvement in a controversial tramway project in Jerusalem (Jerusalem
light railway) has been intense in Swedish media.

The tramway connecting the Israeli west Jerusalem with illegal Israeli
settlements on occupied Palestinian territory has triggered discussions
about Veolia's ethical policy. Public protests against Veolia has
brought the attention to the dilemma of operating public services when
you at he same time are involved in politically controversial
activities.

As late as the day before the decision the community council received
lists with thousands of signatories from people demanding the county
council to choose an operator who should not be associated with
violations of international humanitarian law.

- This is clearly another sign of the importance for commercial actors
not to have their brand associated to unethical behaviour, in the case
of illegal settlements on occupied palestinian territory we can already
see a trend of international companies who are moving out their
operations from settlements, says Joakim Wohlfeil, at the Swedish
development organization Diakonia.

Diakonia is a Swedish Christian development organisation working
together with local partners for a sustainable change for the most
vulnerable people of the world

Joakim Wohlfeil

Diakonia Head Office (Sweden)

Policy Officer, Conflict and Justice

Mobile: + 46 (0) 705 15 61 45

www.diakonia.se

by Miriam Thu Jan 22, 2009 16:32

In his latest article John Pilger refers to the odious Bono who it seems has been fawning over Obama as much as he was over Bush. Pilger mentions how Obama was among the vast majority of senators and congress reps who voted to rush that huge shipment of arms to Israel in early December for the long-planned assault on Gaza. The second one is on its way if not already there.

People like Bono, if they are seeking to attach themselves to power for the purpose of doing good really ought to think more carefully about who and what they are endorsing. US presidents who support and fund murder in other countries ought not to qualify. For the sake of the people of Gaza, we should aim a boycott at Bono and U2 unless or until he openly condemns Obama and Bush for their behaviour towards the Palestinians - and cuts all contact with them unless/until the Palestinian occupation is ended. Bono and U2 understand well that he is being exploited by the politicians but the guy so clearly gets a buzz out of all the reflected glory and the hobnobbing in high places he can't give it up. Live Aid 2 was an unmitigated disaster for the very countries it was supposed to be about - it accomplished nothing - Bono knows that and yet neithr himself nor Geldoff have ever publicly admitted that they made a huge mistake.

http://www.newstatesman.com/middle-east/2009/01/israel-...-bush

by Liam G Thu Jan 22, 2009 16:39

Ronan, are veolia water connected to the veolia you refer to?

by Miriam Thu Jan 22, 2009 18:01

This is encouraging

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jan/22/student...omics

by Miriam Thu Jan 22, 2009 18:26

VEOLIA Transport also operates in Ireland and UK

http://www.veolia-transport.ie/

Veolia Water in Israel:

http://www.veoliawater.com/search.htm

Veolia Transport in Israel:

http://www.veolia-transport.com/en/presence/israel.aspx

VEOLIA has clients all over the world and is well in with the UN and other international bodies from whom it has won massive 'development' contracts in the Middle East, Africa etc:

http://www.veoliawater.co.uk/en/media/news-releases/?ne...ortal

Veolia also appear to have numerous contracts all over Ireland.

by Miriam Thu Jan 22, 2009 18:36

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article5723.shtml

by Liam G Thu Jan 22, 2009 19:22

Thanks miriam. Veolia water have a contract with Sligo County Council re water metering as far as I know

by Luas Driver Fri Jan 30, 2009 21:24

Hi,im a Luas Driver and i just heard that Veolia lost Sweden Contract.Great news!About time,i dont know how they are getting away with it for so long.Veolia transport are part of Veolia Environment,they also collect garbage waste for the illegal settlements in East Jerusalem in breach of the Geneva convention.They also have waste contracts troughout Ireland..
In sept 2007 we succesfully put a stop Israelie drivers being trained on the Luas.
Hopefully all organisations can come to gether in Ireland and organise against Veolia.As Che Guevarra once said"now is the time to put our differences aside and come together and fight!"..
With the metro tender coming up in may,nows the time to organise petitions,write to Frank Allen in the Railway precurement agency,pargate st and protest.
I'll be there!

by Mr Man Sat Jan 31, 2009 16:25

"In sept 2007 we succesfully put a stop Israelie drivers being trained on the Luas."

Do you mean training them for use in Israel or training them for working on Irish lines?

by Luas Driver Sun Feb 01, 2009 11:09

With the help of the IPSC and unions we out a stop to Israelie Drivers being trained on the Luas.These drivers would not be working on the Luas but would have gone back, tested and driven the Illegal Luas style system being built and run by Veolia in the future.The fact that they were Israelies wasnt the problem,its the fact that Veolia is breaking human rights laws and in breach of the Geneva Convention i.e helping Israel annex another countrym,thats the issue!