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The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,    but because of the people who don't do anything about it

Occupation magazine - Activism Home page  back Print  Send To friend Letter to Marrickville Council from concerned citizens of Israel BFW--April 15, 2011--http://www.kadaitcha.com/2011/04/17/concerned-citizens-within-israel-letter-to-marrickville-councillors/--We government`s policies towards the Palestinian people. We stand firm in our support of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) initiatives against Israel until it meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination, and fully complies with the precepts of international law. We reject the notion promoted by demagogues, that the 2005 BDS call from Palestine, and the BDS campaigns the world over which it has inspired, are rooted in anti-Jewish sentiment. On the contrary, BDS is an anti-racist movement against the daily, brutal occupation of Palestine and the virulently racist policies towards Israel`s Palestinian citizens. We also reject the assertion that cultural and academic boycotts of Israel defy the democratic principle of free speech. Research and development in academic institutions play a central role in designing and defending Israel’s military and intelligence machinery. Prominent state-sponsored cultural institutions perpetuate the deception of Israeli democracy, and serve as propaganda tools. Moreover, the BDS campaign targets Israeli institutions, and does not bar Israeli individuals from conducting research with partners abroad or Israeli artists from performing abroad. BDS was a key strategy in ending the white South African system of apartheid by applying international pressure. We warmly commend the groundbreaking stand taken by the Marrickville Council in support of the democratic and non-violent BDS campaign for justice and human rights and urge the Council to stand firm in the face of attempted intimidation and manipulation. Sincerely, Steve Amsel Ronnen Ben-Arie Matan Cohen Adi Dagan Prof. Rachel Giora Rosamine Hayeem Iris Hefets Shir Hever Yael Kahn Dr. Anat Matar Rela Mazali Professor (emeritus) Moshé Machover Dr. Dorothy Naor Ofer Neiman Amit Perelson Itai Ryb Herzl Schubert Yonatan Shapira Jonatan Stanczak Ruth Tenne Yana Ziferblat On behalf of Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from within dn Links to the latest articles in this section Israelis & Palestinians Negotiate Solutions to the Gaza Crisis A war to keep Netanyahu on his throne Back Home in U.S., Israel’s Lone Soldiers Break Their Silence About the Occupation