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July 3, 2011

Dateline July 3, 2011: A Time for The Audacity of Hope and a Time for Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions

By GLloyd Rowsey

About a year ago, the violent attack on the Freedom Flotilla radically changed the international dialogue on Israel and Palestine. Protests in solidarity with the nonviolent activists erupted around the world, from expected global capitals like Tel Aviv and New York City to areas where one would never expect to see a Palestinian flag, like Cincinnati and Des Moines.

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The following text is extracted from the BDS website, and edited slightly for readability.  See here.

About a year ago, the violent attack on the Freedom Flotilla radically changed the international dialogue on Israel and Palestine. Protests in solidarity with the nonviolent activists erupted around the world, from expected global capitals like Tel Aviv and New York City to areas where one would never expect to see a Palestinian flag, like Cincinnati and Des Moines.

Palestine became less of a "controversial" issue.

The Ocean (2010), by Benzene Aseel at Flickr Commons

A year later, Flotilla II, consisting of activists from twenty different countries aboard ten ships (including The Audacity of Hope , frequently referred to as the U.S. Boat to Gaza ) is hoping to set sail if it can secure approval from the Greek government, which is being fiercely lobbied behind the scenes to scuttle the Flotilla.

Only time will tell if the ships will be allowed to proceed on their nonviolent mission. But something that is in all of our power is the ability to personally honor the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement.

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions for Palestine, by BDS

The last year has shown that the call is now more urgent than ever, and BDS can be effective in helping force an end to the Israeli occupation of Gaza.

While it is no secret that much of the United States' massive aid package to Israel helps finance the country's illegal and inhuman occupation of Palestine, one of the better-kept secrets is the role played by many well-known American, as well as international, corporations in enabling that occupation. Perhaps we don't necessarily own a Motorola cell phone or regularly operate a Caterpillar bulldozer; but many of our universities' endowments and retirement pension funds are actively invested in these companies.

Many, many Americans are unknowingly supporting war profiteers.

Here are some of the worst offenders:

Motorola Inc. -- Motorola, the cell phone company, plays a key role in many of sectors of the occupation. Motorola Israel, a subsidiary of Motorola Inc, is the central provider of bomb fuses to the Israeli Air Force.   In addition to manufacturing parts for weapons, Motorola is largely responsible for the Israeli Defense Force's communications and surveillance technology. The surveillance "watch towers" that punctuate the separation barrier that segregates Palestine from the outside world are all operated by Motorola technology.

Caterpillar Inc. -- Caterpillar (CAT) Bulldozers destroy Palestinian homes and olive trees (one of the primary sources of livelihood for many Palestinian families) to make room for illegal Israeli settlements, the separation barrier, and "Jewish-only" roads. American International Solidarity Movement activist Rachel Corrie died when she was crushed under a CAT Bulldozer.

Hewlett Packard (HP) -- Hewlett Packard owns Electronic Data Systems (EDS), which is in charge of the technology monitoring checkpoints inside of Palestine. In addition, HP monitors the Israeli Navy's entire information technology operating system, which enabled last year's attacks on the Freedom Flotilla.

General Electric (GE) -- General Electric sells engines to Israel for a variety of military aircrafts.

United Technologies -- United Technologies produces Blackhawk helicopters. These helicopters are used to attack Palestinian cities and refugee camps and are responsible for the lion's share of Palestinian civilian deaths.

In addition, many retirement pension funds, most notably TIAA-CREF are hugely invested in several of the offending corporations. Several investors of conscience have started the "TIAA-CREF" divestment campaign , raising awareness around transparency issues with the fund and, most importantly, demanding that TIAA-CREF divest from these companies.

So what can you do?

Research any and all investments.   Sign the TIAA-CREF petition . Avoid Motorola cell phones and HP Printers. Don't buy Ahava beauty products. Do buy Palestinian olive oil.

Money speaks louder than megaphones--BDS!



Authors Bio:
I have a law degree (Stanford, 66') but have never practiced. Instead, from 1967 through 1977, I tried to contribute to the revolution in America. As unsuccessful as everyone else over that decade, in 1978 I went to work for the U.S. Forest Service in San Francisco as a Clerk-Typist, GS-4. I was active in the USFS's union for several years, including a brief stint as editor of The Forest Service Monitor, the nationwide voice of the Forest Service in the National Federation of Federal Employees. Howsoever, I now believe my most important contribution while editor of the F.S.M. was bringing to the attention of F.S. employees the fact that the Black-Footed Ferret was not extinct; one had been found in 1980 on a national forest in the Colorado. In 2001 I retired from the USFS after attaining the age of 60 with 23 years of service. Stanford University was evidently unimpressed with my efforts to make USFS investigative reports of tort claim incidents available to tort claimants (ie, "the public"), alleging the negligence of a F.S. employee acting in the scope of his/her duties caused their damages, under the Freedom of Information Act. Oh well. What'cha gonna do?

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