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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 The Right to Boycott By Adam Keller Crazy Country Blogspot 18 Feb 2011 http://adam-keller2.blogspot.com/2011/02/right-to-boycott.html Ever since the founding of the State of Israel, the Chief Rabbinate and the local rabbinates in various Israeli cities have conducted a boycott campaign against restaurants and shops which sell non-kosher food. Advertisements are posted again and again, stating the names and addresses of the boycotted businesses. In order to conduct this campaign, the Rabbinate disposes of an extensive apparatus, with hundreds of fully-paid workers whose salaries are paid by the Israeli taxpayer. Why is the Rabbinate doing this? Because there is in Israel a constituency of religious observant citizens, for whom the consumption of kosher food is a principled issue of major importance. Therefore, they are interested in having a `watchdog` to monitor and inform them where non-kosher food is sold. Moreover, the Rabbis consider the selling of non-kosher food as a pernicious phenomenon which damages the character which they would like Israel to have, and they consider it their right as well as duty to confront this phenomenon. Since 1997, Gush Shalom – of which the writer is the spokesperson - has conducted a boycott campaign against products manufactured at the Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories, established in violation of International Law. We publish a list of products manufactured in the settlements, and call upon the public to refrain from buying these products. Gush Shalom does not get a single penny from the taxpayer`s purse, nor does it get money from any foreign government. Our apparatus consists of a single part-time worker and of volunteers. Why are we doing this? Because there is in Israel a constituency of peace-seeking citizens, for whom opposition to the occupation and the settlements is a principled issue of major importance, and who do not want to help a phenomenon which they oppose. . Therefore, they are interested in having a `watchdog` to monitor and inform them of the settlement products which they want to avoid. We, in Gush Shalom and other organizations which are our partners in the struggle, consider the occupation of another people, seizing of land, building of settlements and destruction of the chances for a peaceful future, as a pernicious phenomenon which damages the character which we would like Israel to have. Therefore, we consider it as our right as well as duty to confront this phenomenon. Thus, there exist all kinds of boycotts. Now, there is also the `Prohibition of Boycotts Act, 2010`, a bill which the Knesset Judicial Committee approved for its First Reading. It includes draconian punishments of all who call for a boycott against the settlements. Its adoption would mean that repeated legal proceedings would be launched against Gush Shalom and huge fines imposed, soon emptying our coffers – as we have no millionaire backer such as the gambling tycoon Irving Moskowitz, patron of the settlers. And the Chief Rabbinate? They would not be touched by this law, and would be able to continue their boycott campaign, paid by the taxpayer. And what about democracy? Or equality? Or Freedom of expression? Or the right of all political, social and religious factions in this country to promote on equal terms the goals important to them? It is to be hoped that even with the balance of power which exists in the current Knesset, at least some will consider their actions at the last moment and avoid having a light finger on the trigger of dangerous and improper legislation. The Hebrew version of the above text was published in Haaretz hebrew, Feb. 18, 2011 id Links to the latest articles in this section Refusing the war! Demonstration today, Thur. Apris 24, at 7.30 pm, Habima Square, Tel Aviv Refusing the war! Demonstration today, Thur. Apris 24, at 7.30 pm, Habima Square, Tel Aviv Saturday night protests: No to Netanyahu`s war!