The Leonard Cohen concert has gone ahead tonight, des[ite the greatr campaign launched over the last few months. While this is one we have not won, neither has Cohen. He had to twist and turn, lie and pretend, and the way he treated the Palestinians was, and is, quite appaling. We should continue a campaign against him wherever he intends to sing.
Leonard Cohen performs in Israel after selling out concert in record time: Ha’aretz
Veteran singer Leonard Cohen took to the stage at Ramat Gan stadium on Thursday night after breaking an Israeli record when all the tickets for his show were sold out in less than 12 hours, despite costing between NIS 1,000 and 1,200.
The Canadian, whose previous performance in Israel took place more than 20 years ago, was expected to play many of his most well-known hits, including “Suzanne,” “Bird on the Wire” and “Dance Me to the End of Love.”
Before the concert, an event was held in the VIP section of the stadium for the Leonard Cohen Fund for Reconciliation, Tolerance and Peace, which gives support to bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families. Grants were given at the event to people who have suffered personally from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but continue to believe in peace and work toward achieving it.
Cohen also announced around two months ago that the proceeds from his performance in Israel would go toward the fund.
Around 200 bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families were expected to attend the concert, among them the renowned writer David Grossman. Cohen landed in Israel on a private plane on Tuesday, which his production team says he will use to travel around Israel.
Success elsewhere, like in Spain, has been attained by the ardous work of some of the BRICUP mmebers, and especially Abe:
Spain contest bans Israeli team affiliated with West Bank college: Ha’aretz
Spain said Thursday it has disqualified a group of Israeli academics from a solar power design competition because their university is in the West Bank, the latest in a series of low-level European sanctions against Israel over its settlement policy.
Spain expelled the team representing Ariel University Center of Samaria from an international contest called the Solar Decathlon, in which 20 universities are presenting designs for solar-powered homes, a Housing Ministry official said.
Samaria and Judea are the two Biblical names for the land also now known as the West Bank. “Spain acted in line with European Union policy of opposing Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land,” the Spanish official said on condition of anonymity, in line with ministry rules.
The Israeli university said it “rejects with disgust the one-sided announcement we received from the Spanish Housing Ministry and that the anti-academic decisions harms 10,000 students, including 500 Arab students who study there.”
“The decision is an expression of the illegitimate political struggle which contravenes international law and international charters on academic freedom,” it said in a statement sent Thursday to The Associated Press.
The contest is sponsored by the U.S. Energy Department, but Spain is hosting and financing a European version of it in 2010 and 2012 and has ultimate say over such details as who takes part, the ministry official said.
The Israelis were notified of the decision on September 11, and the U.S. Energy Department was also advised. The Spanish Housing Ministry did not hear back from the Americans, the official said.
Late last year, the Israelis’ proposal made the final cut of 20 universities chosen to take part in the contest after a technical evaluation of their project. But at some point this year, the Spanish Housing Ministry realized their university is not in Israel but rather in the West Bank, the official said. He could not explain why this fact was initially overlooked.
The European Union has adopted a more critical attitude toward Israel since the Israel Defense Force’s 22-day offensive in Gaza last January. The refusal of Israel’s new right-wing government to heed demands for a complete settlement freeze has further strained ties.
Britain recently revoked several licenses granted to U.K. companies to sell weapons parts to Israel because of concerns over their use in the assault on Gaza. But the move was largely symbolic, as Britain supplies less than 1 percent of Israel’s military imports.
Norway decided to sell its shares in Elbit Systems Ltd., an Israeli company that provides surveillance equipment for the separation barrier between Israel and the West Bank, leading Israel to lodge a formal diplomatic complaint.
“Spain acted in line with European Union policy of opposing Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land,” the Spanish official said on condition of anonymity, in line with ministry rules.
The Israeli university said it “rejects with disgust the one-sided announcement we received from the Spanish Housing Ministry and that the anti-academic decisions harms 10,000 students, including 500 Arab students who study there.”
“The decision is an expression of the illegitimate political struggle which contravenes international law and international charters on academic freedom,” it said in a statement sent Thursday to The Associated Press.
The contest is sponsored by the U.S. Energy Department, but Spain is hosting and financing a European version of it in 2010 and 2012 and has ultimate say over such details as who takes part, the ministry official said.
The Israelis were notified of the decision on September 11, and the U.S. Energy Department was also advised. The Spanish Housing Ministry did not hear back from the Americans, the official said.
Late last year, the Israelis’ proposal made the final cut of 20 universities chosen to take part in the contest after a technical evaluation of their project. But at some point this year, the Spanish Housing Ministry realized their university is not in Israel but rather in the West Bank, the official said. He could not explain why this fact was initially overlooked.
The European Union has adopted a more critical attitude toward Israel since the Israel Defense Force’s 22-day offensive in Gaza last January. The refusal of Israel’s new right-wing government to heed demands for a complete settlement freeze has further strained ties.
Britain recently revoked several licenses granted to U.K. companies to sell weapons parts to Israel because of concerns over their use in the assault on Gaza. But the move was largely symbolic, as Britain supplies less than 1 percent of Israel’s military imports.
Norway decided to sell its shares in Elbit Systems Ltd., an Israeli company that provides surveillance equipment for the separation barrier between Israel and the West Bank, leading Israel to lodge a formal diplomatic complaint.
More Boycott developments
U.K. labor unions vote to back boycott of Israeli products: Ha’aretz
British labor unions yesterday agreed to support a boycott of some Israeli goods in response to last winter’s offensive in the Gaza Strip. The boycott, proposed by the British Fire Brigades Union, calls for a ban on importing goods produced in some Israeli settlements, an end of arms trading with Israel and divestment from some companies. A motion proposed at the conference of labor union officials also condemns the actions of Hamas. About 1,400 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, were killed during Operation Cast Lead, which sought to stop rocket fire by Gaza militants on southern Israeli towns. Thirteen Israelis also died, including four civilians. In May of this year, Norway’s largest labor union urged the Scandinavian country to lead an international boycott of Israel if it did not reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians.
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions, whose members constitute more than one third of the country’s employees, said in a statement that both Israel and the Palestinians deserve to live in peace and security, but as long as this was not achieved, the Israeli government was to be held accountable. The organization urged Israel to put an end to the “illegal occupation,” respect the 1967 borders, halt the expansion of West Bank settlements and take down the separation fence.
In February, Irish trade unionists announced that they were planing to launch a boycott of Israeli goods in 2009. Meanwhile, the University of Manchester Students’ Union adopted a resolution supporting a boycott of Israel.
In moving ahead with plans to boycott Israel, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions says it is relying on “evidence” left in the aftermath of the Israeli invasion into Gaza during Cast Lead. It also said it is drawing from a “fact-finding mission” conducted by a dozen of its senior members in Gaza more than a year ago. Leaders within the Irish Congress of Trade Unions are to hold a conference this year to act as “a springboard” for their campaign.
U.S. pension fund giant confirms divestment from Israel firm: Ha’aretz
The U.S. pension fund giant, TIAA-CREF, confirmed in statements to the media on Friday that it divested from Africa Israel Investments, owned by Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev, earlier this year.
The statements came in response to a letter initiated by a pro-Palestinian group, Adalah-NY, and signed by TIAA-CREF clients. The fund’s investment in Africa Israel amounted to only $257,000, so the financial effect of the divestment is minimal. The news of the divestment came as the Israeli firm was suffering a deep financial crisis, having recently announced that is unable to meet its liabilities to its bondholders. Adalah NY noted in its press release that “Despite the recent divestment from Africa-Israel, the new June 30th TIAA-CREF report indicates that the fund continues to invest clients’ money in a number of companies supporting Israeli settlement activity including Israel Discount Bank, Cellcom Israel, Bezeq Israeli Telecommunications Corp, Bank Leumi, and Motorola, among others.”
Earlier this month the Norwegian government announced it was pulling all of its investments from Elbit Systems, which manufactures the monitoring system installed on several parts of the West Bank separation fence.
Norwegian Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen said that the decision was based on the recommendation of her ministry’s council. “We do not wish to fund companies that so directly contribute to violations of international
humanitarian law,” Halvorsen was quoted as saying, explaining that the separation barrier impinged on the freedom of movement of West Bank residents.
Oslo pressured to dump Africa Israel as well: Ha’aretz
A day after Norway announced its divestment from holdings in electronics defense company Elbit Systems for ideological reasons, human rights organizations are calling on Oslo to dump its holdings in Africa Israel Investments as well.
Norway’s problem with Elbit Systems is its provision of equipment to monitor the separation fence between Israel and the Palestinian territories. The human rights organizations’ problem with Africa Israel is the role of subsidiary Danya Cebus in building homes in West Bank settlements, reports the Adnkronos International Web site. The human rights organization Adalah argues that the Africa Israel group, led by Lev Leviev, is violating international law through its construction activity in the territories.
The Norwegian government owns $1.1 million worth of Africa Israel stock, according to figures from Norway’s central bank, Norges Bank. Leviev was also recently put under pressure after announcing major liquidity problems with the Africa Israel group. The British charity Oxfam and United Nations’ fund UNICEF have rejected donations from Leviev. In March, the British embassy in Israel decided against leasing a floor in a building owned by Africa Israel. Last month, the investments fund Blackrock, which had been the second biggest shareholder in Africa Israel, wiped out its holdings in the company because of pressure from Scandinavian funds. Blackrock denied that its decision resulted from pressure following Africa Israel’s construction in the West Bank.
Israel relieved as Goldstone Report scantly mentioned at UN: Ha’aretz
Following the release last week of the Goldstone commission findings which accused Israel of committing war crimes during its offensive in the Gaza Strip, diplomatic officials feared that the report would weigh heavily on the agenda of this week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting. Israel’s fears proved to have no basis in fact as the report was cited by just a few world leaders. The country that has thus far attracted the most attention is Iran. After accusing Israel of committing war crimes against the Palestinians, Iran itself was the object of criticism. Argentina President Cristina Fernandez blasted Iran for its involvement in the bloody terrorist attacks in Buenos Aires in 1992 and 1994. On March 17, 1992, a suicide truck bomber rammed his vehicle into the Israeli embassy in the Argentine capital, killing 29 people and wounding 242. Two years later, terrorists struck the AMIA building, a Jewish community center, in the deadliest bombing in the country’s history. Eighty-five people were killed and hundreds were wounded. France also took a forceful stand against Iran. “If the Iranians do not accede to the demands of the international community this will be a critical mistake,” French President Nicolas Sarkozy told the UN Security Council. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the Security Council that the world should consider “far tougher sanctions” against Iran if its continues to seek a nuclear bomb. “As evidence of its breach of international agreements grows, we must now consider far tougher sanctions together,” Brown said
Why have sanction against a country with hundreds of nuclear weapons, when you can have sanction against a country that does not have any?
Gideon Levy / Obama, you won’t make peace without talking to Hamas: Ha’aretz
It’s as if U.S. President Barack Obama did the least he had to. He “rebuked” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. That’s not how a president with star power acts. That is not how a superpower does things. America is again falling down on the job, and Obama is betraying his mission and the promise of his presidency.
True, it’s an anomaly that the United States wants a peace settlement more than the hawkish parties to the conflict, but the leader of the free world has a crucial role, and iheis not fulfilling it. Nine months after Obama assumed the presidency, precious time has been totally wasted, in the Middle East at least, and suspicions are growing that the promise of his presidency is on the wane, even if the man is attractive and uproariously funny on David Letterman. Laugh, laugh, but ultimately, where are the results?
Beautiful speeches like the one last night at the UN General Assembly are no longer enough. Being America means enjoying numerous international privileges, but also involves a few obligations. One of them is to look after world peace. Just as it set off for war and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan in the name of global goals, however dubious, and just as it is working to prevent a nuclear Iran, America is also obligated to act to settle the Middle East conflict. That is not its right but its obligation. Locals don’t want its services in either Iraq or Afghanistan, but America is shedding its own blood there nonetheless. Why? Because it believes this is essential to world security.When he was elected, President Obama declared that the Middle East conflict was endangering world peace. Nothing is more true. The potential danger between Jenin, Gaza and Jerusalem is no less serious than that in the killing fields of Kandahar and Mosul. But what is the president doing to eliminate the fuel that feeds international terrorism? Or at least to show that he is doing something? He ruins nine whole months over the issue of a construction freeze in the settlements, and even that pathetic goal was not achieved.
It has to be one way or the other: Either Obama thinks a solution to the conflict isn’t a worthy goal and so should get out of the picture and devote his energies elsewhere or he means what he said and must use all his power and act. Meanwhile, instead of change, we have gotten distressing continuity. Instead of “yes we can,” we have gotten “no we can’t.”
Obama needs to turn things upside-down and break with convention. That’s why he was elected. Two decisive steps would change things completely: an American effort to introduce Hamas into the negotiations and pressure on Israel to end the matter of the occupation. Simplistic? Perhaps, but the complex and gradual solutions haven’t gotten us anywhere up to now. Like it or not, without Hamas peace is not possible. The fact that Obama has put his trust only in Abbas’ Fatah has guaranteed failure, which was foreseeable. History has taught us that you make peace with your worst enemy, not with those who are seen as collaborators by their own people.
You also don’t make peace with half a people, in half of the territory. Obama didn’t even try to break this unnecessary spell and automatically went, unbelievably, down the path of his predecessor, George W. Bush. The president who was willing to engage North Korea and Iran and dares Venezuela and Cuba didn’t even think about entering negotiations with Hamas. Why is it okay to talk to Iran but not to Hamas? Obama, too, thinks Hamas is fit for negotiations only over the fate of a single soldier, Gilad Shalit, but not over the fate of two peoples.
The second step, which is no less essential, is applying pressure on Israel. Given Israel’s total dependence and in the face of its blindness to the price of the occupation, Obama’s friendship with Israel is actually to be judged by the steps he would seemingly take against Israel. As Israel’s isolation in the world only grows, and the danger of Iran threatens the country, Israel’s best friend must pressure its ally and save it from itself. Instead, we got another condemnation of the Goldstone Commission report, this time from the new American ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, who had held the promise of major change.
It’s not too late. True, the initial momentum has been lost, but now, following this week’s “summit of rebukes,” America must hurry up and rebuke itself and mainly ponder how to get out of the booby trap to which it has succumbed. Now, too, only America can (and must) do it.