Palestine is a State

 

In fact, Palestine has been a U.N. recognized state since November 2012:

From Wikimedia Commons

"The United Nations general assembly voted overwhelmingly  . . . to recognise Palestine as a state, in the face of opposition from Israel and the U S.

"The 193-member assembly voted 138 in favour of the plan, with only nine against and 41 abstentions. The scale of the defeat represented a strong and public repudiation for Israel and the US, who find themselves out of step with the rest of the world."

From: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/nov/29/united-nations-vote-palestine-state  

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Far more countries recognize the State of Palestine than countries that don't:

 

From: Wikimedia Commons.

Map identifying Recognition of the State of Palestine. Dark green = states that have recognised; medium green = states hosting a Palestinian mission; light green = states hosting a Palestinian general or special delegation; grey = states with no relations to Palestine.

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As of November 2014,  " . . . Sweden became the 135th U.N. member state to recognize Palestine:"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/11/07/


Meanwhile, only " . .  160 of the 192 other UN member states (83%) currently recognize Israel." That's just 25 more than recognize Palestine:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_recognition_of_Israel


Of those countries that do recognize Israel, only a very small number do not have diplomatic relationships with Palestine (in dark blue on the map below).  On the other hand, a significant portion of  the nations in the Middle East and Northern Africa, as well as the Pacific Island nations, not only do not recognize Israel, they have no relationship with Israel at all (dark green in the map below). 

From:  40 Maps that Explain the Middle East.

Check the gray areas on the map just before this one (the map that is mostly green).  The gray areas represent those countries that have no relations with Palestine.  Now check the dark green areas on the map directly above.  The dark green areas represent the countries that have no relations with Israel.  Clearly, Palestine is in better standing with the world than Israel.  Clearly, there is something wrong with the fact that mainstream Western media insists on spouting Israeli rhetoric about Palestinian statehood.


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Palestinian statehood is not something that Israel can confer or withhold from Palestine, no matter what rhetoric Israel convinces the mainstream media to repeat.  

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a final bid to shore up right-wing support ahead of a knife-edge vote on Tuesday, (March 17, 2015) said he would not permit a Palestinian state to be created under his watch if he is re-elected."

"Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi said Netanyahu's comments were 'dangerous' and could plunge the region into violence.  'This is the real Netanyahu,' she said. 'From the beginning, he was attempting to carry out a grand deception by pretending to be in favor of the two-state solution. But what he was actually doing on the ground is destroying the chances of peace."

From:  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4637673,00.html

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We must not forget that Israel's occupation of Palestine is illegal!

 

“The Israeli occupation of the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories) is illegal both intrinsically and extrinsically.”

From: ‘Illegal Occupation: Framing the Occupied Palestinian Territory,’ Berkeley Journal of International Law:   http://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1299&context=bjil

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Free Palestine!

 

That's what we are working for!

Please see our complete Boycott List here:
http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2014/12/boycott-list.html

And our Quick-Actions here:
http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/search/label/Quick%20action

If you have any doubt about why we boycott and work to free Palestine, please read the posts found here:   http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/search/label/why%20we%20boycott

You may also be interested in exploring the historical roots of the conflict between Israel and Palestine:  http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/search/label/historical%20roots

From Wikimedia Commons.

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Boycott for Peace!

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/boycott4peace 
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Boycott Dannon Yogurt

Dannon Yogurt is the beneficiary of the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, through a crooked trail (documented below), it also supports the IDF’s Golani Brigade, as well as the Israeli economy. 

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Follow the trail here:

Dannon is the name Groupe Danone uses to market its products in the U.S.A.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_Danone

The Danone/Strauss/ Israel connection is documented here:

http://www.strauss-group.com/brand/danone/

The Dannon/Danone connection is documented here, scroll to the bottom:

http://www.dannon.com/our-company/

Got it?  Dannon, Danone, and Strauss are all connected and all beneficiaries of ethnic cleansing. 

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Here’s the documentation:

The Nahariya area—which is where Strauss got its start and where the Groupe Danone made its initial investment—was ethnically cleansed  of Palestinians and then their villages were destroyed to make way for Israeli settlement and business.  “The last village to be depopulated at gunpoint was Umm al-Faraj near Nahariyya.” From, ‘The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine,’ by Ilan Pappe, pg, 220, paragraph 2. Also:  " . . . [Destruction is proceeding in]  . . .  Ja'tun [perhaps Khirbat Ja'tun] near Nahariya . . .”  Please scroll down to, “On Jun 16, 1948,” and see the second paragraph:  http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Famous-Zionist-Quotes/Story691.html  (Nahariyya are Nahariya are alternate spellings of the same village.)

“In the 1950s, Strauss grew and began focusing on ice cream products, with about 50 employees in their Nahariya factory.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss_%28company%29

“Danone purchased about 20% of Strauss Dairies (today Strauss Health division) in Nahariya.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_Danone#Israel

The Strauss company, " . . . adopted the Golani reconnaissance platoon (of the Israeli Defense Forces) for over 30 years and provide them with an ongoing variety of food products for their training or missions, and provide personal care packages for each soldier that completes the path."  http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Strauss-reposts-IDF-support-commitment-on-website

“In 1998, Mr. Franck Riboud, on behalf of Danone received the Jubilee Award by the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is the highest tribute ever awarded by the ‘State of Israel’ in recognition of those individuals and organizations, that through their investments and trade relationships, have done the most to strengthen the Israeli economy.”  http://www.inminds.com/boycott-danone.html

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Other Reasons to Boycott ~

Groupe Danone markets baby formula to new mothers in third world countries in ways that are unethical, controversial, and sometimes illegal:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_Danone#Controversies

The American Decency Association has called on a Boycott of Dannon Yogurt for their support, through advertising, of indecent television programming: http://www.americandecency.org/full_article.php?article_no=239

Strauss was labeled by the Israel Antitrust Authority as a monopoly in 2004:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss_%28company%29

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Alternatives: 

Buy Small, Buy Local!

Whenever possible buy yogurt from small local producers.  Your local health food store or co-op can help you choose a local ethical yogurt.

It turns out Stonyfield Farms and Brown Cow are both owned by Danone: http://www.allaboutfasting.com/best-yogurt.html (Unfortunately, this article doesn’t help us find the best yogurt.)  If you have questions about a brand of yogurt you are thinking of switching to and would like some help researching it, please leave a comment.  We will help!

Make Your Own. 

Here is a great, easy to follow recipe.  Read it all the way through before getting started, you may need to buy a few supplies. (Remember, Carnation is on the boycott list as well.)  A yogurt maker is optional:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/homemade-yogurt-395111

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Boycotting is the right thing to do!  Here is our complete boycott list:

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2014/12/boycott-list.html

If you are unclear on why we boycott Israel please check out the posts at the following link.  It’s not only about historical ethnic cleansing, or support for the IDF and the Israeli economy.  It is primarily about on-going Israeli discrimination and atrocities against Palestinian people today: http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/search/label/why%20we%20boycott

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Facebook Shareable Meme.

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Boycott for Peace!
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Free Palestine!

Quick Action from the American Friends Service Committee

 

Call on Congress: 

Ask for an end to movement restrictions in the occupied Palestinian territory.

 

"Control of Palestinian movement has been a feature of the Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory since its inception in 1967. However, over the last 14 years the system of movement controls used by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory has become increasingly institutionalized and restrictive with severe adverse affects. This is a severe violation of a very basic human right."
 
Tell your congressional reps how you fell and to ask them to hold Israel to account: 
http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50601/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12598

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For More Information on how Israel controls and thwarts Palestinian movement please see the following posts:

Merry Christmas from Bethlehem focuses on the Bethlehem wall, with a photo, and discusses its affects on the community.

Boycott HP has a photo of one of the guarded gates that prevent Palestinian freedom of movement.  You will also find some information on international law regarding this restriction of movement in the text.

It's up to us to be the Change features a photo of the Gaza wall with an automated gun tower.  It also discusses the illegal motivations behind Israel's illegal restrictions of Palestinian people.

Travel Discrimination discusses how Israel's efforts to oppress Palestinian people and restrict their movement extends to American Citizens of Palestinian descent. 
 
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Take Action!
Please tell congress what you think:
http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50601/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12598

Vote with your dollars!  Here is a link to our complete boycott list:
http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2014/12/boycott-list.html

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Boycott for Peace!  

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/boycott4peace 
http://www.pinterest.com/boycott4peace/pins/ 

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Broken Rainbow

Academy Award Winning Documentary

"Land is the center of life to Native People." 

 

"It's almost as if they have lost a portion of their souls

when they can no longer return to that land."

Evocative storytelling weaves the ancient history of Navajo and Hopi homelands with traditional mythology and current tribal culture.  Historical archival photos, news footage, current events, and interviews round out the presentation. The collision between profit seeking corporations empowered by governmental forces with traditional lifestyles is well illustrated and touches the very core of what it is to be human.


Palestinian parallels include home demolitions, the destruction of culturally important trees and plants, removal of the Indigenous people from the land for the economic benefit of corporations and the colonizer/settlers, and finally being fenced out of their own land with no compensation.

"There is no word for relocation in the Navajo language."

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Available by request from your local library or where ever you  normally rent movies.  You can also watch on-line at the link:  http://www.southwestindian.com/p/broken-rainbow-dvd

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All quotes are from the DVD.

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Check out our other recommended DVDs:
http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/search/label/DVD


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Participate!  If you know of other  DVDs covering home demolitions,  tree destruction, relocation, removal, or ethnic cleansing of other Indigenous People in any part of the world, please tell us about them in comments.  We may be able to feature your recommendations in up-coming posts.  Or, if you like, prepare a blurb similar to what we have done here, and if we are able to use it--you will get a by-line which you can use as a publication credit.  Plus you will be helping educate others about the plights of Indigenous People everywhere.

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Boycott for Peace! 

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/boycott4peace

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Boycott AHAVA

Israeli companies, including AHAVA, generate around 3 billion USD annually from the sale of Dead Sea minerals.  The Dead Sea is in Palestinian territory which is being illegally occupied and raided by Israel.

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Documentation:                     

“Ahava – Dead Sea Laboratories . . . is a private Israeli cosmetics corporation that operates from the occupied West Bank:”  http://www.whoprofits.org/content/ahava-tracking-trade-trail-settlement-products

AHAVA’s “factory and visitor's center is located in the Mitzpe Shalem settlement in the occupied Jordan Valley. In addition, Ahava is partially owned by the settlement of Mitzpe Shalem and Kalia. The company's products are sold in Europe under a misleading label, which doesn't indicate the name of the settlement the factory is located in. The company uses mud which is excavated from the occupied Palestinian area in its products:”  http://www.whoprofits.org/company/ahava-dead-sea-laboratories

“Pillage of the Dead Sea: Israel’s Unlawful Exploitation of Natural Resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory:”  http://www.alhaq.org/publications/publications-index/item/pillage-of-the-dead-sea-israel-s-unlawful-exploitation-of-natural-resources-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory

“Israel’s total control of the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea is depriving the Palestinian economy of income and jobs, while bringing in big profits for the occupation.” http://www.imemc.org/article/65987

“Israel is stealing and damaging Palestinian natural resources, including Dead Sea salt, mud and land, and using this for profit.  Israeli companies generate around 3 billion USD annually from the sale of Dead Sea minerals (primarily potash and bromine) and from other products, which are derived from Dead Sea Minerals.  That is a huge amount of money being generated by and for a state which upholds apartheid and occupation of Palestinian lands.”  http://www.boycottisraelisalt.com/why-boycott/

When “you buy Ahava products you help finance the destruction of hope for a peaceful and just future for both Israelis and Palestinians.” http://www.stolenbeauty.org/article.php?id=4951

AHAVA documents its own use of minerals found near and in the Dead Sea:  http://www.ahavaus.com/discover-ahava/our-story#

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Facebook sharable meme.

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Take Action!  In addition to boycotting, Code Pink offers a number of action plans; from those you can engage in from your home computer to a ten step guide to taking action at a store that sells AHAVA products:  http://www.stolenbeauty.org/

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Participate!  If you can get a decent photo of AHAVA products or even just one product, we may be able to use it in an upcoming meme.  Contact us by private message on our facebook community page:  https://www.facebook.com/boycott4peace

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Be sure to boycott table salt from the Dead Sea as well:

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2015/02/salt-justice.html

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If you have any question about why we boycott Israel please check out the posts at this link:

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/search/label/why%20we%20boycott

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Boycotting is the right thing to do!  Here is our complete boycott list:

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2014/12/boycott-list.html

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Photo for meme - Code Pink protests AHAVA from:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CodePink-BeautyProductProtest-July2009.jpg

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Boycott for Peace! 

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/boycott4peace
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Resist Nestle!

Quick Action: Petition


Across the globe, Nestlé is pushing to privatize and control public water resources.




Nestlé's Chairman of the Board, Peter Brabeck, has explained his philosophy with "The one opinion, which I think is extreme, is represented by the NGOs, who bang on about declaring water a public right. That means as a human being you should have a right to water. That’s an extreme solution."

Tell Nestlé:

“Water is a public right. Start treating it like one and stop privatizing our resources.”

Find more information and sign the petition here:
http://action.storyofstuff.org/sign/nestle_water_privatization_push/

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Nestle, Israel, Palestine, & Water:

Access to adequate safe, clean water is a human right. A human right that it is not surprising to learn that the country that would give Nestle its highest award would deny to Palestinian people. 

Scroll down on this page to "Access to adequate safe, clean water . . . " for more information on Palestine's water woes:
http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2014/10/defend-human-rights-boycott-dasani.html

 "Nestle received from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 1998 the Jubilee Award, the highest tribute ever awarded by the State of Israel in recognition of those individuals and organizations, that through their investments and trade relationships, have done the most to strengthen the Israeli economy."  http://vpm.org.my/bds/35-why-boycott-nestle

 

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Boycott for Peace! 

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/

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The Light we Lost

 

 

Rachel Corrie, an Amazing Light

Born, April 10, 1979

Crossed over, March 16, 2003

  The Israeli Defense Forces ended her life with a CAT D-9 bulldozer, because she cared about the Palestinian people. 

Rachel’s Words in Print

When she was a ten-year-old child in Olympia Washington, Rachel 
delivered a speech at her fifth grade press conference on world hunger:

"I'm here for other children.

I'm here because I care.

    I'm here because children everywhere are suffering and because forty thousand people die each day from hunger.

I'm here because those people are mostly children.

We have got to understand that the poor are all around us and we are ignoring them.

We have got to understand that these deaths are preventable.

We have got to understand that people in the Third World countries think and care and smile and cry just like us.

We have got to understand that they dream our dreams and we dream theirs.

We have got to understand that they are us.  We are them.

My dream is to stop hunger by the year 2000.

My dream is to save the forty thousand people who die each day.

My dream can and will come true if we all look into the future and see the light that shines there.

If we all help and work together, it will grow and burn free with the potential of tomorrow."

Rachel Corrie

Excerpted from, Her Name Was Rachel Corrie, which is primarily from Rachel's own writings and worth reading:  http://www.rense.com/general73/name.htm

This speech, featuring 10 year old Rachel Corrie, is available on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDq32EgMxb8

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Rachel Corrie was an American citizen.  She traveled to Palestine as a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement in January 2003.  She went, because she cared. Her work there was primarily to be a witness to the inhumane conditions and atrocities imposed on Palestinian people by Israel.  There was also the profound hope that the presence of international citizens would help protect Palestinian people, their homes, and necessary infrastructure, just by their presence. 

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Quotes from Rachel Corrie's writing while she was in Palestine.

"We are protecting civilians. We are unarmed. We are no threat to you. Please do not shoot."

"Sometimes I sit down to dinner with people and I realize there is a massive military machine surrounding us, trying to kill the people I'm having dinner with."

“We should be inspired by people... who show that human beings can be kind, brave, generous, beautiful, strong-even in the most difficult circumstances.” 

"I feel like I'm witnessing the systematic destruction of a people's ability to survive. It's horrifying." 

“This has to stop. I think it is a good idea for us all to drop everything and devote our lives to making this stop. I don’t think it’s an extremist thing to do anymore."

From: Brainy Quotes,  Good Reads,  and the article: 'Rachel Corrie’s Parents Journey to Palestine.'

 

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Learn More ~

For a deeper understanding of what she thought, you may also want to read Rachel's e-mails from Palestine,  available on the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice's web site:  http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/rachel/emails

Rachel Corrie's very moving book, Let Me Stand Alone, W.W. Norton & Company, is available on request from libraries, book stores, and on-line.  For more information please see:  http://letmestandalone.com/

Follow the Rachel Corrie Foundation on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/rcfoundation

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On March 16, 2003,  Rachel was crushed to death by the IDF.  Even though there were four eyewitnesses to this murder, Israel has absolved itself and all parties involved of any wrong doing.  

She will not be forgotten! 

From Wikimedia Commons

“This has to stop. I think it is a good idea for us all to drop everything and devote our lives to making this stop."  

Rachel Corrie

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Take Action!  

Boycott Caterpillar for its complicity and profiteering from the illegal occupation and Rachel Corrie's murder:  http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2014/12/caterpillar-corporate-conscientiousness.html

Check out our complete boycott list:
http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2014/12/boycott-list.html 

And our Quick Actions:
http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/search/label/Quick%20action

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Boycott for Peace! 

http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/boycott4peace

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