Un advises Isarael to change fundamentally
UN advises Israel to change ‘fundamentally’ Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:37:56 GMT Palestinians sit next to the rubble of Taha… Read More »Un advises Isarael to change fundamentally
Iran – Features
The international league of war criminals
By Chris Marsden
(source: World Socialist Website)
The issuing of a British arrest warrant for former Israeli Foreign Minister and current leader of the opposition Tzipi Livni is only the latest event confirming an international body of legal opinion that Israel should be tried for war crimes over its treatment of the Palestinians.
Livni was a member of the war cabinet during Operation Cast Lead, the offensive against Gaza between December 27, 2008 and January 18 this year. Some 1,400 Palestinians—the majority of them civilians, including 400 women and children—were killed, at least 5,000 people were injured, and 21,000 homes and other vital infrastructure were destroyed.
Belgian campaign forces financial group to cancel settlement loans
Belgian campaign forces financial group to cancel settlement loans
Worldwide Activism, Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, June 16th, 2009
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| Above: Expansion is ongoing in the Gilo settlement, just north of Bethlehem. |
The Belgian-French financial group Dexia has announced it will no longer finance settlements in the West Bank through its Israeli branch, Dexia Israel. This is the result of a months-long campaign in Belgium, supported by non-governmental organizations, political parties, local authorities, trade unions and other organizations. Dexia’s management has stated that financing settlements is indeed against the bank’s code of ethics.
In October 2008, several Belgian solidarity groups discovered that Dexia Israel was granting loans to settlements in the Palestinian territories. The director of Dexia Israel, David Kapah, confirmed that the bank had indeed granted credits to seven settlements and three regional authorities in the West Bank between 2003 and 2007.
This "smoking gun" evidence entailed the start of a fast-growing campaign in Belgium. United under the slogan "Israel colonizes, Dexia finances," the campaign achieved its first successes. In the following months, petitions were being launched, MPs were questioned and local actions were started up. Significant was the support of local Belgian authorities such as municipalities and provinces, as they hold a vast amount of shares in Dexia Group.
Today, the action platform consists of 61 Belgian organizations and has gathered more than 4,000 signatures and got 29 local authorities to sign a resolution demanding that Dexia break off its relations with the settlements and immediately stop financing the occupation.
For several months the Belgian government and Dexia management didn’t respond to the demands of the action platform. However, as the campaign started to receive more media coverage and the pressure started to rise, something changed. On 13 May, campaign activists were able to voice demands at the annual shareholders meeting of Dexia Group in Brussels.
In response, Jean-Luc Dehaene, chairman of the board of Dexia and former Belgian prime minister, declared that no new loans will be granted to the settlements. He added that the credits and loans to the settlements that were granted before are in runoff and will no longer be prolonged; neither will they be replaced by similar loans.
Read More »Belgian campaign forces financial group to cancel settlement loans
Urgent press alert
PRESS CONFERENCE: Mon, 29th April 2010 – 4pm, Cii Offices
Addressed by Muhammed Ali Harath, CEO Islam Channel (UK)
Addressed by Muhammed Ali Harath, CEO Islam Channel (UK)
The Media Review Network (MRN) is pleased to announce that the CEO of Islam Channel (UK), Muhammed Ali Harath appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court this morning (29th March 2010) and has been discharged.
The withdrawal of all charges against Mr. Harath vindicates the MRN’s position that he has been innocent of so-called “terror charges”.
M.A.Harath, who hails from Tunisia and is resident in the UK where he heads this important media platform is a respected and well known Muslim personality. On January 24th 2010, on a flight from the UK, he was detained at the O. R. Tambo International Airport, in what appears to now be under mysterious circumstances.
Having spent two days in detention, his legal team secured his release, which required him to make a routine appearance in court. This was done this morning (29.3.10) with a successful acquittal of all charges.
The questions that arise from the strange circumstances of his arrest must be addressed by the relevant authorities in South Africa. We therefore call upon them to establish the role of foreign agents interfering in the security obligations of a sovereign country.
Iqbal Jassat
Chairman,
Media Review Network
Cell: 083 594 3749
E-mail: mrn_ij@telkomsa.net
Channel Islam International (Cii)
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