Palestine – Breaking News

National Canadian Jewish organization votes to boycott Israel

The following press release was issued on 16 June 2009:

Independent Jewish Voices (Canada) voted to join the growing international campaign in support of the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel, at its first Annual General Meeting this past weekend. This decision makes IJV the first national Jewish organization in the world to do so. The adopted resolution states that IJV will "Support the Palestinian call for a campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and complies with the precepts of international law, including the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194."

"Independent Jewish Voices has voted to join the international boycott campaign because we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and support their right to self-determination," says Diana Ralph, co-chair of IJV. "We are calling on the Canadian government and all Members of Parliament to push for immediate sanctions on Israel."

"The time has come for people around the world to rise to the challenge in Israel/Palestine, as we did for South Africa," says Fabienne Presentey, Steering Committee member of IJV. "All voices that can be raised against this injustice must be."

The resolution, which passed with the support of 95 percent of voting delegates, also calls on the Canadian government to "1) cease its one-sided and uncritical support for Israel and 2) insist that Israel abide by international law."

The international call for BDS originated from 170 Palestinian civil society organizations and has sparked a growing global movement, modeled on the international campaign that successfully ended South African apartheid. Many prominent organizations around the world have joined the BDS campaign, including the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), UNISON (UK), Transport and General Workers’ Union (UK), Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Canadian Union of Public Employees-Ontario, six Norwegian trade unions, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Scottish Trades Union Congress, and Intersindical Alternativa de Catallunya.

Independent Jewish Voices is a member-led organization, with chapters in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal, and Halifax.

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African National Congress (ANC) president, Jacob Zuma, is to meet with members of the ulema on Tuesday afternoon in what the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) has described as a “historic” meeting. Western Cape premier, Ebrahim Rasool, is also expected to be present at the meeting. The meeting – which will be closed to the media – will take place at the MJC headquarters in Athlone, starting at 4pm and ending just before Maghrib.

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By Iqbal Jassat – Chairman, Media Review Network

A new storm over media freedoms is brewing in South Africa. It seems that until the 2010 soccer World Cup was underway, all eyes were fixed on the spectacle and the excitement it generated amongst the population. Now that it is over and acknowledged as a resounding success, much to the dismay of numerous doomsayers who included the likes of Hussein Solomon, the public debate has shifted to familiar territory.

This involves the ANC-led government and the 4th Estate. To the uninitiated it may not be clear what the debate entails. Media reports and radio talk shows are filled with angry voices belonging to journalists warning about an impending threat to media freedoms arising from politicians keen to impose censorship ala apartheid style.

Countering this view are voices such as those of Blade Nzimande of the Communist Party who has juxtapositioned startling media probes into corruption called “tenderpreneurs” with “mediapreneurship”. Nzimande, who also enjoys a senior cabinet position in government, explained that this trend involves journalists who are literally in the pockets of moneyed and powerful interests, accepting cash to write stories in favour of financial patrons and besmirching the opponents of their benefactors.

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By Bibi Ayesha Laher – Media Liaison, Media Review Network

At Saturday night’s Al Quds Banquet, the Media Review Network (MRN) was honoured by being granted the “shuhada” award in recognition of efforts to lift the siege on Gaza!

The award was presented at Al Quds Foundation’s annual fundraising dinner held in Lenasia.

Key note speaker Sheik Igsaan Hendriks, who also heads the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC), lauded the MRN for its sterling media advocacy in defence of human rights. He also said that the partnership forged between MJC’s media desk and MRN is a significant strategic alliance highly valued by them.

Before calling on MRN’s Iqbal Jassat to receive the award, he was asked to address the capacity audience.

In his brief talk, Jassat stressed the need for broader civil society participation in solidarity activities for oppressed people. With reference to Palestine, he pointed out that Apartheid Israel’s ideological root embedded in racist Zionism was floundering.

“’Hasbara’ or propaganda relied upon by Israel to bluff the world is experiencing major structural cracks. This is due to the fact that myths invented by Zionists are not sustainable in the face of Palestinian resistance and global solidarity”, said Jassat.

MJC’s secretary –general, Molana Abdul Khaliq Ally who presided at the function expressed gratitude for the support by residents of Lenasia, Ennerdale, Eldorado Park and surrounding areas.

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