U.S. Students Group Calls to Boycott an Israeli Hummus Brand

[freepalestine]

U.S. Students Group Calls to Boycott an Israeli Hummus Brand

Tuesday November 30, 2010 12:43 by Ane Irazabal - IMEMC & Agencies [/URL]


A group of Princeton University students proposed a boycott of the Sabra hummus brand for its donations to the Israeli army. http://www.imemc.org/attachments/nov2010/hummus.jpg
(photo from www.google.com (http://www.revleft.com/vb/../report_posts?subject=Report post: Story 60047 with title: U.S. Students Group Calls to Boycott an Israeli Hummus Brand&message=Report post: Story 60047 with title: U.S. Students Group Calls to Boycott an Israeli Hummus Brand%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.imemc.org%2Findex.php%3Fo bj_id%3D53%26story_id%3D60047%26%0A%0AEnter+your+r eason+here+-+please+do+not+remove+the+above+link+as+it+will+al low+an+editor+to+easily+remove+the+offending+conte nt))

On Monday, a referendum was organized by the Princeton Committee for Palestine to decide whether to offer alternative brands of hummus in the campus.

The group argued that the only hummus brand, Sabra, which is available, is linked to human rights violations, due to the fact that it supports members of the Israeli military, Haaretz reported.

In view of the referendum, the spokeswoman of Sabra in the U.S., Ilya Welfeld, claimed that the company only makes donations in North America and that non of them are to support political or military organisms.

However, Sabra is owned by PepsiCo and Strauss Group, an Israeli food conglomerate, which according to its website, makes contributions "to the men and women who serve in the Golani brigade, for welfare, cultural and educational activities, such as pocket money for underprivileged soldiers, sports and recreational equipment, care packages, books and games for the soldiers' club."

The results of the referendum have not been released yet, but if it succeed, the student government would make a formal request to the Ivy League school's administration to provide additional brands of hummus, Haaretz reported.

The pro-Israel student group Tigers of Israel opposed the referendum, arguing that the reasons put forth by the Princeton Committee for Palestine were not accurate.

[URL]http://www.imemc.org/article/60047

[freepalestine]

Israel Tries to Improve Its International Image

Monday November 29, 2010 17:47 by Ane Irazabal - IMEMC & Agencies [/URL]

The Israeli foreign ministry has called on 10 of its embassies in Europe to begin an advocacy campaign for Israel, starting with recruiting 1,000 public members. The new policy comes in response to the boycott campaigns against Israel that are gaining support in Europe.
(http://www.revleft.com/vb/../report_posts?subject=Report post: Story 60041 with title: Israel Tries to Improve Its International Image&message=Report post: Story 60041 with title: Israel Tries to Improve Its International Image%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.imemc.org%2Findex.php%3Fo bj_id%3D53%26story_id%3D60041%26%0A%0AEnter+your+r eason+here+-+please+do+not+remove+the+above+link+as+it+will+al low+an+editor+to+easily+remove+the+offending+conte nt)
According to The Guardian, the Israeli foreign affairs minister Avigdor Lieberman sent instructions to 10 embassies last week, to start adopting measures in order to improve the image of the country in Europe.

The first order suggested meeting 1,000 people by the middle of January, who should be willing to send positive messages about Israel to the general public. "Jewish or Christian activists, academics, journalists and students, who will be briefed regularly by Israeli officials and encouraged to speak up for Israel at public meetings or write letters or articles for the press," The Guardian reported.

In addition, the Israeli government will give funds to its embassies in London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid and Rome to hire professional PR firms and lobbyists. The aim will be to research the opinion of the population regarding to Israel's position about political issues, such as Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, tourism, human rights and Iran.

Lieberman is also planning to meet with the Israeli ambassadors across Europe to plan a joint strategy.

No comment about the issue was made by the Israeli officials, but The Guardian reported that within them "there is anxiety about the way Israel is perceived abroad, particular worry in certain countries in Western Europe."

It is not the first time that Israel launches a strategic policy to improve its image. The last campaign was held in December 2008 during the war on Gaza. At that time, numerous social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube were used by the Israeli government promote a pretty picture of the attack.

However, this new policy comes when the cultural and economic boycott campaigns against Israel's Occupation in Palestine, led by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, are gaining importance in Israel and worldwide.
[URL]http://www.imemc.org/article/60041