***image2***A press conference on the 5th of November in Donostia (Basque Country) has opened a week of intensive activities organized by Komite Internazionalistak and ASKAPENA to raise awareness about the struggle of the Palestinian people, the Apartheid Wall and the launch of a comprehensive boycott campaign against Israel.
In the weeks leading up to the official launch of the campaign, Basque solidarity groups had staged various boycott actions such as the protest at the participation of an Israeli handball game in Lizararra, and the performance of an Israeli choir in Irunea. During the Week against the Apartheid Wall, actions escalated across the Basque country, in Bilbao, Gasteiz, Hernani, Irunea, Donostia and Baiona, where street activities has brought the boycott campaign to the public.
Signatures against the Wall and for sanctions on Israel have been collected, leaflets distributed, video screenings organized. Public gatherings have been held. While the week has served to strengthen solidarity work and make it known among the public, the first success has been achieved with the decision of the city council of Arbizu voting to twin with the Palestinian village of Marda and to enact a comprehensive boycott against Israel.
In the document used to launch the news, the organizations stated that âthese actions need to be considered a beginning of a comprehensive boycott campaign that involves areas of commerce, finance, academia, culture and sports. We also call upon the media to support this boycott and not to give an appearance of normality and legitimacy to Israel as Israel is not a legitimate state but rather based on terrorism and crime against humanity and headed by a Prime Minister that is all but a âman of peaceâ.
They continued to emphasize that: âwe donât consider this only a symbolic campaign as we urge all Basque companies that deal with Israeli products, that export Basque product to Israel or that keep any other kind of relation with Israel to stop these relations.â
It marks another step forward in the global movement to initiate effective boycotts, sanctions and divestments against Israel as an effective means of solidarity to Palestinians struggling for freedom. With shops boycotting Caterpillar in Ireland, a food shop in England boycotting Israeli products, Basque activists have continued to take the steps necessary to build a movement that can challenge Israeli apartheid on a global level.
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