3 things about 'the Palestine Exception' to free speech Non-violent protest of Israel could become a criminal act in the United States. And could Australia move down the same path as well?
~ US Lawmakers seek to criminally outlaw support for boycott campaign [The Intercept]
~ Making it a crime to support Palestinian human rights [AAI]
~ New US bill would punish settlement boycotters [EI]
& ICYMI... Australia 'anti-democratic' for Palestine activists [New Matilda]
U.S. Lawmakers Seek to Criminally Outlaw Support for Boycott Campaign Against Israel Glen Greenwald & Ryan Grim, The Intercept, 20 July 2017
'The criminalization of political speech and activism against Israel has become one of the gravest threats to free speech in the West. In France, activists have been arrested and prosecuted for wearing T-shirts advocating a boycott of Israel. The U.K. has enacted a series of measures designed to outlaw such activism. In the U.S., governors compete with one another over who can implement the most extreme regulations to bar businesses from participating in any boycotts aimed even at Israeli settlements, which the world regards as illegal. On U.S. campuses, punishment of pro-Palestinian students for expressing criticisms of Israel is so commonplace that the Center for Constitutional Rights refers to it as “the Palestine Exception” to free speech...' Read more here >>
Senate Bill S720: Making It a Crime to Support Palestinian Human Rights James J Zogby, Arab American Institute, 12 August 2017
'It is fascinating to watch some US senators tripping over themselves as they attempt to defend their support for or opposition to proposed legislation that would make it a federal crime to support the international campaign to Boycott, Divest, or Sanction (BDS) Israel for its continued occupation of Palestinian lands. What ties these officials up in knots are their efforts to square the circle of their "love of Israel", their opposition to BDS, their support for a "two-state solution", and their commitment to free speech...' Read more here >>
New US bill would punish settlement boycotters Josh Ruebner, The Electronic Intifada, 18 April 2017
'...The bill opposes the creation of a database of Israeli settlement companies by the UN Human Rights Council and any efforts to boycott those companies’ products... the bill also seeks to “prevent the implementation of similar ‘blacklists’ or boycotts in the future.” It aims to do so in a heavy-handed manner: by imposing governmental sanctions – denial of loans, fines and even potentially jail time – on companies complying with calls from the UN Human Rights Council to boycott Israeli settlement products. ...' Read more here >>
And in case you missed it... BDS Co-Founder Omar Barghouti: Australia ‘Anti-Democratic’ For Palestine Activists, New Matilda, 9 August 2017
'"I try as much as possible to follow and at times engage in the debate on BDS in Australia, as it is one of the most reactionary and anti-democratic spaces in the west for Palestine solidarity activists and movements,” Barghouti said, in an interview conducted via email...“Israel is exporting its McCarthyism to western states, and the Australian establishment is among the most obsequious in this regard.” ...' Read full article >>
Arab Film Festival Australia | #AFFA2017
SYDNEY 17-20 Aug
MELBOURNE 25-27 Aug
CANBERRA 1-2 Sep
PERTH 9 Sep Programme and tickets here >>
What's on?
For Palestine events in Adelaide and around Australia, click here >> ;Special note: 19 Nov - Run For Palestine - Adelaide/Melbourne/Sydney/Perth - click here >> 24-26 Nov, Adelaide - Edward Said Memorial Lecture & Palestine Symposium - click here >>
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