SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
(Photo: Kate Ausburn/flickr/cc)
Because Nothing Says 'Happy Holidays' Like Illegal Occupation...
Israeli ambassador to the US announces all his holiday gifts will be from occupied West Bank and Golan Heights to combat BDS movement.
Dec 23, 2015
Israeli ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer announced that, as a deliberate effort to snub the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, all of the holiday gifts he's sending will be from the occupied West Bank and Golan Heights.
In a letter posted Monday on social media he writes: "This holiday season I decided to send a gift that would also help combat the latest effort by Israel's enemies to destroy the one and only Jewish state. That effort is called the BDS movement."
The BDS movement, started in 2005, demands that Israel comply with international law and uphold Palestinians' fundamental rights.
Dermer's letter calls BDS supporters "fanatics and fools [that] are simply promoting a new anti-Semitism," and says the campaign is an "effort to cast a beacon of freedom, tolerance and decency as a pariah state."
The letter also describes as "unfair" and "shameful" the European Union's decision last month to label products from territories illegally occupied by Israel so they include the term "Israeli settlement."
The Telegraph reports that the letter accompanied gifts, which included wine, olive oil, halva, and body lotion, and were distributed to senior U.S. officials, members of Congress, and diplomats.
Dermer lobbied U.S. Congress vigorously to oppose the Iran nuclear deal, and is described as "Bibi's brain," a reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Yochi Dreazen and Colum Lynch wrote at Foreign Policy earlier this year that "[i]n his current post, Dermer stands apart from the Washington diplomatic set, a source of envy among his counterparts, who can only marvel at his close access to Washington's power brokers."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Israeli ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer announced that, as a deliberate effort to snub the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, all of the holiday gifts he's sending will be from the occupied West Bank and Golan Heights.
In a letter posted Monday on social media he writes: "This holiday season I decided to send a gift that would also help combat the latest effort by Israel's enemies to destroy the one and only Jewish state. That effort is called the BDS movement."
The BDS movement, started in 2005, demands that Israel comply with international law and uphold Palestinians' fundamental rights.
Dermer's letter calls BDS supporters "fanatics and fools [that] are simply promoting a new anti-Semitism," and says the campaign is an "effort to cast a beacon of freedom, tolerance and decency as a pariah state."
The letter also describes as "unfair" and "shameful" the European Union's decision last month to label products from territories illegally occupied by Israel so they include the term "Israeli settlement."
The Telegraph reports that the letter accompanied gifts, which included wine, olive oil, halva, and body lotion, and were distributed to senior U.S. officials, members of Congress, and diplomats.
Dermer lobbied U.S. Congress vigorously to oppose the Iran nuclear deal, and is described as "Bibi's brain," a reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Yochi Dreazen and Colum Lynch wrote at Foreign Policy earlier this year that "[i]n his current post, Dermer stands apart from the Washington diplomatic set, a source of envy among his counterparts, who can only marvel at his close access to Washington's power brokers."
Israeli ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer announced that, as a deliberate effort to snub the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, all of the holiday gifts he's sending will be from the occupied West Bank and Golan Heights.
In a letter posted Monday on social media he writes: "This holiday season I decided to send a gift that would also help combat the latest effort by Israel's enemies to destroy the one and only Jewish state. That effort is called the BDS movement."
The BDS movement, started in 2005, demands that Israel comply with international law and uphold Palestinians' fundamental rights.
Dermer's letter calls BDS supporters "fanatics and fools [that] are simply promoting a new anti-Semitism," and says the campaign is an "effort to cast a beacon of freedom, tolerance and decency as a pariah state."
The letter also describes as "unfair" and "shameful" the European Union's decision last month to label products from territories illegally occupied by Israel so they include the term "Israeli settlement."
The Telegraph reports that the letter accompanied gifts, which included wine, olive oil, halva, and body lotion, and were distributed to senior U.S. officials, members of Congress, and diplomats.
Dermer lobbied U.S. Congress vigorously to oppose the Iran nuclear deal, and is described as "Bibi's brain," a reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Yochi Dreazen and Colum Lynch wrote at Foreign Policy earlier this year that "[i]n his current post, Dermer stands apart from the Washington diplomatic set, a source of envy among his counterparts, who can only marvel at his close access to Washington's power brokers."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.