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.
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 are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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."

