• La réalité des au pairs et nanny au RU silent abuse suffered by nannies and au pairs

    Par elyawm le 17 Janvier 2013 à 08:22

    The silent abuse suffered by nannies and au pairs

    A mass migration of au pairs to Britain is in full swing. But, as Julia Llewellyn Smith reports, some are on their way to hardship and even abuse

     

    By Julia Llewellyn Smith

    7:16PM BST 06 Sep 2008

     

    In the playground of Ravenscourt Park, in Hammersmith, west London, three nannies – Sara from Spain, Kasia from Poland and Daniela from the Czech Republic – are sitting on a bench, watching their young charges splash in the communal paddling pool. All are now happy in their work, but when they arrived in Britain as au pairs, things were very different.

    "I was 19 and placed with a family with a two-week baby and a two-year-old," recalls Sara. "After three weeks the parents went skiing for 10 days and left me alone with them. It was a terrifying responsibility."

    Daniela, then 18, found herself living on a farm. "The children were teenagers and it turned out they wanted me to do nothing but pick apples."

    Kasia, then 22, had a Muslim boss with a strange line in compliments. "He kept saying in front of the family that I was a better cook than his wife and he'd like me to be his second wife. He may have been joking, but it wasn't very funny."

    All over Europe, a mass migration is taking place: the annual turnover of au pairs. Over the next month, tens of thousands of school-leavers will arrive in British homes, to – according to BAPAA, the British Au Pair Agencies Association – "be welcome as a member of the family".

    The reality, however, can be very different. No conversation between parents is complete without outraged anecdotes about the Romanian who vanished after running up an £800 phone bill, or the Brazilian who plonked her charges in front of the TV all day while she entertained her boyfriend in her bedroom. Yet for every au pair or nanny taking advantage of her employers' good nature, another will be being exploited by a family who seem to think "au pair" is French for "cheap labour".

    In fact, au pair means "on par", the philosophy behind the international au pair programme. "The definition is very clear," says Sandra Landau, BAPAA's chairman. "It's a woman, or sometimes man, aged between 17 and 27 on a cultural programme. They should work between 25 and 35 hours a week for pocket money of at least £60 outside London, £75 in London, and be allowed two days off. They should only do light housework and they should not be left in sole charge of children under two."

    But while there are around 10,000 "official" au pairs in Britain, BAPAA suspects that as many as 90,000 more are working under the tag. And with no one enforcing the official guidelines, the interpretation of their role can vary as much as British summer weather patterns. "Some people push the boundaries," says John Meyer who runs online agency theaupaircompany.com. "There are families who expect au pairs to polish the silver, clean the skirting boards and vacuum every room."

    With the cost of living soaring more and more, people are finding the only viable way to hold onto their jobs and their sanity is by employing an extra pair of hands. A recent survey by Gumtree, the online jobs forum, showed that 48 per cent of Britons pay for domestic help. But with a qualified nanny costing as much as £500 a week and a good cleaner charging between £8 and £10 an hour, people are increasingly viewing au pairs as the only affordable option.

    "The demographic of the typical family looking for an au pair is changing," says Meyer. "It used to be double income, affluent ABC1 families from Kensington and Surrey, but now we are getting more and more down-to-earth working families from places like Hull, Leeds, Wales, who've realised that an au pair can be the most cost-effective form of help."

    A cursory glance at Gumtree quickly reveals just how far people are prepared to try their luck. One reveals a mother looking for someone to take her two-year-old son to and from nursery for £60 a week. "Unfortunately," she adds. "I have got a one- bedroom flat but if you don't mind sleeping in the lounge that is all up to you."

    Another asks for a weekend nanny for a toddler, from Saturday morning to Sunday evening. Pay £50. A father wants a nanny for his twin sons (one with special needs) during a holiday in Spain. "This will not be a holiday for you," it warns, adding that hours will be 8am until late, and the successful candidate will get one day off a week. Pay will be £40 a day, cash.

    "I have had to remove adverts from my site from men without children who are actually looking for a live-in housekeeper for £60 a week," says Meyer. "But the thing is some people are willing and able to do that kind of work. The guidelines say au pairs shouldn't do gardening but some may happily offer to paint your yard. The key is communications. If a family wants breakfast in bed every morning they need to state it clearly at the time of interview so they find someone who is happy to do that."

    The boundaries have been further blurred by the extension of the EU. Around 80 per cent of au pairs are estimated to come from the former eastern bloc and are often prepared to tolerate pay and conditions that would have Swedes and Germans rushing home to mummy in tears. Then there is the proliferation of online agencies which enable employers to take on au pairs themselves for far smaller fees than those charged by the old-school agencies, which vet candidates and employers.

    "Some agencies can be totally unscrupulous and have made things dangerous," says Sandra Landau. "Without proper checks, a family has no idea what kind of girl they're getting and the girl has no idea of what kind of family. A couple of agencies have just been reported for allowing Nigerians to post, pretending to be British families, asking au pairs for money to arrange their flights and visas."

    Sworn enemies of au pairs are traditional, qualified nannies, outraged at seeing themselves usurped by 19-year-old Bulgarians who have never changed a nappy. "It used to be that nanny knew best and we were seen as Mary Poppins with lots of respect," says Victoria Manders Barnes, 29, a nanny for three years, who works for the Tinies nanny agency.

    "Now there is no respect. People want more for their money and they really do get every last penny's worth out of you. Families now think that we should do everything from being a cleaner to being a dog walker. I don't agree with this. I'm a professional and I've been hired to love and care for your child – not to juggle the job with being a PA. But a good percentage of nannies are young girls straight out of college who don't stand up for themselves and are naive."

    As the influx of Turks, Romanians and Slovaks continues, parents who cling to the old-fashioned notion of getting what you pay for are beginning to wonder if they have missed a trick.

    Charlotte Murray, a magazine advertising director and mother of two, who pays her nanny between £400 and £500 a week, recalls a dinner party she attended in west London. At 1am, she announced she was leaving because she didn't feel she could keep her nanny up any longer. "A woman turned to me and laughed. 'Darling,' she said, 'I haven't given getting back in time a thought for years. You must get yourself an au pair. So much more malleable.'

    "Murmurings across the table confirmed what I had long suspected. I was the last person I knew who had a proper nanny, and paid her a proper wage. I have lost count of the number of times I have cringed, hearing parents boast about how cheap the help is these days, how they thank God for the Polish, and what they get for their money. One couple had two au pairs and used them as cleaners, nannies and cooks. Sure, one lot left. But the agency sent replacements within 24 hours."

    Another popular option, for those who can organise the visa, is a nanny from developing countries. Most are paid around £300 a week with room and board, but often they are expected to work round the clock.

    "When I was pregnant with my first child, so many people who would consider themselves liberals advised me to get a Filipina because they were 'cheap and subservient'," says Clare Wood, 39, an artist from north London. "At a party the other day, some friends were moaning because their Filipina was having the audacity to take her annual leave – in other words, go home and see her children."

    Occasionally, the situation turns from exploitation to abuse. Kalayaan, a charity which helps domestic workers from outside the EU, reports that of the workers they deal with, most work 16 hours a day, seven days a week, for an average of £1 an hour. Many are not given beds or regular meals and are physically and sexually abused. A spokesman for the charity says: "We get calls from people who say: 'I'd like to offer one of these poor people a job.' We say: 'Wonderful, what will they earn?' and they reply: 'But I'm giving them a room, I'm not going to pay them.'"

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2695891/The-silent-abuse-suffered-by-nannies-and-au-pairs.html

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  • CHEIKH EL AZHAR REFUSE SON STATUT VIP...

    Par elyawm le 9 Avril 2012 à 21:38

    A Héliopolis, Cheikh El Azhar est parti voter comme tous les citoyens égyptiens. Lorsqu'il arriva les services de sécurité du bureau de vote s'empressèrent de lui frayer un passage... Il refusa catégoriquement de dépasser la foule et revendiqua l'égalité entre les citoyens quelques soient leur classe sociale (statue, richesse, etc.). Si cette égalité n'est pas respectée alors la révolution aura été vaine.  imagesvheih.jpeg

      

    http://alazharfrance.over-blog.fr/article-cheikh-el-azhar-refuse-son-statut-vip-97326508.html

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  • Plus on est riche, moins on a de morale, c'est prouvé

    Par elyawm le 2 Mars 2012 à 09:28
         
    publié le 02 mars 2012 à 09:05                 

    Dans un climat politique où il est tant question d'opposition entre les "élites" et le "peuple", voici une étude qui devrait faire couler beaucoup d'encre. Et pour cause : des chercheurs américains et canadiens documentent, dans l'édition du lundi 27 février de la revue Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), l'existence d'une relation inverse entre élévation dans la hiérarchie sociale et éthique du comportement individuel. C'est-à-dire, exprimé de manière un peu plus directe, que plus vous êtes riche, plus vous êtes susceptible de vous comporter de manière moralement lamentable.

            L'équipe américano-canadienne menée par Paul Piff (université de Californie à Berkeley) a quelques arguments. Les chercheurs ont mené pas moins de sept protocoles expérimentaux différents, qui concluent tous dans le même sens.        


    "CUPIDITÉ"

        

    Le premier est simple : il s'est simplement agi de se poster à un carrefour et d'observer les véhicules pris en flagrant  délit de refus de priorité. La deuxième expérience, très semblable, a quant à elle consisté à relever les situations dans lesquelles un piéton engagé sur un passage ad hoc se fait couper la route par une voiture. Dans les deux cas, les chercheurs  ont classé les véhicules en cinq catégories, des épaves roulantes (groupe 1) aux berlines de luxe (groupe 5). Résultat : près de 30 % des véhicules du groupe 5 forcent le passage aux voitures prioritaires, un taux quatre fois supérieur aux groupes 1 et 2, et trois fois supérieur aux groupes 3 et 4. Corrélation quasi identique pour le respect dû aux piétons...

            Mais, direz-vous, ce n'est pas parce qu'on a une belle voiture qu'on est nécessairement riche. Ce qui n'est pas faux. Aussi, les chercheurs ont complété ces deux expériences par d'autres, menées en laboratoire. A chaque fois, une centaine d'individus ont été invités à prendre connaissance de divers scénarios ou situations : atteinte d'un objectif au prix d'une entorse à la morale, captation d'un bien de manière indue au détriment d'un tiers, mensonge au cours d'une négociation, caution d'une faute dans le cadre professionnel. Puis les participants ont rempli un questionnaire répondant à la question de savoir dans quelle mesure ils seraient prêts à reproduire ces comportements. A chaque fois, une corrélation entre le statut social des participants et leur capacité à enfreindre l'éthique est mise en évidence.  
     http://www.laposte.net/thematique/actualites/france/article.jsp?idArticle=20120302090559-plus-on-est-riche--moins-on-a-de-morale--c-est-prouve&idAgg=actu_france                    
      
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  • Musulman sans le savoir

    Par elyawm le 9 Février 2012 à 17:59

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  • Les marques à boycotter

    Par elyawm le 21 Janvier 2012 à 19:46

    Les marques à boycotter

    Les marques à boycotter

    PLASTICS

     


    Keter


    Israels Keter Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of plastic consumer products. The Israeli plastics giant is privately owned by the Sagol family, and has a turnover of .1 billion, 90% of which is derived from overseas sales.

    Its product range includes garden furniture, outdoor storage solutions and sheds, shelving systems and utility cabinets, tool boxes and storage products for the DIY market, household products, baby and toddler products.

    Its brands, subsidiaries, and sister companies (all owned by the Sagol family) include 'OutStanding Solutions' (Keter garden storage), Lipski (plumbing accessories), Allibert (bathroom accessories), Curver (plastic home & food storage), Jardin (garden furniture), and Contico Europe (plastic storage boxes). Keter products are also sold under the Black & Decker, B&Q and Homebase brands.

    Whilst the profits end up in Israel, not all the products are produced in Israel, for example Allibert has factories in France & Belgium, whilst Curver has factories in Poland & Hungary. Keter has 12 factories in Israel, 2 of which are in the illegal settlements.

    Stanley toolboxes are also made in Israel by Israeli plastics company ZAG (90% owned by Stanley).

    For more information see the Shopping Can Kill campaign.

     

    FOOD & DRINK

     


    Strauss


    The Straus Group is Israels second largest food company with a turnover .8 billion in 2010 and 13,500 employees operating twenty-five production sites in twenty-one countries around the world. Its brands in the USA include Sabra (hummus dips) and Max Brenner (chocolate cafes). Strauss Coffee is currently the fifth-largest coffee company in the world, dominating the central and eastern European markets (Doncafe) as well as Brazil.

     

    The Strauss Group on its website, on the page on "Corporate Responsibility - Community Involvement" reveal their deep rooted support for the Israeli army, and in particular the infamous Golani platoon, known for its brutality, which the Strauss group has "adopted" for over 30 years.


    Danone


    In July 1998 Danone opened its R&D facility in Israel - the Danone Insitute, and later the same year in October 1998 Mr. Franck Riboud, on behalf of Danone received the Jubilee Award by the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.[Jubilee Award]

     

    Danone owns a 20% share of Israel's second largest food company, the Strauss Group. Danaone Israel is the hub supplying Danone products to the whole Middle-East including Turkey, Greece, Egypt and Jordan.


    Tivall


    Israeli food company Tivall is one of the world's leading suppliers of meat-substitute products. It has a turnover of million and has 451 employees[59] It has a manufacturing base at Kibbutz Lochamei Hagetaot in Northern Israel, and a new facility in the Czech Republic.

     

    Tivall brand products can mainly be found in health food stores - their website mentions Holland & Barrett, Fresh & Wild, and Planet Organic. But most of their sales are through the supermarkets who rebrand Tivall products as part of their own frozen "Meat-free" range. This includes Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury's. Morrisons also stocks Tivall brand Frankfurter. Waitrose online site Ocado sells a full range of Tivall products.


    Osem


    Osem is Israels 4th largest food & beverages company (by turnover) after Tnuva, Strauss and Coca-Cola. It has a turnover of 2 million and nearly 5000 employees with 14 factories in Israel.

     

    Its brands include Beit Hashitah (pickles), Of Tov (frozen meat products), Habait (ready made cakes) and Sabra Salads (ready-made salads and spreads). Osem also owns 58% of meat-substitute manufacturer Tivall Foods.

    According to Osem's website its products are sold in Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrison, with each store marketing them under their own label. Waitrose online site Ocado sells a range of Osem products from soups, crackers and croutons. Tesco online sells a range of Osem cakes.

    In April 2009, Osem UK announced its acquisition of Yarden GB. Yarden GB's product range includes chilled meats and Yarden wines from the Golan Heights Winery, located in Katzrin on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Golan Heights Winery exports 38% of all Israeli wines, its wine brands also include Gamla and Golan. According to Yarden GB's website its products are available in Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, Morrisons, Budgens, Somerfield, Waitrose and Harrods. Waitrose online site Ocado sells a range of Yarden meat and houmous products.


    Nestlé


    Nestlé is the world's largest food company, it owns 53.8% share of leading Israeli food manufacturer Osem, an investment worth over 0 million.

     

    In 1998, Mr. Peter Brabeck-Letmathe on behalf of Nestle, received the Jubilee Award by the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu [Jubilee Award]. Following the award in June 2002 Nestle opened its Research & Development Centre in Israel, in Sderot. And since then it has steadily increased its investment in Israel, its initial 10% stake in Osem has now grown to a controlling 53.8%. Nestle also owns Nespresso Israel Ltd in Tel Aviv which supplies coffee brewing equipment. In 2010 Nestle acquired a 51% stake in Israeli babyfood company Materna Laboratories for million.

    Nestle has 9 factories in Israel, which after China(18) and Russia(11) is the highest number in any country in Asia - disproportionately high when one considers its size and population. And in May 2011, Nestle announced plans to build another factory in Israel, an ice cream plant worth million.

    Nestlé also owns 30% stake in L'Oréal, another company on the boycott list.


    Coca Cola


    A detailed account of Coca-Cola's links to Israel is provided here:

     

    http://www.inminds.com/boycott-coca-cola.html

    A summary:

    From 1966 Coca-Cola has been a staunch supporter of Israel. In 1997 the Government of Israel Economic Mission honored Coca-Cola at the Israel Trade Award Dinner for its continued support of Israel for the last 30 years and for refusing to abide by the Arab League boycott of Israel.

    Every year Coca Cola bankrolls the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce Awards which honors companies that have contributed most to the Israeli economy. In 2009 a Coca-Cola sponsored award went to Israel’s Lobby AIPAC for its successful lobbying of the Senate to reject of the UN call for "immediate ceasefire" and endorse the continuation of the Israel military assault on Gaza.

    In 2008 Coca-Cola tasked the Israeli venture capital Challenge Fund to locate suitable investments in Israel with a promise of "a blank cheque” . This agreement is exceptional in the Israeli venture capital industry.

    In 2009 Coca-Cola hosted a special reception at the Coca-Cola world headquarters to honour Brigadier-General Ben-Eliezer. Ben-Eliezer is a wanted war criminal, during the Six-Day War his unit was responsible for the execution of over 300 Egyptian POWs. Under Sharon, Ben-Eliezer served as Defence Minister presiding over the massacre at Jenin.

    For the past two decades, nearly every year, Coca-Cola has sponsored the JCC Maccabi Games whose stated aim is to cultivate Jewish youth in an informal setting to "encourage their identification with the state of Israel". As part of this, Coca Cola has sponsored young children to visit Israeli military bases and spend time with war criminals in order to engender empathy, in their own words "visit an air force base.. talk with the pilots that are the elite Israel Defense Force units..meet fighters of the army.".

    Coca-Cola Israel, Israel's third largest food & beverages company, owns dairy farms in the illegal Israeli settlements of Shadmot Mechola in the Jordan Valley and a plant in the industrial zone of Katzerin in the occupied Golan Heights.


    Eden Springs


    Eden Springs is an Israeli water cooler company that in Israel steals water from the Salukia spring in the the illegally occupied Syrian Golan Heights. This is in violation of UN resolution 242 and Article 55 of the Hague Regulations which specify that you cannot acquire territory by war and that you cannot plunder the natural resources of occupied territory. To clarify, the water in Eden Springs Coolers found in the UK is sourced locally, but the profits go back to Israel to finance its illegal activities.

     

     


    Sodastream


    SodaStream is an Israeli company manufacturing and distributing home carbonating devices and flavorings for soft drinks. The company’s main plant is located in the industrial zone of Mishor Edomim which is an illegal Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Kav LaOved, the NGO committed to protecting the rights of disadvantaged workers in Israeli companies, has reported that SodaStream factory workers, in particular Palestinians, are paid less than half the minimum wage and has described the working conditions in the factory as "one of the worst", with workers being fired if they complain of the conditions.

     

    SodaStream brands include: SodaStream, Soda-Club, AlcoJet, Sprudelino, Aquabar, Gazoz, Aquafizz, Aquabubbler, Penguin, Sodamaker, Fountain Jet and Edition1. Its products are available in Argos, Asda, Comets, Currys, Harvey Nichols, Homebase, John Lewis, Robert Dyas, Selfridges and House of Fraser.


    Starbucks


    Howard Schultz, the founder, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Starbucks who also owns 31.6 million shares of Starbucks stock (worth around .4 billion in Nov 2011) is an active zionist.

     

    In 1998 he was honoured by the Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah with "The Israel 50th Anniversary Friend of Zion Tribute Award" for his services to the zionist state in "playing a key role in promoting close alliance between the United States and Israel". The ultra-right wing Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah funds Israeli arms fairs chaired by the butcher of Jenin, General Shaul Mofaz, and the zionist media pressure group honestreporting.com, they were also implicated in the production and distribution of the infamous islamophobic film 'Obesession'. Starbucks proudly displayed the award on the company's website under the section of 'awarda and accolades' the Starbucks company has won, however, once the boycott started to bite the award mysteriously disappeared from its website.

    Howard Shultz work as a propagandist for Israel has been praised by the Israeli Foreign Ministry as being key to Israel's long-term PR success. On April 4th 2002, whilst the Israeli army was slaughtering Palestinians in Jenin Howard Shultz made a provocative speech blaming the Palestinians, suggesting the intifada was a manifestation of anti- Semitism, and asked people to unite behind Israel. Starbucks also sponsors fund raisers for Israel.

    At a time when other businesses were desperately pulling out of Israel, Starbucks decided to help Israel's floundering economy and open Starbucks in Israel. The venture failed but Shultz has vowed Starbucks will “return to Israel in due course”.

    Starbucks has opened outlets in US bases in Afghanistan and Iraq, and at the illegal torture centre in Guantanamo Bay. Customer Relations say "Starbucks has the deepest respect and admiration for U.S. military.. who risk their lives to protect Americans and our values of freedom and democracy". Petty Officer Barry Tate who is serving in Guantanamo Bay agrees that Starbucks is helping "lift the morale" of the guards and interrogator's at Guantanamo Bay.


    McDonald's

     

    McDonald's Corporation is a major corporate partner of the Jewish United Fund and Jewish Federation. According to the Jewish United Fund, through its Israel Commission it "works to maintain American military, economic and diplomatic support for Israel; monitors and, when necessary, responds to media coverage of Israel". The Jewish United Fund also runs "Fun-filled Summer Family Missions to Israel" where families get to "visit an army base and meet with Israeli soldiers" and "visit our sister city, Kiryat Gat and see the important work we are doing there". Kiryat Gat is built on stolen Palestinian land - the lands of the villages of Iraq Al Manshiya and Al-Faluja whose residents were ethnically cleansed in 1949 in contravention of International Law. Through its "Partnership to Israel" programme, the Jewish United Fund provides .3 million annually to help further settlement and development of Kiryat Gat. The Jewish Federation, through its Israel Action Network is tasked to fight "efforts to boycott Israeli products" and "campaigns, such as equating Israel with apartheid South Africa".

    Another way McDonald's supports the Jewish United Fund is by running a partnership scheme whereby they will match any donation an employee make to the Jewish United Fund with its own equal size donation.

    McDonald's first restaurant in the Middle East was in Israel, opened in 1993, since then it has 160 restaurants in Israel (1996) with a 60% market share, employing around 4000 Israelis. Since April 2009 McDonald's has also opened 15 branches of McCafe chain in Israel, with plans to open 10 new branches every year.

    McDonalds discriminates against its Arab workers, in 2004 it sacked an Arab worker in Israel because she was caught speaking arabic to another Arab employee. Arabic, along with Hebrew, is the official language of Israel spoken by 20% of the population.

    According to the American Jewish Committee (AJC), whose Executive Director "regularly meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu", McDonald's in July 2001 immediately pulled an advertising campaign in Egypt when the ADC contacted them to complaint that the singer featured in the advert had in the past performed a song critical of Israel. Within 24 hours of the complaint, the advert was cancelled and according to the Egyptian franchise of McDonald's "all copies of the tapes were whisked 'back to the main offices'"!

     


    Israeli Fresh Produce


    In 2010 exports of Israeli fresh agricultural produce was worth .41 billion and most of it, some 87% was exported to Europe (UN Commodity Trade Statistics). Fruit, vegetables and herbs grown in Israel and on its settlements in the West Bank can be seen on sale at all the major supermarkets and greengrocers. Always check the label - avoid Israel and West Bank.

     

    Until recently the main player was Israeli state owned company Carmel Agrexco, responsible for about 60-70% of all Israel’s agricultural exports. But in September 2011 Agrexco went bankrupt. This was due in part to fact that Agrexco has been the target of a sustained international boycott campaign. It has been recently reported that the Israeli Bickel Export Group has acquired Agrexco with plans to revive it in 2012 (target sales 50 million euros).

    With the privately owned Israeli company Mehadrin Tnuport Export (MTEX) set to take Agrexco’s place as Israel’s biggest agricultural exporter the focus of the international boycott campaign is now firmly on MTEX with actions already having taken place (Nov 2011) outside its UK headquarters in Borehamwood and its French headquarters in Chateaurenard.

    MTEX is Israel’s largest grower and exporter of citrus fruit responsible for 65% of overseas sales of Israel's most recognisable brand on the supermarket shelves - JAFFA. They supply most of the supermarkets including Tesco and Sainsburys. MTEX ownes 50% of Miriam Shoham Ltd whose mangoes and pomegranates are available in Tescos and Asda.

    Hadiklaim, the Israeli Date Growers Cooperative, which includes illegal settler plantations in the Jordan Valley, sells 65% of all Israeli dates. Its dates have brand names King Solomon, Jordan River, Tamara, Karsten Farms / Kalahari and Bomaja. Agrexco date brands include Jordan Plains and Jordan Valley.

    Most supermarkets sell fresh herbs sourced from the illegal Israeli settlements on the West Bank. These include basil, sage, chives, rosemary, parsely, sorrel, marjoram, mint, thyme and tarragon. They are labelled 'West Bank' or 'Israel'. 'West Bank' never refers to Palestinian goods as they don't make it past the military checkpoints. Often settlements goods are labelled 'Produce of Israel' to avoid payment of tariffs when entering the EU - according to the EU-Israel Association Agreement goods produced outside the recognised borders of Israel (ie on the Israeli settlements on the Palestinian Occupied Territories) are not exhempt from import duties. A July 2008 Channel 4 news report revealed herbs grown on the illegal No'omi settlement on the West Bank, destined for the UK, were being mislabelled 'produce of Israel' in breach of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

    Other Israeli fresh produce brands to avoid include Edom (peppers, tomatoes and mangoes), Carmy (sweet potatoes), AdaFresh (herbs), Arava (peppers, Tomatoes, herbs) and Tali (table grapes).

     

     

    ..Information on other companies to follow shortly..

     

     

     

    [Jubilee Award]On October 14, 1998, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu presented a select group of international business people with the highest tribute ever awarded by the "State of Israel". The Jubilee Award, marking Israel’s fiftieth year of independence, recognizes those individuals and organizations, that through their investments and trade relationships, have done the most to strengthen the Israeli economy.

     

    Frequently Asked Question

     

    Why so many companies?


    Our strategy is to have a focused campaign where individual Israeli companies are targeted wherever possible rather than wide boycotts of whole stores. This means that whilst there are more brands on the list, they are actually easier to boycott. So for example whilst B&Q and Homebase are major sellers of Israeli plastic giant Keter's products we are calling for a focused boycott of each Keter related brand - OutStanding, Lipski, Jardin, Allibert, Curver and Contico, rather than a blanket boycott of these stores.

     

     

    Why are some of the brands in the previous Boycott Israel Campaign missing from this campaign?


    Over time many companies have reconsidered their support for Israel and some have divested from Israel due to many reasons including the accumulated pressure of the boycott. These changes are reflected in the new card.

     

     

    Disney

    Disney, working with the Israeli embassy, was given 1.8 million dollars by Israel to promote Jerusalem as the capital of Israel at a special exhibition at its Epcot centre in Florida, strategically positioned so that every visitor to the centre would have to walk through the exhibition in order to reach the exit. Jerusalem is an illegally occupied Palestinian city and under international law can NEVER be the capital of Israel. The exhibition has since been removed so Disney is no longer on the boycott list.

     

     

    Sara Lee

    Sara Lee has divested its large stake in the Israeli textile giant Delta Galil so it along with its two dozen plus brands have all been removed from the boycott list.

     

     

    Nokia

    Nokia Ventures Organization which had so heavily invested in Israel is no longer part of Nokia and is now called BlueRun Ventures and has many investors now. Note that Nokia is still one of its investors, but its stake in Israel is now no more prominent than countless other technology companies who are not on the boycott list, so Nokia has also been removed from the list.

     

     

    Arsenal FC

    Following a concerted campaign, Arsenal Football Club's contract with the Israeli Tourism board to promote Israel as the teams "official and exclusive travel destination" on its digital perimeter boards (to an estimated 700 million viewers in 198 countries) was not renewed. Subsequently, Arsenal FC has been removed from the boycott list. Note that Arsenal still runs 'Arsenal in the Galilee' coaching project in Israel.

     

     

    Selfridges

    Selfridges flagship store in London was picketed for stocking a range of settlement products including Ahava and soon a boycott of the store followed. It no longer sells Ahava Dead Sea products on its website, although it does advertise Estee Lauder Origins 'body scrubs' which include Dead Sea salts. As part of our strategy of a more focused boycott campaign where individual Israeli brands like Ahava are targeted, Selfridges in no longer on the boycott list.

     

     

    Danone

    Whilst Danone is still on the boycott list, it has gone through some changes and lost some of its famous brands and these are no longer on the boycott list. Jacob biscuits is now owned by United Biscuits; HP foods and Lea & Perrins is now owned by H.J. Heinz; and similarly Galbani and LU Biscuits are also no longer owned by Danone.

     

     

     

    What is the Boycott Israel card and how can I get one?

     

    The Boycott Israel card is a handy sized card listing the companies that give support to apartheid Israel. The card is designed to be carried in your wallet or purse so that when you are out shopping you know what products to avoid.

    http://www.inminds.com/boycott-brands.html

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