Palestinian World: Eric Burdon cancels gig in Israel "under increasing pressure"/ Sainsbury's BDS Day of Action across the UK

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Eric Burdon cancels gig in Israel "under increasing pressure"/ Sainsbury's BDS Day of Action across the UK

1..Eric Burdon performs in Scotland (Edinburgh) tonight in the only UK leg of a tour that was to have included a gig in Tel Aviv, Israel, on August 1^st. Palestine solidarity activists welcome yesterday’s announcement that he has pulled out of the Tel Aviv engagement "under increasing pressure" to cancel, according to his Manager.

According to Israeli daily, Haaretz, "he was pressured not to perform in Israel and ultimately chose to cancel the concert, which was to take place August 1. "We are under increasing pressure, including many threatening emails that we are receiving on a daily basis."

The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign was among many who wrote, and invited others to write, to Eric Burdon before he came to Edinburgh asking him to remain true to his long-term hostility to racism and Jim Crow in the US South.

Regarding alleged threats, the Independent notes that “the nature of the threats is unclear”. The extreme vagueness of alleged “threats” made to Burdon is certainly suspicious, and SPSC is unaware of any being made during the weeks that public, legitimate political and moral pressure was brought to bear on Burdon in support of the Palestinian call for boycott of Israel.

We restricted our campaigning to positive exhortation to Eric Burdon to stay true to anti-racist principles. We urge Burdon’s manager, Marianne Burdon, to specify the nature of the “threats”, to make them public, and report them to the police since threatening behaviour is a crime in the UK. Otherwise, doubts will remain since similar unfounded and anonymous accusations have been levelled in the past against pro-Palestine campaigners.

We welcome Eric Burdon’s decision to follow in the tracks of Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Carlos Santana, Gil Scott-Heron, Annie Lennox, the Pixies, Massive Attack and many others in refusing to perform in apartheid Israel. This is another small crack in the wall that imprisons the Palestinian people.

He will now be unreservedly welcome in Edinburgh tonight.

Appeal from many Scots and others to Eric Burdon to boycott Israel.
http://www.scottishpsc.org.uk/index.php/solidarity/boycott/cultural/music/1586-eric-burdon-don-t-play-in-tel-aviv-on-august-1st

There is currently a wave of violent Israeli state-enforced ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, and ongoing brutal military repression.

2..Palestine activity at your local Sainsbury’s on the first Saturday of every month
Stop Trade with Occupation Profiteers
Israel is accelerating its ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, both Palestinian citizens of Israel and others living under Israel’s illegal military occupation. ‘Peace talks’ will generate illusory hopes while Israel continues to drive Palestinians from their homes and build more Jewish-only settlements.

Last year the Co-op UK adopted a policy of refusing to do business with any company, Israeli or otherwise, complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation. This policy, much broader in scope than banning produce from Israel’s settlements, was secured by grass-roots cooperation and campaigning across all seven Co-op regions.

This campaign aims to mobilise public pressure on Sainsbury’s across the UK to follow the Co-op and to refuse to trade with companies complicit in the illegal occupation of Palestine. On the first Saturday of every month there will be activities at Sainsbury’s stores across the UK. An up-to-date record of stores in Scotland being covered on August 3^rd is maintained on a map here. For information on actions taking place in the rest of the UK visit www.sainsburyscampaign.orgFind attached final versions of materials for use at Sainsbury’s to gather signatures:

o leaflet

o postcard

o placard

o banner

STOP = Stop (Sainsbury’s) Trade with Occupation Profiteers (in Palestine) is the interim name for the Scottish campaign. We aim to build a coalition in Scotland for everyone to cooperate in this modest but sustained effort to support the Palestinian people. Ask trade unions, churches, campaign groups and other bodies to get involved and support the monthly Sainsbury’s events.

What you can do:

· Let us know if you can organise around your local Sainsbury’s for this long-term, all-UK campaign. Order some of the attached materials, £2 per 100 leaflets and postcards.

· In Scotland, order an 8ft x 3ft full colour banner for this and future Sainsbury’s events (£32 – collect from Edinburgh or postage extra).

· Take and share photos of each store activity.

· If you live in the UK, ask your friends, family and contacts to sign the postcards to Sainsbury’s. Send them to your local SPSC group if you live in Scotland, and contact http://www.sainsburyscampaign.orgelsewhere in the UK.

· Wherever you live, share the link to the online letter to Sainsbury’s at www.coordin8.org.uk with friends, family and contacts.