Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, November 2007, page 59
Waging Peace
Protest Outside Wembley Against Apartheid Israel’s Participation
HUNDREDS OF demonstrators gathered outside London’s Wembley Stadium Sept. 8, during the England-Israel qualifying match for the Euro 2008 competition, to protest the participation of apartheid Israel. Members of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Friends of Al Aqsa UK, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods, the Boycott Israeli Goods campaign and other groups gathered to support Palestinian human rights.
Dozens of banners and placards bore the slogans: “Show Israeli Racism the Red Card,” “Fair Play for the Palestinians,” and “Kick Israeli Apartheid Out of Football.” Others showed pictures of the Palestinian Football Youth team, denied entry to the UK two weeks earlier. Protesters highlighted Israel’s catastrophic human rights record in the occupied Palestinian territories, and asked for Israel to be suspended from international competitions until it abides with international law.
According to Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, spokesperson for the Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods Campaign: “We are here today because it is time Israel woke up to the fact that Jews around the world do not support racist policies designed to drive Palestinians off the remnants of their land. It’s a myth that Israel acts only to protect security. On the contrary, they endanger us all! If Israel wants to be treated like other sporting nations, it must abide by international law and cease its daily infringements of Palestinian human rights.”
The campaign to suspend Israel from international football was launched in March in response to the Israel-England qualifier held in Tel Aviv. Protests were held outside the Football Association on the day of the match. At least 180 Palestinian organizations and unions have called for a campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against apartheid Israel.
For more information e-mail <[email protected]> or visit the Web sites: <www.palestinecampaign.org> and <www.bigcampaign.org>.
—Courtesy Palestinian Solidarity Campaign
