http://www.arabnews.com/?page=13§ion=0&article=68266&d=12&m=8&y=2005&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Local%20Press
Thursday, 11, August, 2005 (06, Rajab, 1426)
What a Shame!
Abid Khazindar . Al-Riyadh
The Presbyterian Church's General Assembly in the United States has
accused five American companies of inciting violence against the Palestinians
because of their continued support for Israel's occupation policies. The
General Assembly has approved a number of measures opposing the occupation of
Palestine.
At a recent meeting, representatives of the church voted to
initiate a process of phased selective divestment in multinational corporations
operating in Israel. The move is the implementation of a decision adopted last
year by the Presbyterian Church; the decision called for putting pressure on
American companies which profit from Israel's occupation policies in the West
Bank and Gaza.
Such a move should long ago have come from us Arabs; we should not
have waited for others to act before we decided to do something. Arab
governments and Arab people should boycott the companies identified by the
Presbyterian Church - although I am not sure either the governments or the
people will do so.
The delegates called for the corporate offices of the Presbyterian
Church to begin collecting data to support a selective divestment of holdings
in multinational corporations doing business in Israel. The particular
companies targeted for bearing responsibility for the suffering of Palestinians
include Caterpillar Inc., City Group, ITT, Motorola and United Technologies.
The latter manufactured engines used by the aircraft we buy from
the US. The companies have been accused of selling weapons to Israel, including
helicopters, night vision and communication equipment, and other materials.
Caterpillar Inc. manufactures bulldozers used by Israel to demolish Palestinian
homes. The church's move is similar to the international boycott campaign
against the former South African government against the country's apartheid
system.
The campaign played a big part in ending apartheid and South
Africa's ugly racist policies. I said I doubt if Arab governments or the Arab
people will start boycotting the American companies at a time when the volume
of trade between Israel and Arab countries was worth $7 billion last year. Some
may view this as a modest figure but the significance is not in the figure
itself but on its very dangerous implications.
It means the Arabs have accepted the principle of trade exchanges
with Israel in preparation for a Middle Eastern market in which Israel would be
the dominant player. This would give Israel eternal supremacy over the Arab
world.
What a shame!
At a time when Palestinians are prisoners in Gaza and Israel is
consolidating its grip on the entire West Bank, including Jerusalem, Arabs
continue to maintain a grotesque silence while others - not even Muslims - seem
more concerned with the sufferings of Palestinians than their brothers.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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