Festive action targets Israeli apartheid

Sherrl Yanowitz reports on the first of a series of festive pickets of the Israeli owned soap shop Sabon in  London’s Covent Garden.

On Saturday 5 December, a group of elves against ethnic cleansing, carol singers against colonialism, angels against Israeli apartheid and one reindeer for the right of return, took some festive direct action outside the Sabon shop in Neal Street, Covent Garden.

Why Sabon? Sabon is an Israeli-owned cosmetics company. All their products are made and packaged in Israel, at their factory in Kiryat Gat, an Israeli city built on the ruins of the ethnically cleansed Palestinian villages of al Faluja and Iraq al-Manshiyya. In 1949 the Israeli army blew up the villagers’ homes and forced the inhabitants to flee under threat of rape and death.

Our action is in response to the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it ends its occupation and colonisation of all Arab lands and dismantles the Wall; recognizes the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; respects, protects and promotes the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194. For more information on the BDS movement see http://www.bdsmovement.net/

We sang alternative Palestinian solidarity carols, gave out leaflets asking shoppers not to buy blood-soaked Apartheid goods and handed out free soap samples from one of the only two remaining Palestinian olive oil soap companies still in existence.

London Palestine Action invites everyone to join us again next Saturday: 12 December from 3-5pm and Saturday 19 December from 3-5pm outside the Sabon shop, 38 Neal Street in Covent Garden.

Deck yourself in Tinsel and join us for some Festive Fun against Israeli Apartheid. https://www.facebook.com/events/1520378921619801/