Opposing the boycott

Here's an announcement of an upcoming public meeting:

Rally Against The Boycott

An Engage public meeting

Unions representing academics and journalists have proposed to boycott Israel.

All around the world there are dictatorial regimes which are far greater abusers of democratic rights than Israel. There is to be no boycott of countries which routinely torture dissidents, practice discrimination or ethnic cleansing against minority groups, suppress academic debate and silence independent journalism.

This boycott will do nothing for peace, justice or reconciliation in the Middle East. The boycott will not help the Palestinians achieve their own state. Instead it will stigmatize Jews and encourage an anti-Semitic understanding of the Palestine/Israel conflict.

This meeting will make an egalitarian, pro-union case for opposing the boycott campaign. We support both Palestinian and Israeli independence and we find anti-Arab and anti-Muslim racism as loathsome as anti-Semitism.

We urge you to attend an evening of workshops and plenary sessions to protest against the boycott.

Speakers confirmed so far include (in personal capacity): Jonathan Freedland (the Guardian), Anthony Julius, John Mann MP, Tim Dawson (NUJ Executive), Adrian Cohen, David Hirsh, Jane Ashworth, Eve Garrard, Robert Fine, Jean Lane (AWL and Unison)

Wednesday 11th July 2007, 6.00 - 9.00 pm

Friends Meeting House
173 Euston Road
London
NW1 2BJ

Tickets £5

Please e-mail engagetickets@gmail.com to order tickets.

Payment via paypal button at www.engageonline.org.uk or by cheque made payable to "Engage", PO Box 40072, London N6 4XU

Supported by the Euston Manifesto Group, London Jewish Forum, Progress, Jewish Labour Movement