French Activist summoned to court over Israel Boycott Video

Monday June 06, 2011 01:38

by George Rishmawi - IMEMC News

Olivia Zemor a French national has been summoned to appear before the Paris tribunal for publishing a video on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against israel on the website of the organisation she is heading. Zemor is expected to appear before the court on June 17.

Olivia Zemor (Photo: Tairi blog)

The video features Palestinian and French activists dancing in a supermarket in the town of Evry, near Paris, wearing T-Shirts written on them phrases calling for Boycotting Israel.

Zemor, President of the EuroPalestine association says she was not present at the action at the supermarket, she only published the video on the internet.

“We showed our solidarity in publishing this action on our website in July 2009, even though we did not participate ourselves, because the action took place at the same time as the Librairie Résistances was sacked by the LDJ. (Kahana movement not forbidden in France !),” said Zemor.

The Kahana movement is outlawed in Israel over a decade ago, yet in France it is still permitted, however, calls for boycotting Israel are outlawed by the french government.

As a result, a number of activists have been standing trials for calling for boycotting Israel.

The BDS movement was launched in July 2005 following the International Court of Justice Ruling in July 2004 that the wall Israel is building in the occupied West Bank is illegal and called for boycotting companies, bodies and groups that directly or indirectly contribute to constructing the illegal wall.

Zemor is also involved in calls for Europeans to come to Palestine in July as part of a plan for one week of nonviolent actions in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

According to the organizers of this event, over 500 people have signed up and booked their tickets to arrive around July 8 for the week of actions.

Israeli media sources said few days ago, that Israeli government is planning to thwart this event and is expected to deny the activists entry to Israel on Ben Gorion airport.