■ Swedish diplomat published book on Apartheid in Palestine

Recently the former Swedish diplomat Mats Svensson published the book: "Crimes, Victims & Wit­nesses - Apartheid in Palestine". The 295-page book is a collection of over 150 images (with accom­panying narration) from the author’s recent four-year stay in Palestine-Israel. In the preface he writes: "In Palestine the occupation has been deepened, the colonialism is a fact on the ground and Palesti­nians are living under the most effective apartheid rule". Read more

■ The Social-Democrats in Stockholm decided to support BDS

At the annual meeting of the Social-Democratic district of Stockholm at the end of April it was deci­ded to support a motion by Social Democratic Friends of Palestine demanding boycott, disinvestments and sanctions against Israel. This is a decisive step in the struggle for freedom and justice in Palestine. Read more (in Swedish) 

■ Umeå University asked to cancel contract with G4S

The BDS group in Umeå (north Sweden) recently met the leadership of the Umeå University in order to explain why its contracts with the security company G4S should not be renewed. Anna Birve of the BDS group says that the University Director found it reasonable that international law should be res­pected when contracting security companies. He promised to present the case to the Vice-Chancellor and investigate the legal possibilities not to renew the contract, which expires by the end of 2013 (pro­curement being made by a central government body on behalf of many state institutions). Anna and her colleague showed the UNICEF report about children in Israeli detention and the report about G4S by Who Profits.

■ Documentary film Gatekeepers shown on Swedish TV

The Oscar nominated film Gatekeepers was shown on Swedish TV at the end of April. In the film a number of former heads of the infamous security police Shin Beth openly explain how they infiltrate Palestinian civilian organisations, torture captured suspects and attack vehicles without knowing whether these contain terrorists or not. 

This newsletter is published by the Action Group at the Royal Institute of Technology for Boycott of Israel in collaboration with Isolera Israel (BDS Sweden). It provides information not only about academic and cultural boycott but also about BDS in general in Sweden and internationally. You can find old issues of the newsletter at: http://psabi.se/. Also check the website of the Isolera Israel Sweden http://isoleraisrael.nu/. Here you find newsletters about BDS in Swedish.

Dick Urban Vestbro

Ladda upp PDF [bds-sweden] Newsletter No 18, 14 May 2013, längre ner