Arsenal FC supporting Israeli Apartheid

Published by Sajid Iqbal on 6 March, 2006 - 20:32

Salaam

An email that was forwarded to me:
[b]

Arsenal FC supporting Israeli Apartheid[/b]

IHRC calls upon all campaigners to contact Arsenal FC to protest against their decision to sign a sponsorship deal to promote Israel as a tourist destination. The campaign is supported by the Palestinian Return Centre, Innovative Minds, Friends of al Aqsa, the British Muslim Initiative, the Muslim Association of Britain, the Palestinian Forum in Britain and the Scottish-Palestinian Solidarity Campaign.

Arsenal Football Club has just signed a sponsorship deal to promote Israel as a tourist destination from next season. The £350,000 agreement makes Israel Arsenal's "official and exclusive travel destination."
[b]
Below are just some of the benefits Israel will receive from this deal:[/b]

- Israel will be featured on digital perimeter boards and 450 high-definition LCD screens at the stadium on game days;
- Israel will feature on the team's website, Arsenal.com; and in its magazine.
- The televised ads will reach audiences in an estimated 198 countries.
- The Israeli Tourism Ministry will receive intellectual property rights, the use of the team logo and the right to use photos of the team and its players in ads.
- The Israeli Tourism Minister will be allowed use the stadium banqueting hall twice a year and organize an exhibition at the end of the playing season
- The stadium will hold permanent sale tables for Israel t-shirts

The financial advisers Ernst & Young were employed to draft this proposal with the aim of bringing an extra 2 million tourists to Israel annually.

Israel is a racist apartheid state built upon the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Arab population from Palestine. Anti-apartheid campaigners such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu have stated as much and called for a complete boycott of Israel similar to that used against apartheid South Africa.

Israel_s apartheid policies include the segregation of West Bank roads by the military and the construction of a vast steel and concrete barrier through the West Bank and Jerusalem. Dubbed the "apartheid wall" by human rights activists, because it forces communities apart and grabs land, it was held to be in violation of international law by the International Court of Justice. Israel_s plan to carve up the West Bank, apportioning pieces of territory to the Palestinians is also comparable with South Africa's "bantustans" - the nominally independent homelands into which millions of black men and women were herded.

Israel's racial discrimination is daily life of most Palestinian Arabs who have no place in a "Jewish" state. Since Israel is a Jewish state, Israeli Jews are given special rights which non-Jews do not have. Israel has deprived millions of Palestinians of their liberty and property and has waged a war against a civilian population, in particular children.

As regards football, Israeli human rights groups have documented how Israeli soldiers routinely shoot Palestinian children playing football outside their refugee camps. Furthermore, Israeli authorities regularly prevent Palestinian players from attending international games. In September 2004, five players were prevented from traveling to the World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan. Unable to play in Palestine, the team travels to Doha, Qatar, for "home" games and trains in Ismailia, Egypt, more than 100 miles from the local Gaza players' homes.
[b]
For a full detailed analysis of the apartheid in Israel and its parallels with apartheid South Africa, please read Chris McGreal_s excellent 2-part report in the Guardian at the links below:[/b]


For Arsenal to sign a deal to promote such a state is to go against the very principles of _Kicking Racism out of Football_. Amazingly, Arsenal_s Managing Director who signed the deal, Keith Edelman stated after the deal was signed, _We are in the forefront of the anti-racism campaign in England_. This deal will no doubt put this reputation into serious question.

For additional information about Arsenal_s links to Israel and Israel_s treatment of Palestinian footballers, please visit.


[b]
Suggested Action[/b]

IHRC urges all campaigners to:

a) Contact Arsenal Football Club reminding them that Israel is a racist apartheid state which is consistently in breach of international law in its human rights abuses; that it routinely shoots Palestinian children playing football; and that such a deal endangers Arsenal_s anti-racist reputation:

Commercial and Marketing Department
Arsenal Football Club
Arsenal Stadium
Avenell Road
Highbury
London N5 1BU

Email:
Tel. 020 7704 4170
Fax. 020 7704 4171

b) Contact the Football Association_s _Kick Racism out of Football_ Campaign reminding them that Israel is a racist apartheid state which is consistently in breach of international law in its human rights abuses; that it routinely shoots Palestinian children playing football; that such a deal endangers the FA_s anti-racist reputation and the Kick it Out campaign itself. Ask the FA to use its influence to prevent the deal going ahead:

Kick It Out
PO Box 29544
London
EC2A 4WR

T: 020 7684 4884
F: 020 7684 4885
Email:

We urge campaigners to write their own letters but please contact us at if you require sample letters. Please CC Islamic Human Rights Commission on all correspondence so we can track the number of letters sent.

Submitted by *DUST* on 6 March, 2006 - 22:13

"TheRevivalEditor" wrote:
IHRC urges all campaigners to:

a) Contact Arsenal Football Club reminding them that Israel is a racist apartheid state which is consistently in breach of international law in its human rights abuses; that it routinely shoots Palestinian children playing football; and that such a deal endangers Arsenal_s anti-racist reputation:

Commercial and Marketing Department
Arsenal Football Club
Arsenal Stadium
Avenell Road
Highbury
London N5 1BU

Email:
Tel. 020 7704 4170
Fax. 020 7704 4171

b) Contact the Football Association_s _Kick Racism out of Football_ Campaign reminding them that Israel is a racist apartheid state which is consistently in breach of international law in its human rights abuses; that it routinely shoots Palestinian children playing football; that such a deal endangers the FA_s anti-racist reputation and the Kick it Out campaign itself. Ask the FA to use its influence to prevent the deal going ahead:

Kick It Out
PO Box 29544
London
EC2A 4WR

T: 020 7684 4884
F: 020 7684 4885
Email:

We urge campaigners to write their own letters but please contact us at if you require sample letters. Please CC Islamic Human Rights Commission on all correspondence so we can track the number of letters sent.

i also received this email from a friend, she added (and i'm sure she wont mind me putting this here):

Quote:
[b]After reading the email[/b], for anyone who only has time to send on pre-written messages, here's what I wrote (feel free to copy and paste into the emails you send):

[b]Sent to Arsenal FC:[/b]

"Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to express my utter repulsion and disappointment that a football club which I have proudly supported since childhood could sink so low as to put money before morals.

Arsenal may have netted £350,000 by signing its deal with Israel, but no amount of money will be worth the demeaning of the club in the eyes of all its supporters who have a shred of decency.

Israeli policies amount to apartheid, ethnic clensing and an illegal and brutal occupation of Palestinian lands (acknowledged if not opposed by the international community) . Well known anti-apartheid campaigners such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela have bravely stated as much openly and called for a boycott of Israel similar to that used against apartheid South Africa. Many western academics specializing in middle eastern studies, including from the most prestigious of universities, are also amongst those who have spoken out against the oppression and brutality of the Israeli state and have called for a boycott of it.

What a grotesque irony that even while claiming to support the Kick Racism out of Football campaign, Arsenal has signed a deal to promote a state which routinely and unashamedly shoots Palestinian children playing football outside their refugee camps. And that is before even going onto the Israeli state's refusal to allow Palestinian players from attending international games or home games.

I am bitterly disappointed in a club which I have avedly supported despite never living in the locality. While the quality of the play has always led me to support Arsenal, I'm afraid that basic human morality means I cannot support a team, regardless of its footballing talent, who is willing to sell its decency for money.

I sincerely hope Arsenal reconsiders its decision, before it suffers irreparable damage to its reputation and support.

A thorougly shocked and disheartened,

(soon to be ex if this goes through) supporter."

[b]Sent to the FA's Kick It Out campaign:[/b]

"Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to express my utter repulsion and disappointment that a football club which I have proudly supported since childhood, and which is also backed by the FA, could sink so low as to put money before morals.

Arsenal may have netted £350,000 by signing its deal with Israel, but no amount of money will be worth the demeaning of the club in the eyes of all its supporters who have a shred of decency.

Israeli policies amount to apartheid, ethnic clensing and an illegal and brutal occupation of Palestinian lands (acknowledged if not opposed by the international community) . Well known anti-apartheid campaigners such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela have bravely stated as much openly and called for a boycott of Israel similar to that used against apartheid South Africa. Many western academics specializing in middle eastern studies, including from the most prestigious of universities, are also amongst those who have spoken out against the oppression and brutality of the Israeli state and have called for a boycott of it.

What a grotesque irony that even while claiming to support the Kick Racism out of Football campaign, Arsenal has signed a deal to promote a state which routinely and unashamedly shoots Palestinian children playing football outside their refugee camps. And that is before even going onto the Israeli state's refusal to allow Palestinian players from attending international games or home games.

It must be clear that such a deal [b]endangers the FA's anti-racist reputation[/b] and completely [b]undermines the Kick it Out campaign[/b] itself. I would urge the FA to use its influence to stop the deal from going ahead. I sincerely hope Arsenal reconsiders its decision, before it suffers irreparable damage to its reputation and support. While I am on the verge of becoming an ex-Arsenal supporter, I hope that this bitter disappointment will not have to be extended to the FA. I am encouraged that the FA will show more backbone by opposing this deal and therefore putting basic human decency before profit.

A thorougly shocked and disheartened,

Supporter of British football"

For those who send on the emails may Allah swt bless you for caring about the ummah and may He aid those living under oppression and liberate them.

—

[size=9]I NEVER WORE IT BECAUSE OF THE TALIBAN, MOTHER. I LIKE THE [b]MODESTY[/b] AND [b]PROTECTION[/b] IT AFFORDS ME FROM THE EYES OF MEN.[/size] [url=, X-Men[/url]

Submitted by Sirus on 7 March, 2006 - 00:26

dont like arsenal, and this furthers my resent towards them...like it could get any worse

but the deal is £500,000 a year, not £350,000

and the stadium is going to be called the Emirates Stadium.........the Airline is totally kool with the deal tho, coz apparently the UAE have no diplomatic relations with Israel, and they dont give a hoot

—

The Lover is ever drunk with love;
He is free, he is mad,
He dances with ecstasy and delight.

Caught by our own thoughts,
We worry about every little thing,
But once we get drunk on that love,
Whatever will be, will be.

ɐɥɐɥ

Submitted by *DUST* on 7 March, 2006 - 09:12

"Fresh Prince" wrote:
and the stadium is going to be called the Emirates Stadium.........the Airline is totally kool with the deal tho, coz apparently the UAE have no diplomatic relations with Israel, and they dont give a hoot

wodya mean - y is the airline/UAE 'kool with the deal'? :?
—

[size=9]I NEVER WORE IT BECAUSE OF THE TALIBAN, MOTHER. I LIKE THE [b]MODESTY[/b] AND [b]PROTECTION[/b] IT AFFORDS ME FROM THE EYES OF MEN.[/size] [url=, X-Men[/url]

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 7 March, 2006 - 11:51

"*DUST*" wrote:
wodya mean - y is the airline/UAE 'kool with the deal'? :?

Yes ukhti- Arsenal did ask the UAE if they can advertise- and they said it’s ok.

Quote from the BBC Article

Quote:
Arsenal said it had cleared the deal with officials in the United Arab Emirates, whose national airline bought the naming rights to the new stadium.

UAE details:

Quote:

City: ABU DHABI
Agent: Bin Hamal Travel & Tourism - GSA
Address: Shaikh Mohd Bin Khalid Al Nahyan Building
Cornishe Road
Mezzanine Floor
Abu Dhabi,
UAE

Dialing Code: 00971 2
Telephone: 6911777
Fax: 6911611

City: LONDON
Agent: Emirates
Address: First Floor, Gloucester Park,
95 Cromwell Road,
London SW7 4DL
UK

Dialing Code: 0044
Telephone: 870-2432222

[b]And if anyone emailing arsenal send them this video clip of racist Israel: [/b]

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