Stop Funding Israel

COMPANY :

Walt Disney Company

PRODUCTS & AFFILIATED COMPANIES:

Disneyland
EuroDisney
Disney Products

RESEARCH FINDINGS :

Walt Disneys Millennium exhibition at the Epcot Centre in Florida depects Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Jerusalem is an illegally occupied city according to international law (UN resolution 242, 237 & 405)and can never be the capital of Israel. Of the 8 million dollars cost to set up the exibition, Israel contributed 1.8 million and worked with Disney to develop its content (see [2] ). This is part of Israels campaign to physically Judaise Jerusalem and mentally condition the world into accepting its claims over Jerusalem.

An Arab Leauge initiative to set up a boycott of Disney was saboutaged at the last minute by Saudi Prince, Walid ibn Talal, who is a major shareholder of Euro Disney said, “If we boycott Disney, Israel will win because it will impact our image negatively in United States.”. It is estimated that nearly 200,000 Arabs visit Disney each year and the total Disney trade with the Middle East amounts to over $100 million per year.

ADDITIONAL INFO & REFs :

[1]	Friends of Al-Aqsa web-site http://www.aqsa.org.uk/activities/campaign2.html Disney Promotes Israeli Occupation Background Disney the love and entertainment king of millions throughout the world has stepped into political arena to promote Jewish claims over Jerusalem. Early in September the American Muslims for Jerusalem [AMJ], headed by Khaleed Turaani highlighted Disney’s plans to present Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel in an exhibition. The Millennium exhibition, of Walt Disney opened at Epcot Centre in Florida on 1 October. Of the eight million dollars building cost, Israel gave 1.8 million. The exhibition is proposed to be the greatest show expected to attract millions of viewers from throughout the world. Jerusalem is illegally occupied city according to international law. In particular: UN Resolution 242, which calls upon Israel to withdraw from the occupied territory. Resolution 237 rejects the annexation of Jerusalem and Resolution 405 further reaffirms that Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian territory. Historically the Jews were driven out of Jerusalem in 70 CE, when Titus, the Roman General destroyed the Temple and ever since than there has been an insignificant population of Jews in Jerusalem. In 1099, when the Crusaders captured Jerusalem they killed or exiled all Jews and it was only through the Magnanimity of Salah’udeen Ayubi that he allowed the Jews to return. In a census of 1170 we see a record of 1,440 Jews in all of Palestine. Whereas the Arabs have always inhabited Jerusalem from time immemorial. When Muslims liberated Jerusalem and the majority of Arabs reverted to Islam the city remained free andopen to all. Israel’s aim to physically Judaise Jerusalem and mentally condition the world into accepting its claims over Jerusalem seem to have reached new psychological spheres. After the initiative set in motion to counter this blatant claim, the UAE Minister of Information and Culture Shaykh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahayan called a meeting of Arab League ministers to boycott Disney and its products. It is estimated that nearly 200,000 Arabs visit Disney each year and the total Disney trade with the Middle East amounts to over $100 million per year. However, at the last minute a motion to boycott was not carried as the Saudi Prince, Walid ibn Talal, who is the major shareholder of Euro Disney said, “If we boycott Disney, Israel will win because it will impact our image negatively in United States.” One Arab official is reported in Palestine Times as saying, “we know that some Arab officials encouraged the company to ignore our protest.” Al-Nahayan, the UAE Minister on Abu Dhabi TV said, “he did not receive expected response from some Arab ministers during his intensive contacts with them." Disney claims they have altered the exhibition as not to promote the Israeli claim. However, according to AMJ the exhibition still leave visitors with the false impression that Israel is not in violation of multiple international laws and UN Resolutions. The Jewish Chronicle, a London Based Newspaper, reported on the 24 Sept, “If you go and see the show there won’t be any doubt in your mind that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.” Friends of Al Aqsa Call For Disney Boycott It is without doubt if the Arab League had the spine to uphold the just cause of Jerusalem in where is Masjid al Aqsa than the fairy sporting Disney would not have succeeded in promoting the illegal Zionist plans to inculcate into the minds of the world that Jerusalem is their capital. Under the circumstances we call upon all morally conscious individuals to not only boycott Disney products and goods but more importantly to write and inform Disney of your boycott. It is the grass-root support that is needed to be mobilised and the powers to be, either in Islamic countries or elsewhere to be informed of our sentiments. It is the duty of every law-abiding citizen to ensure those oppressors and usurpers of others rights and territories do not get away with their criminality. Please inform the addressee below of your intentions to boycott because of their illegal promotion of Israeli claims. The need to inform Disney of their political misjudgement cannot be over emphasised: Publicity Department Walt Disney The Queen Caroline Street Hammersmith London W6 9PE Tel: 0181 222 1000
[2]	Jewish Bulletin News http://www.jewishsf.com/bk990924/idisney.shtml. Israel's Foreign Ministry, which is sponsoring the exhibit, says it shows the centrality of the holy city to Muslims, Christians and Jews. But, says a Foreign Ministry statement, "there is no doubt that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel" and "the position of Jerusalem as the key component to the Israeli pavilion at Epcot speaks for itself without a clearer or stronger statement being necessary." Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said last Friday that while Israel views seriously the threat of a boycott, "attempts to damage the status of Israel and Jerusalem as its united capital have failed in the past and will fail in the future." Israel's Foreign Ministry contributed $1.8 million to the pavilion, which cost a reported $8 million, and worked with Disney to develop its content.
[3]	http://www.metimes.com/issue99-38/reg/disney__will.htm. "Walt Disney Co is a controlling shareholder in Euro Disney with a 39 percent stake."
[4]	Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, DECEMBER 1999, pages 13,36 http://www.washington-report.org/backissues/1299/9912013.html. Who Won the Battles of Burger King and Walt Disney Productions? "Arab League foreign ministers voted not to boycott Disney, saying the measures promised by Disney were positive. Since the decision was made before it could be ascertained that the recommendations had been carried out, there was word-of-mouth suspicion that the decision might have been influenced by the fact that one of Saudi Arabia’s richest entrepreneurs, Prince Walid Ibn Talal, owns almost a half-interest in the Euro Disney theme park just outside Paris."
[5]	http://www.israeltoday.co.il/article/Default.asp?CatID=2&ArticleID=15

RESEARCH FINDINGS :

Delta Galilis is Israel's largest manufacturer and marketer of textiles and is one of the largest private-label underwear manufacturers in the world[5]

Its founder, chairman and major stock holder Mr. Dov Lautman is a close associate of Israeli President Ehud Barak. see [1] & [2]

Sweatshop Watch has denounced Delta Galil for its exploitation of Arab labour. [4]

ADDITIONAL INFO & REFs :

[1]	Delta Galil website: http://www.deltagalil.com/Shreholders.htm Delta’s shares are held by 3 major substances: Mr. Dov Lautman, Sare Lee corp. and the public. Dov Lautman is the founder and chairman of Delta, holds 36.61% from Delta’s shares directly or through companies that he owns.Sara Lee corporation holds 24.61% of Delta’s shares.
[2]	http://shamash.org/listarchives/amcha/log9907 mentions that "Dov Lautman [Delta chairman] is a close associate of Ehud Barak"
[3]	http://www.odaction.org/challenge/60/textil.html Delta-Galil also makes half its sales to M & S; they amounted to $180 million last year. M&S intends to increase its purchases from Delta by 20%.
[4]	http://www.s11.org/iss_sweatshops.html http://www.sweatshopwatch.org/ Sweatshop Watch has denounched Delta-Galils exploitation of Arab labour, calling it a "Sweatshop Czar"
[5]	Jerusalem Post, March 1, 1999 http://www.jpost.com/com/Archive/01.Mar.1999/Business/Article-0.html "Delta Galilis the nation's largest manufacturer and marketer of textiles and is one of the largest private-label underwear manufacturers in the world. The company was one of the first local firms to benefit from the peace process, as it moved manufacturing to neighboring countries with low labor costs. Delta currently manufactures in Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Scotland. Dov Lautman, Delta's chairman and largest shareholder holds 56% of the company and Sara Lee, the world's largest clothing manufacturer, has some 30%. The remainder is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange."
[6]	Investment Promotion Center, State of Israel Ministry of Industry & Trade website: http://www.moit.gov.il/root/Hidden/ipc/%7BF6922%7D "Delta Galil Textiles is expanding it's Egyptian factory, which was established in 1993 in order to manufacture "basic" underwear and T-shirts at lower cost than in Israel. The factory in Egypt will double production within two years to US $50 million annually. The number of employees will also double, reaching 500 people. With the signing of the peace treaty with Jordan, Delta Galil opened joint venture operations in Jordan in the past year as well. Delta has set up a clothing factory in Jordan with the Al-Bahri concern. Delta said low wage costs were a major factor behind the decision. An interesting twist to this joint Israeli-Jordanian operation, is the fact that the raw materials arrive from Israel, are assembled in Jordan, then shipped back to Israel with a "Made in Israel" label, then shipped around the world. This joint operation exemplfies the new found potential in peaceful cooperation between Israel and Jordan"