The Canadian peace activist group, Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA), announced that it is mounting a boycott of two Canadian bookstore chains majority-owned by financial supporters of HESEG, The Foundation for Lone Soldiers, a foundation that supports former Israeli soldiers who served in the occupied Palestinian territories. This particular campaign began on December 23, 2006 with a picket of bookstores in Toronto and Montreal.
As reported at the group’s site,
"On Saturday 23 December a picket was organized by activists in Toronto and Montreal to officially launch a boycott campaign against Chapters and Indigo Bookstores. The campaign demands an end to the financial support offered by the majority owners of Chapters and Indigo to HESEG - the Foundation for Lone Soldiers. This is a program of financial support for former 'lone soldiers' in the Israeli military.
The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, came out to the downtown core of Toronto, and held a mass leafleting and information picket to launch this campaign. More than 80 activists held Palestinian flags and placards calling for a boycott of Chapters and Indigo, 3500 leaflets were distributed, organizers also engaged passersby, many of whom changed their minds about shopping at Chapters and Indigo."
CAIA contends that the majority shareholders of Indigo Books and Music Inc., which operates Chapters, Indigo, and other bookstores in Canada, founded HESEG. HESEG distributes up to three million dollars per year to provide scholarships and other support to former 'Lone Soldiers' of the Israeli military. 'Lone Soldiers' are described as individuals who have no family in Israel, but decided to join the Israeli military. CAIA contends that these soldiers routinely participated in military actions in the Palestinian territories such as operating checkpoints that restrict Palestinian freedom of movement, and enforcing the occupation of Palestinian land, and that they have a documented history of human rights violations.
CAIA also notes that members of the HESEG Board of Directors are high-ranking Israeli military personnel. Board member Lt. Colonel Mike Hartmen joined the IDF as a lone soldier and is now "head of the marksmanship and sharpshooters section of the IDF." Board member Major General (Res.) Doron Almog was Commander of the IDF's Southern Command from 2000-2003. In 2005, a warrant was issued in the UK for his arrest on suspicion of war crimes. Moshe Ronen, Co-Chair of the Canada-Israel Committee, also sits on HESEG's Board of Directors.
CAIA is part of a larger international boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaign against the Israeli occupation of Palestine and maintains a website where more can be learned about its activities.
http://www.caiaweb.org/
Crossposted at Eternal Hope: http://eternalhope.blog-city.com/