16 January 2012
BDS France
FAO: Mr. Daniel Colling,
Director of the Zenith of Paris
Paris, January 16th 2012
Subject: Propaganda of the KKL at the Paris Zenith
We were appalled when we learned that a concert, organized by Keren Kayemeth Leisrael (KKL) was programmed at the Zenith of Paris for next February 5th.
The Paris Zenith is a prestigious and respectable public place, for which we cannot imagine that its organizers could knowingly invite an association such as the KKL (its name in French is – Fonds National Juif – Jewish National Fund).
Unless, in conformity with the willingness of KKL to hide its true intentions, you were a victim of its misleading propaganda – indeed, this organization presents itself as an environmental organization and as the leading “green” organization of Israel.
In fact, its supposedly ecological claims are nothing but a pretext for hiding its true intents, which are actively practicing, since its creation, the colonization of Palestinian lands and the expulsion of Palestinian inhabitants from their property, notably through the confiscation of these lands.
In the long list of blatant violations of international rights of which KKL is responsible, one must underline, besides the appropriation of the lands of expelled Palestinians, that the thousands of trees that the organization brags about having planted, were in fact planted on the ruins of Palestinian villages of Galilee and Negev, dynamited in 1948, and in the Territories occupied since 1967.
For example, we remind you that the KKL planted, thanks to Canadian funds, the “Canada Park” on the ruins of the West Bank villages of Yalu, Beit-Nuba and Emmaus, razed to the ground by Ariel Sharon in 1967.
Finally, at present KKL is gathering funds to finance “Judaizing the Negev” by expelling and regrouping into “reservation towns” the Bedouins who live there, just as it did to finance “rest areas” for the comfort of soldiers returning from Gaza. The various aspects of this process of colonization are considered as war crimes by the Fourth Convention of Geneva.
Moreover, the lands managed by KKL are run according to explicitly racist criteria.
For all these reasons, the presence of this organization at the Zenith, whose main activity is performing arts, could only be seen as improper and unbearable to any human rights supporter informed about the goals and the true dirty work that KKL is up to.
Therefore we ask you to abstain be an accomplice to the theft of Palestinian lands and to the violation of human and international law.
Lastly, for your own information, you should know that there is a massive international campaign (USA, Canada, Great Britain, France, Israel, Palestine, etc.) against KKL to inform the public, the representatives and all professionals of the reality of this organization, which is a true mainstay of the policies of colonization, of discrimination and of apartheid.
By fear of protests, the KKL branch in Great Britain celebrated its 110th anniversary at London on November 11th 2011 in a place held secret, and under heavy police protection. This is a symbol of the “decline” of the KKL and of the unanimous disapproval of this organization by English citizens.
We therefore respectfully resquest meeting you as soon as possible.
We remain at your entire disposal for further information about the KKL.
Best regards,
French BDS Campaign
E-mail : Campagnebdsfrance@yahoo.fr
Website: www.bdsfrance.org
Website of the Stop the JNF Campaign: www.stopthejnf.org
CC to :
Zénigestion
16-18, rue du Dôme, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt
