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Ahmad O'datt, the Commissioner General of the Damascus-based Central Boycott Office for the Boycott of Israel (center) reads the final statement that wrapped up a four-day meeting of 17 member Arab states on how to more effectively boycott the Israeli economy. (AP)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners May 27, 2005 |
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The Arab Central Boycott Office for the Boycott of Israel has called on the European Union to ban products made in Israeli settlements, arguing the dwellings were "illegal and a violation of international law and the Geneva Convention."
The group also urged the European Union and other nations to pressure Israel to stop building more settlements on Palestinian territory, and to take "immediate measures to prevent Israeli settlement products from benefitting from any EU facilities or entering European markets," said Syria's delegate Ahmed al-O'datt.
O'datt said there was a need to "spread the boycott culture among Arab peoples as a noble and legitimate tool of resistance," against Israel.
The Arab Central Boycott Office for the Boycott of Israel made the statements at the end of a four-day meeting of delegates from 17 member states -- among them, representatives from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Algeria, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Morocco, Libya, Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, Palestine, Oman, Somalia, Tunisia, and Iraq -- convened to discuss strengthening cooperation and coordination "to activate the popular boycott."
Founded in 1951, the once-influential Damascus office was funded by the Arab League to track down foreigners who did business with, or support Israel, to ban them from operating in the Arab world.
More than 8,500 companies and people, including Coca-Cola, the Ford Motor Co. and Elizabeth Taylor's movies were blacklisted. The actress was seen as pro-Israel after converting to Judaism.
The group's influence waned as Egypt and Jordan made peace with Israel and the Palestinians embarked on a faltering peace process. Also, several Gulf states began ignoring the blacklist. It experienced a moment of revival in 2001 after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made a controversial visit to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the compound housing al-Aqsa mosque, revered by Muslims as their third most holy site, and the Western Wall, Judaism's most holy shrine.
The next boycott office meeting is to be held in Damascus in November.
The AP contributed to this report.
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