LSE Boycotts Eden Springs

Press Release

Eden Springs, a major water supply company will not have its contract renewed by the London School of Economics. This development comes off the back of a lengthy, high profile and controversial campaign launched by the LSE Students' Union Palestine Society, which has drawn attention to Eden Springs' odious business dealings in the Illegally Occupied Golan Heights. The LSE joins a number of UK Universities, including Edinburgh and Strathyclyde, whom have successfully cut all ties with Eden Springs.

The student campaign has been supported by academics, with over 19 LSE Academics, signing a joint letter which calls upon the School to terminate its links with Eden Springs “forthwith”.

Zachariah Sammour, President of the LSE SU Palestine Society, said 

“I'm delighted with the incredible pace of progress on this campaign and the widespread support it’s received from the students and academics of the LSE. I believe the success of this campaign demonstrates the deep commitment of LSE staff and students to ethical investment and global justice.

All academic departments formerly using Eden Springs as their water supplier have agreed not to renew their contracts, confirmation of which was received this past Friday.  The development is being hailed as a landmark victory for the wider Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israeli companies, a campaign aimed at undermining the structural mechanisms that make the illegal Israeli Occupation possible.

Ashok Kumar, Education Officer of the LSE Students Union, speaking in his personal capacity said,

 “This is a monumental victory for human rights because it understands, as with South Africa, the direct linkages between profiteering companies and a State that violates international law. Indeed, this is the first step in a long journey for the LSE.”

Students at the LSE will continue to pursue a Campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli companies who continue to feed the machinery of Occupation.  

Peaceful Protest Causes Anger and Condemnation By LSE Israel Society (as usual...)

Milad Ranei

Tuesday 25th January, the London School of Economic's weekly newspaper - The Beaver, published a letter written to the Editor, by the LSE Students' Union Israel Society:

Sir – We are writing further to hearing about the Beaver’s support for the Palestine Society’s campaign to boycott water from Eden Springs UK.

We understand fully the importance and role of a strong pro-Palestinian voice on campus. Of course, it is legitimate to disagree with the policies of the Israeli government.

However, we object to the method of protest. On Thursday outside Clement House members of the Palestine Society were standing dressed in army outfits holding oversized guns. They had placed around them bottles of Eden water with red liquid inside.  Perhaps this was supposed to represent Palestinian blood?  This “stunt” was offensive and childish. Furthermore, such crude campaigning does nothing to further good campus relations and dialogue between the Israel Society and the Palestine Society.  It is divisive and creates a hostile atmosphere. Please could the Beaver explain its support for such a method of campaigning, which is clearly highly offensive and divisive?

It is interesting to note that the water in question here originates from West Hyde, Hertfordshire, not the Golan Heights. In addition, since the Palestine Society’s aim is to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, the Golan Heights does not even fall within this remit. The only explanation the Israel Society can draw from this is that the Palestine Society are more anti-Israel than they are pro-Palestine.

The response from the Beaver Editorial Board was as follows: 

Israel Society - Thank you for your letter regarding the stance expressed in our editorial ("This is the only way we can participate" , 18th January 2011). 

We should preface our justification of support by saying that at the time of going to press last week, the Palestine Society had yet to protest in the manner that they did outside St.Clements. That said, we continue to support their actions 

Because the cause they are campaigning against concerns an allegedly illegal occupation which has displaced a large number of civilians, we believe the comparatively tame nature of their protest is fully justified. Whether those harmed by Israel's actions are Syrian or Palestinian, the society is right to highlight the methods that Israel deems acceptable. 

As for the revelation that the water originates from Hertfordshire, we are confident this is immaterial to the discussion. We remain concerned witht he parent company's actions, viz, profiteering from an unjust state of affairs. 

Please be assured this does not correspond with any uneasiness about the actions of the Israel Society, which we appreciate is committed to constructive dialogue. 

Nonetheless, it is laughable that the LSE Israel Society oppose peaceful protest, describing it as "childish and offensive." Then again when protesting for basic rights, Justice and Freedom for Palestinians, who are murdered on a daily basis, it is difficult to please everyone, even the 'mouthpieces' of the oppressors.

It would be interesting to know whether the Israeli Society finds the illegal colonial settlements built in the West Bank offensive, or if they find the present siege on Gaza offensive, or if they find Avigdor Lieberman's statements offensive, and if they do, what are they doing to protest this? Nothing.

 Perhaps time would be better spent pursuing more noble causes, instead of being the first to criticise the actions of the LSE Palestine Society. 

LSE Palestine Society Stunt: Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions - Eden Springs

By Nadia Marques de Carvalho
(LSE Palestine Society)

On Thursday 20th January the London School of Economics Palestine Society staged a surprise stunt at midday on Houghton Street, to raise awareness of a recent campaign it has launched to get Eden Springs off its campus. 

LSE Palestine Society Members in the Stunt

The stunt involved having bottles of Eden water symbolically wrapped in barbed wire, surrounded by two Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers on either side. Note some of the bottled water stained symbolically with red tint, to portray the blood of Palestinians. 

The Stunt in the Union General Meeting 

The stunt was a successful and dramatic way to mobilise the student body into standing in solidarity with the core concepts of Justice, Equality and Freedom, which the BDS movement endeavours to achieve in Palestine - well, should I say, The Occupied Territories. 

Signatures filled the petition papers that propose that the university not purchase water coolers and bottled water from Eden Springs UK, which is part of the Israeli company Mey Eden, which appropriates and sells water from sources in Syrian land that has been controversially occupied since 1967.

LSE Palestine Society Committee Members

This campaign to get Eden Springs off campus is only the beginning. 

The LSE Palestine Society are in the process of contacting other British Palestine Societies to follow in suit.

 In solidarity we can end the illegal, Israeli Apartheid regime. 

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Sticker on the London Underground