Cancel the friendship soccer match- Denmark-Israel – Boycott Israel
Boykot Israel Kampagnen (the Boycott Israel Campaign), Denmark
www.boykotisrael.dk, Copenhagen, February 19, 2006
Open Letter to DBU, Dansk Boldspil Union (the Danish Ball Games Union)
From Boykot Israel Kampagnen (the Boycott Israel Campaign), Denmark
(Copy to the players and coaches of the Danish team)
On Wednesday, March 1st, 2006, a friendship match is planned to take place in Israel – between the Israeli team and the Danish team. The Boycott Israel Campaign calls on the DBU to listen to the remarks of the players about cancelling the match. A match which is disgraceful because of Israel being an occupation power and because of the very specific moment where the match is going to take place.
The match will take place at a moment where millions of people in the Middle East – in relation to the socalled Muhammed-crisis – protest against Denmark. Also in Palestine, many people have pronounced their anger and protest against Denmark and The Western countries, not only because of the Muhammed drawings in the newspaper Jyllandsposten, but also because of the frustrations caused by the way the Western countries ignore the situation and the rights of the Palestinians -and the double standard of the Western Countries in their treatment of Israel.
In spite of UN resolutions, Israel continues its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
In spite of the Oslo Agreements, Israel continues the expansion of the illegal settlements.
In spite of the verdict pronounced by the international court in Haag, Holland, Israel continues the building of the illegal Apartheid Wall – all of which makes a viable Palestinian state impossible.
To carry through a friendship match between Denmark and Israel at this very moment will constitute a further provocation and cause damages to the relations between Denmark and the peoples of the Middle East.
As you know, sport is not unpolitical, especially not when it involves nations in conflict and war – as for instance sport in the former apartheid-regime of South Africa. Boycott Israel calls for a boycott of Israel in order to put a pressure on the state of Israel, until its withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories.
Boykot Israel is inspired by the former boycott campaign against the apartheid-regime of South Africa.
We urge the players and the coaches to ask the DBU to cancel the match on March 1st.
Kind regards
Boykot Israel Kampagnen, Denmark
boykotisrael@gmail.com