By Ray Hanania
Activists with BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) in Houston, Texas are planning a major protest to highlight the involvement of RE/MAX Realty in renting and marketing properties located in the illegal Israeli settlements located on occupied lands.
Israeli settlements are racist in that they are built to only house Jews, while non-Jews including Christians and Muslims, are excluded and discriminated against. And the land that the settlements are built on have been confiscated (stolen) by Israel’s government to be used only by Jewish Israelis, a violation of the Fourth Geneva Conventions which is recognized by most civilized nations that respect human rights and freedoms.
RE/MAX is one of the most aggressive realtors that works with the illegal and racist Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, a political choice that has been rejected by many other realtors who avoid supporting racist and apartheid policies thata re driven by discrimination.
The protest in Houston will begin Thursday December 4 at 8 AM targeting RE/MAX 360,3033 Chimney Rock, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77056. But protestors are being urged that if they can’t join the Chimney Rock protest location, they should protest at any and all RE/MAX offices.
Organizers stated:
“RE/MAX is a real estate giant that markets and rents properties in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land. While Palestinian homes and olive groves are bulldozed to make way for new housing units, RE/MAX is profiting from settlement expansion throughout the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
“For the next 7 days, people around the world are coming together to send a message to RE/MAX to stop profiting from occupation and stolen land. Will you join the efforts to condemn RE/MAX worldwide?”
They urge protestors to do the following:
1) Go to the RE/MAX office at anytime during their hours and deliver a letter to them telling them to STOP profiting off of the Israeli occupation of Palestine by selling STOLEN LAND and discriminating against non-Jewish buyers to boot. Give them the letter and have a conversation with the agents there! IF YOU CAN’T GO, CALL THEM! Phone : (832) 333-0360 (Chimney Rock location) or Call the headquarters in Denver, CO Phone: 303-770-5531
2) Make signs and stand outside the RE/MAX office to raise awareness! Let’s meet there with signs at 3:00 p.m.! If you are not available at that time, come anytime you can during the day! Even a few people can make a difference! See photos on this page.
You can also:
a) Visit www.BoycottREMAX.org to endorse the campaign (as an individual or organization) and check out lots of campaign resources!
b) Click here to send a Letter to Chairman of RE/MAX’s Board, Dave Liniger! On Thursday, December 4, use Hashtag “#BoycottREMAX” on Twitter with a selfie of you in your town or city explaining why *you* are Boycotting RE/MAX!
c) Spread the word! Follow @BoycottREMAX on Twitter and “Like” the No Open House Facebook Page to keep updated and join the campaign!
The BDS protest movement has a website at www.BoycottRemax.org which offers information and background on RE/MAX and their policies supporting racism and discrimination.
The website explains:
“The US-based peace group CODEPINK launched a campaign Boycott RE/MAX: No Open Homes on Stolen Land!, asking the company to cut its ties with franchises involved in the sale or rental of settlement properties. The RE/MAX campaign is part of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a call by Palestinian civil society to engage in non-violent activism to end these injustices by boycotting companies and institutions that are complicit in Israel’s occupation and its discriminatory practices against Palestinians. The campaign is a broad coalition effort that includes partner organizations and individuals from across the globe. Together through grassroots, community based action we are speaking truth to power and ending our complicity in these injustices.
“Palestinians called upon the world to engage in activism for peace. Like so many important community mobilizations around the world, We are answering the call.
“The campaign was initiated when CODEPINK sent a letter to RE/MAX CEO board chair David Liniger calling on RE/MAX International to cease these unethical sales immediately. Receiving no response we launched the Boycott RE/MAX: No Open House on Stolen Land! Campaign.”
The Houston BDS movement has declared November 29 through Dec. 5 a “Global Week of Action.”
The group also has a Facebook page that you can support at:
https://www.facebook.com/noopenhouse
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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BDS is becoming the most influential pro-Palestinian and pro-Peace organization involved in the Middle East conflict. Their activism is growing and is becoming more and more effective, especially int he wake of the growing extremism and racist hatred in Israeli society and Israel’s rightwing government.