Holy Land Principles defends itself against activist critic

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The head of the Holy Land Principles organization demanded in a press release today that Cisco publicly dissociate itself from activist Julie Hammerman’s, accusing her of lying about the group. McManus charges that activist’s lies destroy responsible investment

When a corporate entity bills itself as a Socially Responsible Investment organization or firm, yet testifies to a tissue of lies at an Annual Shareholders Meeting, it commits a serious and fatal breach of trust… Like a police officer deliberately lying under oath in court. It’s a dagger at the very heart, a stab in the back, and the ultimate betrayal of the very essence of Responsible Investment: “Things fall apart; the center cannot hold.”(WB Yeats).

That is how the Holy Land Principles, Inc. is assessing the blatant lies told by Julie Hammerman at the recent Cisco Annual Shareholders Meeting on November 19, in San Jose, CA. Ms. Hammerman — who spoke from the floor of the meeting, and introduced herself as working for a Socially Responsible Investment organization— is the Executive Director of JLens based in San Francisco. She launched an extraordinarily mendacious attack on the Holy Land Principles resolution that was presented at the meeting.

Fr. Sean Mc Manus, President of the Capitol Hill-based Holy Land Principles, Inc. and the Irish National Caucus, said: “At almost 72 years of age, I am not too easily shocked, but I was certainly shocked by the blatant and unashamed lies of Ms. Hammerman. And I’m sure the assembly and the Internet audience were shocked as well. She brought great discredit on herself. Who wants to accept investment guidance from a person who is prepared to tell such lies?”

Fr. Mc Manus explained: “My colleague Barbara Flaherty had just presented the Resolution, explaining eloquently and precisely that the Holy Land Principles are: ‘pro-Jewish, pro-Palestinians and pro-Company. The Principles do not call for quotas, reverse discrimination, divestment, disinvestment or boycotts. The Principles do not try to tell the Palestinians or the Israelis what to do. The Holy Land Principles only call for fair employment by American companies in Israel-Palestine.’”

In response, Ms. Hammerman blatantly and absurdly charged that the Holy Land Principles were anti-Israel and that the Principles called for boycotts of, and disinvestment from Israel. How could anyone do that? How could she think she was serving Socially Responsible Investment by self-evident falsehoods? How could she think she get away with insulting the intelligence and decency of the Cisco investors?”

Fr. Mc Manus continued: “Some believe Ms. Hammerman was deliberately planted in the audience for the purpose of making her mendacious tirade. If so, it is incumbent on Cisco to make it clear that Cisco did not plant her, and that Cisco disassociates itself from her outrageous lies. Why would Cisco want or need to hide behind Hammerman’s venomous assault? Surely it’s in Cisco’s interest to make clear that Hammerman was not reflecting Cisco’s values, which Cisco describes as: ‘A commitment to ethical conduct—and to the governance structures that ensure we walk the talk—provides the foundation for us to earn our stakeholders’ trust.’ ”

Fr. Mc Manus concluded: “Furthermore, I call on JLens to also disassociate itself from Ms. Hammerman’s hateful and shameful words. JLens cannot present itself as a Socially Responsible Investment group if it condones such irresponsible disregard for the truth, and disdain for fair employment.”

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rayhanania

Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News

RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

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