Are you supporting Israel's Occupation of Palestine?

That is the title of a public meeting that I sadly can't get to at the Friendship Cafe in Barton Street, Gloucester, on November 23rd at 7.30pm - free admission - organised by the Gloucestershire Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Photo: Randwick woods again

Here's what the poster says:

Every year Britain spends millions of pounds on goods grown or produced on stolen Palestinian land and freely on sale in our shops and supermarkets, so helping to support illegal settlements and to oppress the Palestinian people. Come and explore the issues with the help of a Corporate

• Watch journalist and activists ...
• Which UK businesses profit most from Israel’s illegal occupation of the West Bank
• How they have managed to bend the rules
• How Israel became a virtual EU member
• What you can do to really help the Palestinian people
• And many more questions to ask your supermarket managers and politicians

One of the issues up for discussion will be the concerns about organic produce from the West Bank and Israel - in particular about the integrity of Israeli organic certifying body Agrior, which is employed by the Soil Association to certify produce from the West Bank and from Israel. I understand that earlier this year the organisation Corporate Watch uncovered evidence that produce from West Bank settlements bearing the Agrior logo is being labelled as produce of Israel even before it leaves the settlements. This is disputed by the Soil Association who say they have no evidence. See also my earlier post re Veolia and Israel.