Group Will Protest Israeli Dance Troupe at Benaroya Hall in Seattle

Michelle Kinnucan Salem-News.com photo: Bonnie King

(SEATTLE) - An increasing level of scrutiny regarding Israel's frequently reported crimes against humanity in Gaza and in West Bank, is becoming prevalent these days in western society, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.

BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanction), a large scale boycott movement against Israeli products. It is gaining momentum on a worldwide scale.

Activist Michelle Kinnucan of Greater Seattle Veterans for Peace, says the next public effort there is a Protest for Justice & Peace in Palestine. It happens at 6:00 p.m., Monday, 18 October 2010 at Benaroya Hall, 3rd & University in downtown Seattle.

"Please join members of Greater Seattle Veterans for Peace and Voices of Palestine at Benaroya Hall on October 18 from 6:00 p.m. until 7:15 p.m. as we protest the violation of the Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and the Palestinian campaign for 'broad boycotts ... against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the apartheid era.'

That evening Benaroya Hall will host the Israeli government-sponsored Beta Dance Troupe. The group's visit to Seattle is co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and the Consulate General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest.

The Beta Dance Troupe hails from Haifa, which was ethnically cleansed in 1948.

You can visit this link to learn what Haifa is like today. Salem-News.com's Tim King closely followed the recent saga of a restaurant owner in Haifa who had his successful business closed by Israel because he didn't reverse his 'no uniforms' policy for an indignant teenage Israeli soldier.

According to PalestineRemembered.com:

"Out of the 61,000 Palestinian Arabs who used to call Haifa home, only 3,566 Palestinians were allowed to stay. The remaining population were in constant fear on their lives and properties ..."

The Beta Dance Troupe's appearance in Seattle is consistent with what Kinnucan calls, "The "Brand Israel" campaign, a cynical attempt to rehabilitate Israel's public image in the aftermath of it's repeated high-profile war crimes and other ongoing human rights violations. We will protest in honor of the Palestinian boycott campaigns and to do our part to thwart the re-packaging of apartheid Israel."