Quit Actions In Support of 
Divestment and Boycott of Israel

“The end of apartheid stands as one of the crowning accomplishments of the last century, but we would not have succeeded without the help of international pressure. There is no greater testament to the basic dignity of ordinary people everywhere than the divestment movement of the 1980s.  A similar movement has taken shape recently, this time aiming at an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. We should hope that average citizens again rise to the occasion, since the obstacles to a renewed movement are surpassed only by its moral urgency..." Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 2002, http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Israel/Israel_Time_To_Divest.html

Since mid-2001, QUIT! has been working, along with other Bay Area Palestine solidarity groups, to support the international Palestinian-led campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel.

Some of the actions and campaigns we have initiated include:

April 2007, Israeli government money out of the LGBT Film Festival. For at least five years, the Israeli consulate has been a major sponsor of the San Francisco LGBT Film Festival, probably the largest LGBT cultural event in the world.  In addition to accepting money from the consulate, Frameline, presenter of the Film Festival, cosponsors film showings with the consulate during the year, and in 2005 was listed as a sponsor of "Israel in the Park," an annual event in support of Israel. In late March, over 100 members of the San Francisco Bay Area LGBT/queer community sent a letter to Frameline, presenter of the  annual asking them to honor the cultural boycott of Israel by discontinuing Israeli consulate sponsorship of the film festival and not cosponsoring events with the Israeli consulate.  Read the letter.

Valentine's Day 2007, we are proud to introduce our new Victoria's Secret Weapon line!  Most of Victoria's Secret's bras and some of its other products are produced by the Israeli textile giant Delta Galil.  "Delta Galil is the nation's largest manufacturer and marketer of textiles and is one of the largest private-label underwear manufacturers in the world," reports a 1999 article in The Jerusalem Post. "The company was one of the first local firms to benefit from the peace process, as it moved manufacturing to neighboring countries with low labor costs." QUIT! launched its campaign to show Victoria's customers who's under their underwear with a fashion show at a VS outlet in San Francisco.  View our lovely full-color catalogue!  More info about Delta Galil and Victoria's Secret.

October 2006, we have produced a leaflet to distribute at showings of "Catch a Fire," a film about resistance in South Africa starring Tim Robbins and Derek Luke. We urge other groups to distribute it as well.  Download the flier (MS Word) (view as HTML)

October 2006, we protested an event hosted by the Israeli consulate general at the San Francisco LGBT Center featuring Israeli novelist Alon Hilu.  Read our flier asking queers to respect the cultural boycott. 

2005-2006 QUIT led the international Boycott World Pride campaign, protesting Interpride's decision to hold the second World Pride celebration in occupied Jerusalem.  This campaign grew to include dozens of queer organizations internationally and had a significant effect on the way the event was perceived in the media and in queer communities.  QUIT published op-eds, gave several radio interviews and maintained a website which provided a focal point for diverse boycott efforts.  Learn more about the World Pride Boycott. 

Ongoing Estee Slaughter campaign, targeting the company owned by Ron Lauder, a major supporter of Israel's policies of dispossession and repression of Palestinians.

June 2003, QUIT dropped a banner on stage at the end of the showing of "Yossi and Jagger," at the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival.  The film centers on a gay relationship between Israeli soldiers on the Lebanon border. Coverage of the action.  Read the flier.

2002-3, campaign to deshelve Israeli products at Rainbow Grocery.

2003, Queer Settlers landed on Starbucks, dubbing it "A Cafe without People for People without a Cafe."  Read about this creative direct action which inspired copycat settlements from New York to Australia.

For more information about the international campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions:  http://electronicintifada.net/bytopic/boycott-divestment-sanctions.shtml