Boycott issue - I've been attacked in Facebook

On November 16th, 2012.. i posted a status in my facebook wall :

"Celebrating Nestle 100 years???? Go to HELL!!"

It's a simple status, just to express out my feeling and depression of what was happening in Palestine and Israeli occupation in the land. By the time i posted it, i knew that i might receive a lot of negative and positive comments from fellow friends. So i just get myself ready and firm. I didn't ask people to follow what i believe, i was just sharing my thought. Nothing to be scared of.

Just within a day, i received few comments and the dominant was 'negative'. Most of them were giving so many excuses in supporting this issue :
1. "milo nestle, kene boikotlah milo"
2. "Tp best milo"
3. " bab boikot memboikot ni dah berpuluh tahun kot rakyat msia cuba, Takde effect pon. Kalau ada pon miniscule je, very insignificant."
4. "Protests or holding up banners mcm org umno suke buat tu pon takde maknanya"
5. "We need the UN to take action, impose sanctions or something"
6. "Stopping the war is better than fighting it"
7. "We need the world leaders to voice up and once and for all, tell them to STOP IT"

All those excuses...honestly just telling me one thing, FOOLISHNESS!
Here is my answer to them which i think good to share with others who are not in my facebook friend list :

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Yup true. People were talking about boycotting Israeli products since tens year ago. But we can’t see any difference. Instead they’re getting stronger and even more violent. We did ask for the world leaders to help stopping it through the Arab League, the OIC, and even street protests. This has been done for many years.. Unfortunately it was just like barking at statue. They won’t do anything and I bet they’re laughing behind us. Because of these, we’re now losing our confident in any action and just put a big hope on others to help and solve the problem while we just keep throwing the ideas and thoughts..

At the time I published this post, I will be expecting to receive opposition, dissent and expressions of discomfort from some of you. My fellow friends, I won’t blame you for that. I was like you until one man came into my life and changes my perception, helps me to build confidence in what i know and believe. When he told me that he and his family have been boycotting Israeli products, restaurants and anything that contributes to Israel, I quickly warned him. “I'm not like you. I didn’t grow up in that lifestyle. I feel pity and sympathy to those in Palestine but it doesn’t mean that I should boycott McDonalds or Milo or anything that I have used over the years. It’s ridiculous! Between, berapa sen je yang kurang kalau kita je yang boycott. Tak terjejas pun..even if there are thousands of people doing that, they’ll still earning billions of dollars”

I was actually just giving a common excuse. The main reason was because I use the products and I can’t imagine live without those. Yes, it is not easy to understand the situation until us ourselves trying to feel, find and learn deeper their history, humanity, dignity and even things,rules in our own religion. We can simply say “UN, you’re supposed to play your role, take action and stop the war!” .. “Hey Obama, please intervene in the issue of Palestine!”.. “Why laa they all gathered with all the banners, burning the flags and what not..wasted.. what? They think war will end by doing that??”..ada setengahnya plak ckp.. “stop the war is better than fighting”.. yup there’s nothing wrong with all those opinions.

I was like them and refused to boycott Israeli products; instead I keep on yelling and pointing to others to do something. I was right. Just that when I dig the hole deeper, I choose to boycott than asking this and that.. coz when I boycott, at least I myself do and contribute something to help Muslims who are oppressed. In Holy Quran and Hadith, mentioned that there will never be a peace in the Region until the Day of Resurrection dan akan sentiasa ada segolongan umat Nabi Muhammad saw yang akan bangkit menentang musuh2 Allah. Mereka ini berada di sekitar Baitulmaqdis. Memang jelas tidak akan ada perdamaian, pilihan kita cuma menentang musuh. That’s why Hamas tak nak rundingan damai. Jelas tidak akan berhasil.

UN?? PBB?? Tentera pengaman?? Forget it. Learn history and understand the situation first. Mereka tidak mengiktiraf Palestine di bawah Hamas. Mereka mengiktiraf PLO tetapi pilihanraya terbaru dimenangi Hamas. Bagi mereka, Hamas adalah terrorist. Jadi masihkah kita nak menaruh harapan kepada mereka?? Do you think they’ll listen to you??? Are you going to pick up the phone and give a call to Obama, UN?? And they’ll listen to you?? If yes, by all means please DO! I would be very happy.

Sape cakap berhimpun, berarak sambil mengangkat banner tu tak mendatangkan apa2? I’m not talking politics now I’m talking about Gaza and Palestine. Contoh paling mudah, selepas Mavi Marmara di tawan dan aktivis ditembak mati oleh tentera Israel, hampir seluruh penduduk serata dunia keluar berhimpun beramai-ramai di jalanan dengan sepanduk and so on sebagai menunjukkan ketidakpuasan mereka, membantah dan mengutuk serangan tersebut. Disebabkan itu juga, Israel meredakan sedikit serangan dan penindasan terhadap penduduk Palestine untuk seketika. Memang ia tidak mampu untuk menghentikan peperangan tetapi sekurang-kurangnya ia mampu memberikan tekanan kepada musuh. And this is much better than do nothing but just throwing thoughts..

Bercakap pasal boikot, teringat satu kisah di zaman Nabi Ibrahim AS dimana ketika Nabi Ibrahim dibakar oleh Namrud, ada seekor burung terbang berulang-alik membawa air diparuhnya cuba untuk memadamkan api.Ditanya makhluk lain kenapa nak tolong padam juga wpun tak memberi kesan pd api yg marak? Dijawabnya, sekurang2nya apabila ditanya Allah, burung dah berusaha untuk padam than do nothing.Sama seperti isu boikot, mmg kesannya mungkin miniscule and insignificant tp sekurang2nya apabila ditanya Allah,kita ada jawapannya. Allah swt Maha Mengetahui, mungkin Dia sudah tahu yang akan wujud segolongan manusia dalam situasi seperti ini suatu masa nnt,maka digerakkan hati burung tersebut untuk cuba memadamkan api wpun kesannya amatlah sedikit supaya kisah tersebut dapat dijadikan contoh teladan dan panduan.

It is my responsibility to ask people to do something which can help saudara seagama yg tertindas walau dengan apa cara sekali pun tetapi if you’re not agree please don’t tell something yang boleh membuatkan org lain berhenti untuk membantu saudara seagama mereka yg lain. If you think that you really need to use the product and tak bleh nak boycott, that’s fine. You can always use your own method to help them and fight with them. Don’t ask others to help, ask YOURSELF what YOU can do to help. Ia menjadi tanggungjawab kita untuk membantu saudara seagama yg tertindas.

For some of us, maybe it’s hard to live without a cup of Milo.. but do you know how difficult it is for Palestinians to get a drop of water? We can give thousands of reasons not to boycott, and sometimes these reasons reveal our foolishness and ignorance kepada saudara seagama kita. Petik daripada post saudara saya, “hati yang ikhlas tidak akan mencari alasan sebaliknya berusaha mencari jalan bagaimana untuk membantu.” Tepuk dada tanyalah iman. Wallahua’lam.."
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Saya juga tertarik dengan post Aqsa Syarif mengenai issue Palestine ini. Mungkin ada sesuatu yg boleh kita renungkan bersama :

"Isu Palestin:

1-Ada yang berdemo
2-Ada yang boikot
3-Ada yang bantu menyebarkan kesedaran dan kempen
4-Ada yang mengutip derma
5-Ada yang menadah tangan berdoa
6-Ada yang berkuasa, memberi ancaman dan amaran

Tapi ada juga, yang memperlekehkan semua perkara di atas. Isunya, bukan perkara apa yang dibuat, tapi bagaimana sensitifnya hati kita, tersentaknya jiwa apabila saudara kita dianiaya. Sifat
kemanusiaan dalam hati.

Buatlah apa nak dibuat, katalah apa yang nak dikata.

Yang pasti, suatu hari nanti, bila Allah bertanya pada kita,

"Apa yang kamu buat apabila saudara seagamamu dizalimi di Palestin?"

Setiap orang ada jawapan masing-masing. Cuma fikirkan, adakah kita memang punya jawapan sebagai pembela?- AQSA SYARIF "

Fikir-fikirkan wahai teman.. Free your mind and heart and think wisely deeply my friends... 

BOYCOTT ISRAELI PRODUCTS CAMPAIGN

An Appeal to all Citizens of the World

As citizens of our individual countries, we at times become extremely frustrated by the policies of our governments that we deem unjust. We oftentimes feel powerless to change them as more and more of the governments and the politicians who run them become increasingly subservient to global corporate and banking interests. There is, however, one powerful weapon that if utilized collectively can accomplish far greater positive change than marches, protests and demonstrations. The weapon is the boycott of well targeted products. Mexican-American labor leader Cesar Chavez utilized this weapon with great success against the greedy grape growers of Alta California and managed to win many concessions for the exploited farmworkers. The boycott of grapes would not have been successful, however, if the world community did not support it. Today, as the world community begins to see evidence of the barbaric massacre of Palestinians that took place in Jenin by the Butcher Ariel Sharon and his murderous Zionist Army, one is compelled to just and moral action. Here in Aztlan, we have become extremely frustrated at President George Bush and his inability or unwillingness to stop the horrible slaughter that is occurring in the Holy Land and that may culminate in the genocide of the Palestinian people. We individually have the power of choice to buy one product over another or to simply forgo a purchase entirely. If more and more people around the world do the same, the pressure will become powerful enough to force a positive change. We each can also help by asking our family members and friends to do the same. Below are products and brands of corporations and businesses that are helping Ariel Sharon and Zionist Israel to continue their racist apartheid policies and illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. We are asking you to boycott these products. The products and brands have been well researched. Each of the companies have ties to Israel and support their policies against the Palestinian people. As an example, Estée Lauder's chairman, Ronald Lauder, served as the Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and is the current President of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) - a quasi-governmental agency whose main function is to legitimize Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. Ronald Lauder is a hardcore Zionist and his views are often more extreme then those of the Israeli government.

         Other examples are:

KIMBERLY-CLARK
In 1998 Mr. Robert P. Van der Merwe, chairman of Kimberly-Clark Europe received the Jubilee Award by the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is the highest tribute ever awarded by the "State of Israel" in recognition of those individuals and organizations, that through their investments and trade relationships, have done the most to strengthen the Israeli economy.

         COCA-COLA
         From 1966 onward Coca-Cola has been a staunch supporter of Israel. Recently the Government
         of Israel Economic Mission honored Coca-Cola at the Israel Trade Award Dinner for its continued
         support of Israel for the last 30 years and for refusing to abide by the Arab League boycott of Israel.

NESTLE
Swiss food giant Nestle will set up a global research and development center for snack foods next year in Sderot, a town in Israel's Negev desert, the Maariv newspaper reported on Sunday. Nestle owns 50.1 percent of Israeli food maker Osem Investments and the two together produce snack foods at a plant in Sderot.

INTEL
Intel is one of the biggest supporters of Israel. Their very first development center outside the US was opened in Haifa in 1974. Since then they have continued pouring investment in to Israel. By year 2000 they employed over 4000 Israelis. Exports from their Lachish-Qiryat Gat plant in israel total $3 million a day at peak capacity - approximately $ 1 billion a year. The Intel plant at "Qiryat Gat" is built on land Israel confiscated from the Palestinian villages of Iraq al Manshiya. Iraq al Manshiya was a village of 2000 people living in 300 houses with two mosques and one school. The original Palestinian inhabitants were terrorized out of the village and then the whole village was razed to the ground to prepare the way for the new Israeli settlement of Qiryat Gat. Today the remaining population from Iraq al Manshiya is still not allowed to return.

SARA LEE
In 1998, Mr. Lucien Nessim of Sara Lee Personal Products received the Jubilee Award by the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is the highest tribute ever awarded by the "State of Israel" in recognition of those individuals and organizations, that through their investments and trade relationships, have done the most to strengthen the Israeli economy

DISNEY
The Disney Company is owned by Jewish Mogul Michael Eisner. He owns a vast media empire that includes the ABC television network, numerous news dailies, national magazines, Hollywood film companies and a large number of radio stations. One radio station in Los Angeles, KABC 790 AM recently broadcast comments by Jewess Gloria Alred to the effect that the Islamic prisoners at Guantanamo should be tortured by having their "balls" extracted with pliers in order to make them talk. The news and commentaries made through Michael Eisner's media octopus are extremely Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian.

BRANDS & LABELS TO BOYCOTT