Starbucks Becomes OCCUPIED

UPPER WEST SIDE STARBUCKS TAKEN OVER BY SETTLERS IN LOCAL LAND GRAB

Protesting Starbucks' support for Israeli seizures of
Palestinian land, activists seize the comfy chairs.

New York ? Fifteen activists today occupied an uptown branch of
Starbucks during the lunchtime rush, claiming the coffee shop as
settled land. Hanging flags and banners announcing the takeover,
and arranging houseplants and bedding around the room, settlers
from Queer Resistance for Palestine hustled customers out of the
comfy chairs, informing them "This is our coffee shop now."

As several Starbucks patrons were confused about the hindrance
in getting their lattes, settlers explained: although Starbucks
supplies endless lattes to New Yorkers, it actively deprives
Palestinians of lattes ? as well as work, jobs, education, the right
to leave their homes, and numerous other freedoms curtailed
under the illegal Israeli occupation.

Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz actively supports the expansion of
Israeli settlements on land seized from Palestinians in the West
Bank and Gaza. Starbucks also answered the call to boost the
Israeli economy ? drained by occupation military spending ? by
pledging to open 20 new stores in Israel. "Since the CEO of this
company clearly believes it's okay for one group of people to grab
another people's land and claim a right to it, we're pretty sure
he won't mind if we just settle down right here in his store,"
said the settlers.

Settlements, which are illegal under the Geneva Conventions, are
colonies on Palestinian land established with subsidies and
military support of the Israeli government ? and enormous financial
backing from American sponsors. They are used as outposts for
paramilitary attacks on Palestinian villages ? attacks on farms,
houses and individuals conducted without the "official knowledge"
of the Israeli government, but with complete impunity.
Settlements are also used to control and deplete water sources
essential
to Palestinian survival. 400,000 Israeli settlers in the
Palestinian Territories control the vast majority of the water supply
to 3.5 million Palestinians.

Queer activists called for the immediate dismantling of
settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, and for an end to the
occupation
of Palestine by the Israeli army. They asserted the right of
Palestinians to resist injustices committed against them by the
Israeli government and military.

Human rights and democracy groups worldwide have called for a
boycott of Starbucks ? and have occupied Starbucks shops from
California to London to Beirut.

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