To the Mastercard Company
board
Dear Sir or Madam
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Isracard Company, entrusted with issuing MasterCard credit cards in Israel, is at present involved in supporting extreme-right Israeli settlers who are actively dispossessing the Palestinian inhabitants of East Jerusalem's Silwan Neighbourhood. Moreover, Isracard has been using the MasterCard name and logo in this campaign of support for the settlers.
Two weeks ago, Isracard sent to its customers a gift coupon providing a large reduction in entry fees to the so-called "City of David National Park", managed by the highly controversial Elad settler association. The reduction is dependant upon the customer paying with a MasterCardPlus card.
In providing such coupons to its customers, Isracard has taken a clear position in support of the extreme right in Israeli politics � and has implicated MasterCard in the same. "The City of David National Park" is administered by the settler association "Elad" whose members have established themselves since 1991 in East Jerusalem's Silwan Neighbourhood, since which time they are constantly extending their foothold by means of entering Palestinian homes and expelling their inhabitants. The proclaimed aim of the Elad settlers is to "Judaise" the village of Silwan, which they call "The City of David" and where they assert the Biblical King David had his palace 3000 years ago (a claim strongly disputed among historians and archaeologists). The tens of thousands of Palestinians who live for generations in this location are for the Elad settlers no more than "a nuisance" to be expelled. Among other things, it was the Elad settlers who initiated � and got the Jerusalem Municipality to adopt � the plan of demolishing 88 Palestinian homes in Silwan in order to establish in their place "The King's Garden", where according to the settlers King David had his garden. As you may recall, this plan was strongly condemned by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton on her visit to Jerusalem in March this year.
Visitors to the "City of David National Park" are not only directly contributing to the Elad setters' coffers, but are also exposed to an intensive dose of extreme-right nationalistic propaganda and a highly biased and one-sided description of Jerusalem's history, almost completely ignoring the part of non-Jews � especially, the part of Arabs and Muslims � in the city's history. Such a distorted depiction of history also appears on the settler website to which the Isracard coupon, emblazoned with the MasterCard logo, refers the company's customers: http://www.cityofdavid.org.il
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Isracard Company, entrusted with issuing MasterCard credit cards in Israel, is at present involved in supporting extreme-right Israeli settlers who are actively dispossessing the Palestinian inhabitants of East Jerusalem's Silwan Neighbourhood. Moreover, Isracard has been using the MasterCard name and logo in this campaign of support for the settlers.
Two weeks ago, Isracard sent to its customers a gift coupon providing a large reduction in entry fees to the so-called "City of David National Park", managed by the highly controversial Elad settler association. The reduction is dependant upon the customer paying with a MasterCardPlus card.
In providing such coupons to its customers, Isracard has taken a clear position in support of the extreme right in Israeli politics � and has implicated MasterCard in the same. "The City of David National Park" is administered by the settler association "Elad" whose members have established themselves since 1991 in East Jerusalem's Silwan Neighbourhood, since which time they are constantly extending their foothold by means of entering Palestinian homes and expelling their inhabitants. The proclaimed aim of the Elad settlers is to "Judaise" the village of Silwan, which they call "The City of David" and where they assert the Biblical King David had his palace 3000 years ago (a claim strongly disputed among historians and archaeologists). The tens of thousands of Palestinians who live for generations in this location are for the Elad settlers no more than "a nuisance" to be expelled. Among other things, it was the Elad settlers who initiated � and got the Jerusalem Municipality to adopt � the plan of demolishing 88 Palestinian homes in Silwan in order to establish in their place "The King's Garden", where according to the settlers King David had his garden. As you may recall, this plan was strongly condemned by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton on her visit to Jerusalem in March this year.
Visitors to the "City of David National Park" are not only directly contributing to the Elad setters' coffers, but are also exposed to an intensive dose of extreme-right nationalistic propaganda and a highly biased and one-sided description of Jerusalem's history, almost completely ignoring the part of non-Jews � especially, the part of Arabs and Muslims � in the city's history. Such a distorted depiction of history also appears on the settler website to which the Isracard coupon, emblazoned with the MasterCard logo, refers the company's customers: http://www.cityofdavid.org.il
Isracard's issuing this coupon and promoting the
Elad settlers clearly cannot be considered a legitimate commercial activity.
Rather, it is a political act with far-reaching implications. As the MasterCard
name and logo were directly used, implicating your company with its world-wide
business network, I feel it is incumbent upon your company to take up the matter
with your "Isracard" business partners and firmly ask them to sever immediately
and completely all connections with the Elad settlers.
As you have taken care to make widely known, your
company has taken the initiative to create "The MasterCard Foundation" whose
proclaimed aim is to help and empower poor, isolated and disadvantaged
people in such countries as Tajikistan and Rwanda, and whose leadership includes
such distinguished people as Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, known
for her great devotion to the promotion of Human Rights . Obviously, this is the
polar opposite of what the Elad settlers are doing in the Palestinian parts of
Jerusalem, and I am sure you will take quick steps to remedy this discrepancy.
Adam Keller
Gush Shalom spokesperson
----------
Appendix:
The following Isracard / Mastercard gift
coupon was received in the past week by Israeli holders of such
cards
If you can't see it, click on the following
link
Translation of the coupon's Hebrew
text:
City of David - Attractions for the entire
family!
130 Shekels for a Segway tour and
entry into the City of David National Park (instead of 185 Shekels)
To coordinate your visit, contact:
www.cityofdavid.org.il/
[or phone] *6033
Offer in force until
30.06.09
Isracard, MasterCard
Plus
Offer valid for those paying by MasterCard
Plus cards* Additional 5% reduction upon debiting * With prior coordination*
Segway trip will be conducted at Ya'ar HaShalom and the Armon Hanatziv Walkway *
For 18 year olds and older * Entry into City of David upon presentation of
payment for the Segway tour * Photo for illustration *
MasterCard Incorporated contacts:
Chris Monteiro +1-914-249-5826 +1-914-249-4207 chris_monteiro@mastercard.com (Corporate Public Relations)
Sharon Gamsin +1-914-249-5622 +1-914-249-4207 sharon_gamsin@mastercard.com (Corporate Public Relations)
Joanne Trout, 914-249-6644, Joanne_trout@mastercard.com (Media contact)
Sharon Gamsin +1-914-249-5622 +1-914-249-4207 sharon_gamsin@mastercard.com (Corporate Public Relations)
Joanne Trout, 914-249-6644, Joanne_trout@mastercard.com (Media contact)
Nancy Tully +1-636-722-7782, nancy_tully@mastercard.com
(MasterCard Worldwide)
Louise Herbert, Tel. +32 498 585 647, louise_herbert@mastercard.com
(MasterCard Europe)
Jennifer Reed, Jennifer_reed@mastercard.com
(416) 365-6664 (MasterCard Canada)
The MasterCard Foundation:
Paul Massey pmassey@webershandwick.com +1 (202)
585-2799,
Linda Whitmore lwhitmore@meda.org +1 (519) 725-1853, ext.
32,
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland � Board
member of The MasterCard Foundation info@realizingrights.org
Isracard Company in Israel ranrahav@ran-rahav.co.il, ruti@ran-rahav.co.il,
Phone +972-3-7188555 (Ruthi Ronstein, Media
relations)
Phone +972-3-6364636,
Fax
+972-3-6364262
Please send copies of correspondence to info@gush-shalom.org
Background material:
Settlers Move Into 4 Homes in East Jerusalem http://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/09/world/settlers-move-into-4-homes-in-east-jerusalem.html
Elad in Silwan: Settlers, Archaeologists and
Dispossession http://www.mathaba.net/0_index.shtml?x=591356
Israeli Settlers, Archaeologists and Dispossession
in Palestinian Silwan http://www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=3&id=1360
Israeli Supreme Court Intervenes in Silwan http://www.rhr-na.org/news/israeli-supreme-court-intervenes-silwan
11 Jewish families move into J'lem neighborhood of
Silwan http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=411060