Boycott Chapters and Indigo Bookstores And Other Associated Stores

December 21 was the start in Toronto and Montreal for the Launch of a boycott Chapters and Indigo Bookstores.

The campaign demands an end to the financial support offered by the majority owners of Chapters and Indigo to Heseg ­ the Foundation for Lone Soldiers. This is a program of financial support for former ‘lone soldiers’ in the Israeli military.

Keep your holiday season and New Year apartheid free ­ boycott!
WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR LONE SOLDIERS?

- Heather Reisman and Gerry Schwartz, majority owners of Chapters and Indigo bookstores, founded an organisation called Heseg the Foundation for Lone Soldiers. At its peak, it will distribute up to $3M per year to provide scholarships and other support to former 'Lone Soldiers' in the Israeli military. 'Lone Soldiers' are individuals who have no family in Israel but decide to join the Israeli military. As Israeli soldiers, they participate in a military that operates checkpoints that restrict Palestinian freedom of movement, enforces the occupation of Palestinian land, and has a documented history of human rights violations.

- Many members of the Heseg Board of Directors are high-ranking Israeli military personnel. Board member Lt. Colonel Mike Hartmen joined the IDF as a lone soldier and is now "head of the marksmanship and sharpshooters section of the IDF." Board member Major General (Res.) Doron Almog was Commander of the IDF's Southern Command from 2000-2003. In 2005, a warrant was issued in the UK for his arrest on suspicion of war crimes. Moshe Ronen, Co-Chair of the Canada-Israel Committee, also sits on Heseg's Board of Directors.

- Heather Reisman and Gerry Schwartz own or control over 68% of the shares in Indigo Books and Music Inc. which owns and operates bookstores under the names Indigo, Chapters, World's Biggest Bookstore, SmithBooks, Coles, The Book Company or Indigospirit. Reisman is chair and CEO of Indigo Books and Music Inc.

- According to HESEG website (www.lonesoldiers.org.il), "Canadian couple Gerry Schwartz and Heather Reisman established HESEG to express gratitude and provide support to the thousands of Former Lone Soldiers who serve annually in the Israel Defense Forces".

Keep your holiday season apartheid free ­ boycott Chapters and Indigo!

Demand that the controlling owners of Chapters and Indigo publicly announce that they will cut all financial ties to Heseg ­ the Foundation for Lone Soldiers.

This campaign is part of an international boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign against the apartheid state of Israel. The information picket has been called by the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) and endorsed by Not In Our Name: Jews Against Israel's Wars.

Download an information leaflet (English and French versions available) from www.caiaweb.org to distribute outside your local Chapters or Indigo store.

Tell friends and relatives not to shop at Chapters/Indigo. Encourage them to support independent book retailers!

Write/fax/phone a protest to the board of Indigo/Chapters demanding a public renunciation of Reisman and Schwartz¹s financial support of the Heseg Foundation for Lone Soldiers.

Indigo Board of Directors,
500-468 King St W Toronto ON, MSV 1L8
Tel: (416) 364-4499; Fax: (416) 364-0355

Get in touch and join the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid at endapartheid@riseup.net