This is a call to begin a letter writing campaign denouncing IBM, AOL Time-Warner and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, all of whom sent corporate representatives to the June 23rd America-Israel Friendship League (AIFL) dinner honoring Sharon in New York City. Rupert Murdoch chaired the dinner, IBM senior-vice president and general counsel Laurence Ricciardi and AOL Time Warner vice chairman Kenneth Novack also attended and gave public comments supporting Israel and Sharon. See a related article on this event:

www.jpost.com/Editions/2001/06/27/News/News.29183.html

THE OBJECTIVE: to make public support of Israel, and particularly of Ariel Sharon, unappealing to US corporations. They WILL respond to public pressure, if enough of it is exerted.

WHAT TO DO: Please take a minute to write a short and politely-worded note to representatives of the corporations cited above. Emphasize your surpise and anger that their corporation would support a nation involved in human rights violations well-documented by human rights groups such as Amnesty International, and the especially the honoring of Ariel Sharon, who is under investigation for war crimes.

Make it clear you do not believe this is responsible behavior for their corporation, and that you are part of a movement demanding accountability in this matter. Emphasize that you are not "anti-Israeli" but a proponent of a just peace. Email addresses and contact info appear below. Forward this to friends who will do the same.

1- AOL TIME WARNER:
Ken Novack is Vice Chairman of AOL Time Warner - the webpage on him is:
aoltimewarner.com/about/whos_who/seniorcorpexecs/Novack.html

Address correspondence to Mr. Novack at:
KJNovack@mintz.com

2- IBM:
IBM senior vice-president and general counsel, Lawrence Ricciardi.
www.ibm.com/press/prnews.nsf/html/bios_lricciardi.html

Address your correspondence to:
kcollins@us.ibm.com
Kendra Collins
Gov't Programs & Policy, Community Relations & Philanthropy
phone: 212-745-6064

or call the IBM corporate offices at (914) 499-1900
Address:
One New Orchard Road
Armonk, NY 10504

3- News Corporation (Murdoch):
abutcher@newscorp.com
Andrew Butcher, Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Communication
News Corporation
1211 Avenue of Americas, 3rd Floor, NY, NY 10036
Phone: 212-852-7000

Summary of the emails:

Ken Novack, AOL Time Warner: KJNovack@mintz.com
Kendra Collins, IBM: kcollins@us.ibm.com
Andrew Butcher, News Corp: abutcher@newscorp.com