suggestion:

Ask Microsoft to stop Sponsoring Israeli Military Radio

I have sent the following to the company's press office's Rapid Response Team (email: rrt@wagged.com), explaining that I could not find contact detials for microsoft's executives, but trust the press office to pass on the message.

Oz Shelach

26 Mar. 2004

To:

Steven A. Ballmer
Chief Executive Officer
Microsoft Corporation

Mr. Bill Gates
Chairman and Chief Software Architect
Microsoft Corporation

Dear Sirs,

Two years ago you showed care and awareness by promptly terminating a billboard campaign launched by Microsoft Israel to support the Israeli Military.

It has now come to my notice that your branch in Israel, through its MSN Israel web site, promotes Israeli Military propaganda by propagating content from the Israeli Military's radio station, Galey Tzahal, as well as providing the Military's radio station with web hosting, and an advanced content management system in return for links to MSN Israel's web site.

The IDF radio station is one of the Israeli Military's important tools of propaganda. Its "news" programs are supervised by the Israeli Military's Spokesperson's HQ.

The IDF radio station's site, http://glz.msn.co.il/glz/default.htm, is a high end operation that offers, among other features, 24/7 live streaming audio and video of its two radio channels, all sponsored by Microsoft, and its partner Eyron.net.

Microsoft is a major worldwide and world-famous corporation, whose activities overstep national boundaries and which is committed to promote global community, increasing trade, and stronger economic relationships and cultural interaction; which takes pride in promoting extensive community activities of various kinds, and declares on its website "We're serious about making the world a better place"; and which maintains offices and conducts active sales campaigns in Israel as well as at Egypt, Morocco, Dubai, Indonesia, Malaysia and other Arab and Islamic countries.

In view of the above, better could have been expected of Microsoft than to sponsor propaganda from the Israeli Military, and effectively lend its public support to the destructive war launched by the Sharon Government - a war sharply censured by the international community and controversial among the citizens of Israel itself.

As an Israeli that yearns for peace, I urge you to take care that this sponsorship is terminated forthwith, and the resources invested in the above mentioned web site be used instead to activities aimed at stopping the bloodshed and promoting and equitable Israeli-Palestinian peace.