Via Haaretz
Even those who don’t believe in the boycott, or think there are better ways to fight the occupation (such as?) cannot go along with this crushing move to criminalize it.
By Gideon Levy
Jun. 9, 2016
The struggle against the movement to boycott Israel has sunk to a new low – criminalization. From now on it’s not just a propaganda campaign against BDS (which only made it stronger), not the usual victim-like behavior, not the colonialist fibs about the boycott’s harming Palestinian laborers. It’s not even the demonization, which includes accusing anyone who dares support the boycott of anti-Semitism, the mother of all accusations.
No, from now on the boycott is a crime. It’s a crime to boycott the criminal. A crime to avoid buying goods produced on territories of crime. A crime to avoid supporting a crime factory. A crime to fight violation of international law. The powerful Jewish-Israeli lobbying is scoring more achievements. The go-ahead was given by none other than France’s Supreme Court, which ruled last year that boycotting Israel is, incredible as it may sound, a “hate crime.” Not the settlements or the executions at checkpoints, not the settlers’ violence and not the mass arrests – no, it’s the boycott against them that’s a crime.
America wasn’t far behind, of course. It will never miss an opportunity to cultivate, finance and encourage the occupation. Twenty states have enacted, or are about to enact, amendments against the boycott on Israel. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo even went as far as announcing this week that he signed an administrative order under which his state will boycott any organization or company that dares to take part in the boycott. “We want Israel to know we’re on its side,” said this pseudo Israel lover at a Jewish conference in Manhattan. “If you boycott Israel, New York will boycott you,” he tweeted.
Thank you, New York. Thank you governor. Your move has proved that New York stands on the occupiers’ side, on the side of crime. Again you’ve proved how unworthy the United States is of the title “leader of the free world.” Again you’ve proved that when it comes to Israel all your declared values are abruptly distorted. Could anyone have imagined issuing a similar order against the international movement against apartheid in South Africa? Can anyone imagine criminalizing the sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Crimea?
It’s not obligatory to support the boycott. It’s OK not to believe in its effectiveness. But it must be admitted that it’s impossible to be a person of conscience and buy the settlements’ products. Just as a law-abiding person won’t buy stolen property, we must not buy goods manufactured on stolen land. It’s obligatory to exhort people against this. It’s permitted to urge people to boycott such products. And it’s very difficult, in fact impossible, to separate between the settlements and Israel, which has erased the Green Line.
Israel is invested in the occupation project in its entirety and there is no longer any distinguishing between them. Is there a bank without accounts from the West Bank? Is there a health maintenance organization without a branch in Ariel? Is there a supermarket chain without a supermarket for settlers?
But even those who don’t believe in the boycott, or think there are better ways to fight the occupation (such as?) cannot go along with this crushing criminalization. The boycott is a legitimate, non-violent means that has and is being used by numerous states, including Israel.
What are the international sanctions on Hamas, with Israel’s encouragement, if not a boycott? What about those on Iran? Hasn’t Israel violated international law as well?
Israeli propagandists are delighting in the achievements against BDS. The struggle’s commander, Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, last week held a propagandists’ conference in the UN building, where his forces briefed some 1,500 gullible Jewish students to recite: “Every other word that comes out of your mouths must be ‘peace.’”
That is moving, of course, to the point of tears. But the hour of truth will come, and then all those who acted to criminalize the boycott will have to answer honestly: Who is the criminal here, what is the real crime and what have you done against it?
Looks like BDS is really starting to bite into the Israeli economy see: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/cw_usr_view_SHTML?ID=461
There’ a simple way to stop it – -1967 Borders – remove settlers, settlements, illegal walls etc and military – They got rid of over 750,000 Palestinians so 700,000 settlers shouldn’t be a problem – let the Palestinians get on with their lives in peace
Mr. Lowry’s extreme suggestion of course does not help. There will never, never, never be peace until the Palestinians are granted the right of return in some form. Just as the Holocaust survivors and their descendants were compensated (as if that were possible!) by being granted millions of dollars by Germany, so Palestinian families who would be living in Israel/Palestine if the Nakba had not taken place, should be similarly compensated with land and homes built to the same standard as in the settlements. Jews and Palestinians have lived side by side as friends in the past, and they should and could learn to do so again. Others may prefer money so that they can emigrate to countries which would be glad to receive them and where they could prosper. I write this as a Christian, in the light of a visit to the West Bank where I was over-whelmed by the degree of oppression and injustice to which the Israeli government subjects the Palestinians, and in the knowledge that many Jews join with those Palestinians who strive in non-violent ways for justice.
So it’s ok for Zionist to boot 750000+ Palestinians out of their homes and continue that practice to this day is it? Palestinians comprise the bulk of the Middle East’s refugee population and due to UNWRA they have inferior rights to refugees in the rest of the world – oh spelling my name incorrectly shows just how little you pay attention
It wasn’t a hate crime when everybody was boycotting South Africa’s hateful apartheid government. It was encouraged and seen as the good fight. Israel’s self imposed “special” status and demanding immunity from the consequences of THEIR hate crimes against the Palestinians is starting to make the world nauseous. Any court of law that decides that BDS is criminal is completely ignoring the criminality that BDS is calling out.