Two BDS stories that we’ve been following lately seem to have legs. Amira Hass has an article in today’s Haaretz wondering why Norway stopped with divesting from only Israel’s Elbit systems when there are so many other candidates. Hass:
The question is not why Norway divested from the defense electronics giant Elbit Systems, but why only now, and why only from that company? The country that gave the name of its capital city to what the world thought of as a peace process is still invested in companies involved in construction and development in the West Bank settlements – the principal factor in destroying any chance for peace (at least any peace other than the belligerent demand that the Palestinians say "thank you" for what Israel is willing to give them).
She makes a good point that the Israeli Foreign Ministry and Ehud Barak have taken a hard line against the limited Norway action against of one corporation focused on Israel’s Separation Wall because of what it can lead to – "If building the barrier is in itself illegal, it follows that so are the settlements, roads and factories serving the occupation." It only seems like a matter of time before divestment targets will continue to expand to include all companies benefiting from the Israeli occupation.
Also, John Greyson’s decision to pull out of the Toronto International Film Festival in protest of the City to City program with Tel Aviv continues to spur on debate. Writing in the Toronto Star, Antonia Zerbisias points out that rather that cutting off discussion and debate, as often accused by boycott detractors, Greyson’s action has instead helped bring a debate that had been squelched out into the open. Zerbisias:
Greyson’s letter has been endorsed by hundreds of filmmakers, authors, artists and academics, many of them Jewish and some even from Israel. These latter signatories have been accused of selling out their people, and more.
They also stand charged with stifling debate, and of attacking freedom of expression.
Which is pretty Orwellian, considering that their speaking out has blown the debate wide open.
There’s a lot to discuss, starting with why Toronto is the reported test market area for the campaign to improve Israel’s "brand," one that has suffered horribly – especially since its invasion of Gaza last winter.
Here in Canada, where Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government has uncritically sided with Israel, and where tax-exempt dollars are sent overseas to resettle Russian Jews in Israel and were used to plant trees on the rubble of destroyed Arab towns, it’s fair game to debate all this without protests that Israel is being "singled out," complete with dark intimations of anti-Semitism.
Indeed, Canadians might want to ask why it is that the recently formed Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism has received no corporate media attention, despite hints in its official mandate that it will be examining criticism of Israel as evidence of anti-Semitism.
But the sands are shifting.
While on one side, there is a push to equate criticism of Israel with "delegitimizing" the Jewish state, there are now voices rising to push back.
It will be hard to silence them.
Greyson’s Covered has pulled the muffler off.
In the meantime –
ISRAELIS FOR GENOCIDE
A headline should represent the content. Yours does not.
All the title is doing is exposing an ongoing process “wondering,” all of these acts and actions are nothing but an ongoing process of genocide. Now, you could try to argue with me about what genocide is, but the only thing you will succeed in doing is exposing the process further. That will not disturb me, but it will certainly undo you.
Al Jazeera English labeled its report – “Israel’s Illegal Settlements: Settlers push to build in strategic site.” The person who uploaded it onto youtube labeled it “Israeli Settlers push further into Palestinian land.” But these labels are too cold or journalistic for you. Much better to label it with your editorial comment. Inflammatory rhetoric is the way to go!
That’s nice and all but you seem to be studiously avoiding the actual content of what v… posted.
This could be a game-changer, but they still have the feel of isolated one-off efforts of BDS. I have a dream . . .
Let’s say that Paul McCartney — on his publicity tour for The Beatles – Rock Band video game mentions what he saw in Gaza to a reporter . . . Bob Geldof gets wind of it, starts calling the musicians. Elton John, a contributor to Palestinian charities, signs on. Bob Dylan joins in. Fresh from boycotting Toronto Film Festival, David Byrne agrees to reunite The Talking Heads for the effort. Out of respect for Bishop Desmond Tutu, Bono breaks his silence on the Middle East, and convinces U2 to participate. Springsteen is there. Steven Tyler — still recouperating from his shoulder injury — signs on. Madonna freaks out, consults with Netanyahu and tries to put the kibosh on the event, but Geldof stiff-arms her, and another 20 acts sign on . . . Geldof arranges a celebrity re-recording of John Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance.” Madonna shows up in a limo, trying to glom on to this historic artistic breakthrough . . . and she’s denied access to the recording studio. The record is a huge hit, and a three city concert goes off simultaneously in New York, London and Paris. It’s bigger than LiveAid, and it’s all about Peace in the Middle East. And it calls attention to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, and the UN’s John Ging personally thanks the artists for intervening in this crisis, and bringing the world together for this cause. Abe Foxman goes apoplectic, as the American MSM has no choice but to reluctantly cover the “Give Peace a Chance” phenomenon. And it makes a difference . . . saves the Palestinian nation from ethnic cleansing . . .
. . . as I said, though, it’s a dream . . .
I think of things like this often. Why hasn’t it happened, Oscar?
Does it speak to the enormous influence of the “Lobby” and its far-reaching tentacles?
If performers do start down this road, do they come to find out that there is no financing forthcoming?
And if they are wealthy enough to finance it themselves, as many are, are they then told in no uncertain terms that if they go ahead with it, their future earning power will be severely diminished?
Is it simply a matter of awareness?
I don’t understand why something has yet to be done on a large scale for the Palestinians, when ever other conceivable injustice in the world has been addressed, and then some.
Indeed, Canadians might want to ask why it is that the recently formed Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism has received no corporate media attention, despite hints in its official mandate that it will be examining criticism of Israel as evidence of anti-Semitism.
This is an act of desperation. Consider the decline in the efficacy as a political weapon of false charges of antisemitism. Attempts by extremists at state-sponsored intimidation are going to blow up in their faces. Any substantive coercive action such a Legislative entity may take will be in public, and irrespective of the merits of any particular investigation, an unavoidable consequence will be increased public recognition with attendant scrutiny that ‘the Israeli-Palestinian problem’ has nastily spilled over into domestic politics.
BDS is not the answer. I urge people to Invest in building and settling Israel.
invest in settling israel in east jerusalem for example???
And Hebron, and the Jordan Valley, and every valley and hill. That land that other people refer to as “Palestine.”
BDS is certainly one of the answers to the questions I’m asking, like how to get Israel to respect human rights and international law, or how to bring some sort of human dignity and sanity to I/P. Judging by the answer you’re proposing, you seem to be asking other questions, like how to perpetuate Jewish supremacy in I/P, treat Palestinians like subhumans, and ensure perpetual conflict. Im tirzu ein zo agadah – or as Herzl actually put it: “Wenn ihr wollt, ist es kein Märchen.”
Yeah, because it’s not like boycotts, divestments and sanctions played any role whatsoever in ending apartheid oppression anywhere in the world. Just ask Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu! Or Jack Abramoff, if you want the flip side perspective.
This piece makes an oblique reference to Canda Park. This is a park that was built with Canadian money on the site of three Palestinian villages seized, not in 1948 but in 1967. This is a Jews only park outside of the 1967 borders. When it comes to the seizure of West Bank lands, the Candians are as guilty as the US in supporting that immoral theft. We should realize that the zionists have not only corrupted US foreign policy but they have also made major inroads into Canada, Australia and New Zealand (not to mention much of the EU which remains silent in the face of these thefts).
as a canuck, that is my impression as well… harper is a descent into darkness, or an open attempt to be in bed with these same lunatics…
When I read the Amira Hass post in Ha’aretz I was struck by the viciousness of the comments calling her a traitor and worse. It was unusually nasty. She is hitting a raw nerve. I hope she stays safe.
Actually not unusually vicious. The comments section in Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post are typically hair raising. More Americans should read those threads to get a sense for how many Israelis think. It could have some influence on the current fantasy that “Israel is the only democracy in the middle east”.
I do read them often, but not daily. They have a strong racist thread. I need to be calm when I read them. Lately though, they have taken a more moderate tone. I think more Jews around the world are chiming in. It is a forum for the diaspora.
The comments section always contains many, many Israeli comments heavy on the
sense of Israel as an enititled nation and any criticism of it is ipso facto both naive and anti-semitic.
There is always more to what the mainstream media wants us to know.
“From Boycott to wrapping in Israeli flag”
link to rehmat1.wordpress.com