Activism

Norman Finkelstein slams the BDS movement calling it ‘a cult’

Discuss.

Update, 2/15/12: The interview with Norman Finklestein has been taken off YouTube. Frank Barat, who interviews him in the video, posted on Facebook:

Final comment on removal of Finkelstein BDS video.

Norman Finkelstein contacted me (a common friend was also involved in discussion) and asked me to delete video from youtube account because “video did some harm” (his words). I agreed to do so because I think that, at the end of the day, video ended up creating a fuss/controversy but not much else and my intention was never to divert some people minds from what is really important: daily solidarity with the Palestinian People.

I’ll repost it if I find another copy.

Update: An excerpt has been posted here.

It’s been reposted on Vimeo:

359 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

He doesn’t like silliness or nonsense. Says the “law” is the only weapon. The law says nothing about the Palestinian minority in Israel. Every country, he says, has a persecuted minority. No allies if that is what you seek. seek allies, not ultimate justice. Not to mention that “return” plus “equal rights” means “there is no Israel”. He believes this (BDS’s) program, is a non-starter.

So far, he’s right. Better to reach ONLY for end the occupation. Better to reach for allies on a ground (law) on which, perhaps, allies can be acquired.

He is saying that international law does not support ONE STATE and that BDS should merely seek LAWFUL objectives (removal of settlements). He seems to say that BDS (I think he calls it “solidarity movement”, but maybe he has in mind two distinct movements). Perhaps he sees BDS as seeking (via return of the 1948 exiles) to destroy Israel or to create one state.

Was the struggle against South African apartheid and the U.S. civil rights movement based on “what the public is ready to accept”? What happened to truth…and justice…and because it is right?

This guy named Daniel Crowther, a brilliant, handsome young man (at least according to his mother) wrote about this on MW months ago —

http://mondoweiss.net/2011/12/two-critiques-of-norman-finkelsteins-recent-appearances.html

“Advocating one state, without the two- state international consensus in Finkelstein’s view, is potentially damaging and could lead to these advocates becoming “a cult.” He used the language of Gandhi, saying that “politics is not about changing public opinion, or bringing enlightenment to the benighted masses, it is about trying to get people to act on what they already know is wrong.” Because two states is what has been accepted, by the UNGA, the ICJ, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Quartet, and basically every other international organization– as well as civilian populations throughout the world, including a plurality in the U.S.– this is what the general Palestinian solidarity movement should strive for.”

Norman has his way of confronting “the fascist state of Israel” and the BDS movement has another, there really is no need for Norman to try to belittle the attemps of the BDS’rs since the purpose of the entire confrontation with “the fascist state of Israel” is to get them to change their evil ways.

the more fronts that can be opened against Israel the better chance of getting them to mend their evil ways.

You have to follow the law when you fight against lawbreakers. Because many countries mistreat minorities. Like: India

Israel like Apartheid South Afrika mistreat/ed the majority. (11 millon palestinians).

You must not protest. That will never help.

The law will help…

Just wait a few decades…

The law will help…

Or millenniums, and then you can come back.

And mistreat the majority.