Israel has stopped arguing for years the actual content of human rights reports or allegations directed at its conduct. Instead, Israel’s strategy is to simply attack human rights organizations themselves.
The Bundestag 3 for Palestine is challenging Germany’s anti-BDS law in court. “What unites us plaintiffs” they said, “is our unconditional support and commitment to human rights. Without exception, we oppose all forms of racism, discrimination and oppression: which must include the Palestinians.”
U.S. Jews and not Christian Zionists are Israel’s “bridge” to the Congress and the White House, Israeli minister Nachman Shai tells the American Jewish Committee. “I believe only in you.” And that means shutting down the “Squad” in Congress. “I don’t want to hear those voices coming from the Democratic Party sidelines of refusal to send arms to Israel or to support Israel internationally.” P.S. Shai is a J Street hero.
At a time when long-established rights – the right to vote, women’s right to control their own bodies, the right to organize, the free press — are all under attack, it is deplorable to see Democratic politicians join those tearing down democracy by acting on New York State Retirement System’s policies that penalize the boycott of Israel.
Ben & Jerry’s acceded to activist pressure to stop selling in the occupied territories because the Movement for Black Lives insisted that Palestine was in its agenda for racial justice and when Israel committed its May massacre in Gaza, there were 300 protesters outside the Ben & Jerry’s store in Burlington chanting “Shame, Shame, Shame.” An organizer says, “It shook up the Ben & Jerry’s people.”
The extremist response by Israeli leaders to Ben & Jerry’s — that it is antisemitic or terrorist — ignores the fact that McDonald’s has refused to operate in Israeli settlements for many years. McDonald’s just didn’t make a big splash about it. Ben & Jerry’s very public move is fostering the BDS campaign that sees Israeli human violations on both sides of the Green Line.
Almost 70% of Democratic voters, who know where their local lawmakers stand on the issue, now say that their congressional representatives support Israel more than they do.
“The situation in Palestine remains very urgent so we really need to build on the momentum”: Activists in New York and New Jersey join the “Block the Boat” efforts.
By calling an ice cream company ‘terrorist’ for simply adhering to international law, Israeli President Isaac Herzog revealed the absurdity of the official Israeli strategy to counter the BDS movement.
Reactions to Ben & Jerry’s announcement that it is ending business in Israeli settlements shows a new consensus is forming in the Palestine solidarity movement. Many activists are shifting focus from simply boycotting Israeli settlements to boycotting Israeli Apartheid.