Israel: Boycott, Divest, Sanction-by Naomi Klein: " It's time. Long past time."

[kpete]

Published on Friday, January 9, 2009 by The Nation
Israel: Boycott, Divest, Sanction

by Naomi Klein

It's time. Long past time. The best strategy to end the increasingly bloody occupation is for Israel to become the target of the kind of global movement that put an end to apartheid in South Africa.

In July 2005 a huge coalition of Palestinian groups laid out plans to do just that. They called on "people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the apartheid era." The campaign Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions--BDS for short--was born.

Every day that Israel pounds Gaza brings more converts to the BDS cause, and talk of cease-fires is doing little to slow the momentum. Support is even emerging among Israeli Jews. In the midst of the assault roughly 500 Israelis, dozens of them well-known artists and scholars, sent a letter to foreign ambassadors stationed in Israel. It calls for "the adoption of immediate restrictive measures and sanctions" and draws a clear parallel with the antiapartheid struggle. "The boycott on South Africa was effective, but Israel is handled with kid gloves.... This international backing must stop."

Yet many still can't go there. The reasons are complex, emotional and understandable. And they simply aren't good enough. Economic sanctions are the most effective tools in the nonviolent arsenal. Surrendering them verges on active complicity. Here are the top four objections to the BDS strategy, followed by counterarguments................

...more at:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/09-0

[Gregorian]

1. I posted almost the same concepts here a few days ago.

My post was locked before anyone could even reply.

It is an apartheid society. And I believe sanctions would be multifold in effect. They would force a new behavior on the part of Israel, and they would force the hand of the United States to prove it's true values.

[peacetalksforall]

2. It will be transferred to the I/P forum and then the responders will be skewed and targeted.

k & r

If the leaders of a nation deliberately start a course of massacre such as Israel has done that they claim is a war, then well intentioned people should be able to take non-mortal action in response.

Thanks for posting.

[frebrd]

3. K&R! n/t

[Burma Jones]

4. 22 years ago I was working as an Analyst for the State Department

A friend of mine at the time, a fellow whose Dad was Indian and Mom was Israeli, was trying to set up an international news service and was invited to a reception for the South African Ambassador that was being held at the Israeli Embassy. He asked if I wanted to tag along. My first reaction was Whaaa, Israel and South Africa....buddies? My friend explained to me that Israel and South Africa had more in common than any other two nations and that necessarily Israel HAD to have Apartheid in order to survive as a Jewish State, so there was diplomatic support by Israel for the Apartheid regime in South Africa. He and I went to the reception, I had to buy a Dinner Jacket for the occasion, which I still have (I thank Providence that Men's formal fashion is so so so static). The reception was uncomfortable, but we did meet a couple of attractive South Africans, left the Embassy, and had a lovely night on the town.....

But, my up to then unwavering support of Israel abruptly ended. It was hard to separate all Jews from Israelis in my head, but I eventually got there.

[GrannyK]

5. Thank you.

If, even we, cannot discuss these issues in efforts to resolve the complex and emotional aspects, how on earth can we ever find the hope that they will get resolved by the parties directly involved?

[Sanctified]

6. I would rather Boycott the countries who finance Israel and buy from those who support Palestine.

Ooops, looks like I won't be buying anything made in the USA and will be buying most of my stuff from China.