We are lifelong Zionists. Here’s why we’ve chosen to boycott Israel.

[Türkisblau]

Thought you all would be interested in this piece!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-zionist-case-for-boycotting-israel/2015/10/23/ac4dab80-735c-11e5-9cbb-790369643cf9_story.html

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[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

By singling out Israel as the one country to be boycotted while continuing to partake in goods from China, a human rights abuser on a global scale, they give credence to the lie that Israel is some sort of unique, horrific human rights abuser - a lie used to isolate and delegitimize the country and to harass and attack Jews around the world. I don't doubt that their intentions are good, but they're wrong and their wrongness is dangerous.

[Landslide Lyndon]

By singling out Israel as the one country to be boycotted while continuing to partake in goods from China, a human rights abuser on a global scale, they give credence to the lie that Israel is some sort of unique, horrific human rights abuser - a lie used to isolate and delegitimize the country and to harass and attack Jews around the world. I don't doubt that their intentions are good, but they're wrong and their wrongness is dangerous.

They explain why they do that but I guess you're too busy hyperventilating to observe it.

[YaBoyNY]

By singling out Israel as the one country to be boycotted while continuing to partake in goods from China, a human rights abuser on a global scale, they give credence to the lie that Israel is some sort of unique, horrific human rights abuser - a lie used to isolate and delegitimize the country and to harass and attack Jews around the world. I don't doubt that their intentions are good, but they're wrong and their wrongness is dangerous.

Israel is a human rights abuser though - not the only one, but one nonetheless.

[ag]

By singling out Israel as the one country to be boycotted while continuing to partake in goods from China, a human rights abuser on a global scale, they give credence to the lie that Israel is some sort of unique, horrific human rights abuser - a lie used to isolate and delegitimize the country and to harass and attack Jews around the world. I don't doubt that their intentions are good, but they're wrong and their wrongness is dangerous.

They are Jewish - and, unlike me, they care about Israel precisely because they view Israel as a Jewish state. They care a lot less about China.

[Cory]

By singling out Israel as the one country to be boycotted while continuing to partake in goods from China, a human rights abuser on a global scale, they give credence to the lie that Israel is some sort of unique, horrific human rights abuser - a lie used to isolate and delegitimize the country and to harass and attack Jews around the world. I don't doubt that their intentions are good, but they're wrong and their wrongness is dangerous.

It's probably because Israel is a liberal democracy.

[Ronnie]

By singling out Israel as the one country to be boycotted while continuing to partake in goods from China, a human rights abuser on a global scale, they give credence to the lie that Israel is some sort of unique, horrific human rights abuser - a lie used to isolate and delegitimize the country and to harass and attack Jews around the world. I don't doubt that their intentions are good, but they're wrong and their wrongness is dangerous.

It's probably because Israel is a liberal democracy.

A core principle of liberal democracy is that it doesn't endow any group of citizens with inherent privileges.  Regardless, Israel is a democracy, albeit a flawed one, but only within the Green Line.  In the West Bank, it is an ethnocracy.

[Torie]

The West Bank needs to show some interest in a realistic deal, along the lines proposed by Barak or whatever his name was, that Arafat rejected. Absent that, there is no prospect for a deal, and then the issue becomes whether the boycott route is wise to try to stop ongoing settlement development (most of which settlements will need to be abandoned in a deal), the pace of which per an article headline in the link, said has slowed in the past year, with Israel receiving no "credit" for that. Maybe the US should get tougher on Israel about the settlements, and stopping the building of them, and shutting down at least the "illegal" ones to start, maybe not (although the political situation in Israel makes it all really difficult), but that is the issue to ponder I think that is in real play.

[SATW]

"we are lifelong zionists" No, you aren't. You are mindless puppets who are beholden to the pressures of the far-left.

By this ridiculous logic then:

Boycott America for killing thousands of Iraqi and Afghan civilians
Boycott America for occupying the land of Native Americans/ Canada and Australia for occupying the land of the Aboriginal peoples
Boycott the United Kingdom for occupying Northern Ireland and for its previous occupation of ALL of Ireland.
Boycott China for occupying Tibet and oppressing Taiwan.
Boycott Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey for occupying Kurdistan.

There is no BDS or SJP for any of these "occupations." No, no, no...that wouldn't be right! Only Israel commits "real war crimes."

I'm tired of hearing leftist B.S. on Israel. Get a grip on reality and start fighting for actual human rights instead of defending terrorist sympathizers like Mahmoud Abbas.

[Taco Truck 🚚]

I'm sure it would be worth considering if the man behind a billboard criticizing Obamacare was a member of the KKK. This is no difference. People should know who they are supporting.

By singling out Israel as the one country to be boycotted while continuing to partake in goods from China, a human rights abuser on a global scale, they give credence to the lie that Israel is some sort of unique, horrific human rights abuser - a lie used to isolate and delegitimize the country and to harass and attack Jews around the world. I don't doubt that their intentions are good, but they're wrong and their wrongness is dangerous.

If a holocaust denier puts up a sign questioning our unthinking devotion to doing Israel's bidding we should ignore sign merely because they are a holocaust denier.

If a Zoinist says we should rethink our unquestioning support of Israel we should ignore them because fill in the blank.

Basically pledge your UN Security Council vote and 18% of your foreign aid to Israel no matter what and back solve from there.

I for one am sick of the way we can't even have a rational fact driven unbiased discussion about Israel in this country.  Just like we can't discuss guns like a civilized western European country.  And like we can't discuss healthcare for all like a civilized western European country.  And we can't discuss affordable college without massive student loans like a civilized western European country.

[Landslide Lyndon]

"we are lifelong zionists" No, you aren't. You are mindless puppets who are beholden to the pressures of the far-left.

As opposed to you and your ilk who are beholden to Likud and the far-right settlers.

[Adam Griffin]

By this ridiculous logic then:

Boycott America for killing thousands of Iraqi and Afghan civilians
Boycott America for occupying the land of Native Americans/ Canada and Australia for occupying the land of the Aboriginal peoples
Boycott the United Kingdom for occupying Northern Ireland and for its previous occupation of ALL of Ireland.
Boycott China for occupying Tibet and oppressing Taiwan.
Boycott Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey for occupying Kurdistan.

Yeah...because those first couple of things are currently happening and the rest involve those countries physically corralling said people like cattle, cutting off their access to supplies, seizing and bulldozing their homes, and raining white phosphorous and bombs down from the skies upon them.



Are you this dumb or does the quality of your arguments reflect the likelihood of anything ever being done to stop this nonsense? The arguments and defenses that come from rabid, right-wing pro-Israel forces are among the most asinine one can ever expect to hear, period.

[SATW]

By this ridiculous logic then:

Boycott America for killing thousands of Iraqi and Afghan civilians
Boycott America for occupying the land of Native Americans/ Canada and Australia for occupying the land of the Aboriginal peoples
Boycott the United Kingdom for occupying Northern Ireland and for its previous occupation of ALL of Ireland.
Boycott China for occupying Tibet and oppressing Taiwan.
Boycott Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey for occupying Kurdistan.

Yeah...because those first couple of things are currently happening and the rest involve those countries physically corralling said people like cattle, cutting off their access to supplies, seizing and bulldozing their homes, and raining white phosphorous and bombs down from the skies upon them.



Are you this dumb or does the quality of your arguments reflect the likelihood of anything ever being done to stop this nonsense? The arguments and defenses that come from rabid, right-wing pro-Israel forces are among the most asinine one can ever expect to hear, period.

Yea, only Israel does this. No one else in the history of mankind. The far-left has no clarity on this issue whatsoever. Also, just because something isn't current means it's not important to talk about? Such an amazing human rights crusader  you are The Native American community continues to struggle because of the atrocities committed against them.

Africa is still ravaged by the effects of European colonialism. But, again, this doesn't matter to the far-left (at least not as much compared to the "victimhood" of the Palestinians).


 Yes, I am right-wing, but I support a two-state solution, support the eventual halt of settlement building, and, in the past, support land-for-peace deals.

I didn't like Ehud Barak's 2000 peace deal, but if it worked I would've been incredibly happy. This idea that Israeli right-wingers want bloodshed and war is because ridiculous and is borderline slander and libel. This idea that right-wingers all despise the Palestinians is beyond moronic and false. It is a Jewish principle and value to repair the world, to do Tikkun Olam. But, you can't build another person's house if:

1. your own house is destroyed in the process
2. they don't want a functioning house.

But, in today's world...I've become to cynical to stand by my previous positions. I still support a two-state solution, but not under the "leadership" of Abu Mazen.

I now also believe Israel has no obligation to stop building settlements until Palestinians are actually serious about peace. I also continue to believe Israel will only have peace in a situation where there is two states...but the burden is 100% on the Palestinians to come to the table, not the Israelis.

The accusations of war crimes and targeting civilians are blatantly false and hypocritical, but I won't start that debate because clearly I'm not convincing anyone.

[Torie]

"I now also believe Israel has no obligation to stop building settlements until Palestinians are actually serious about peace."

Why is that true? And what is the point of the settlements, if not annexation? What is the goal? Please don't tell me it is for defense purposes. It really makes zero sense, until one looks at the internal political situation in Israel.

[Thunderbird is the word]

"I now also believe Israel has no obligation to stop building settlements until Palestinians are actually serious about peace."

Why is that true? And what is the point of the settlements, if not annexation? What is the goal? Please don't tell me it is for defense purposes. It really makes zero sense, until one looks at the internal political situation in Israel.

It also could just as easily be looked at from the other perspective that the continued building of settlements is a sign to the Palestinians that Israel isn't truly serious about peace.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

"I now also believe Israel has no obligation to stop building settlements until Palestinians are actually serious about peace."

Why is that true? And what is the point of the settlements, if not annexation? What is the goal? Please don't tell me it is for defense purposes. It really makes zero sense, until one looks at the internal political situation in Israel.

It also could just as easily be looked at from the other perspective that the continued building of settlements is a sign to the Palestinians that Israel isn't truly serious about peace.

That truly is why if Israel truly is serious about wanting a two state solution, it must implement a complete halt on settlement building. Not because of any belief it is the right thing to do, but simply because their continuous expansion says far louder than any words Israeli leaders may utter that Israel has no interest in a two state solution. It says that Israel wants Palestinian ghettos within greater Israel where Israel controls where the Palestinians may live and what work they may do.

[bedstuy]

Boycotts should be reserved for the worst countries, places like Sudan and North Korea.  As other have pointed out, boycotting Israel and not boycotting China, India, Pakistan, etc., is applying double standard.  Applying a double standard against the one Jewish state, because it's the one Jewish state, is anti-Semitic. 

Boycotting Israel is so wrong on every level.  It only makes peace more difficult.  There's literally no upside to it.  It's especially sad that Jews would do this.  This is only a move to show off your liberal street-cred, white guilty and Jewish self-hatred.  Just disgusting.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

don't they mean they were lifelong Zionists?

[ingemann]

Boycotts should be reserved for the worst countries, places like Sudan and North Korea.  As other have pointed out, boycotting Israel and not boycotting China, India, Pakistan, etc., is applying double standard.  Applying a double standard against the one Jewish state, because it's the one Jewish state, is anti-Semitic. 

Boycotting Israel is so wrong on every level.  It only makes peace more difficult.  There's literally no upside to it.  It's especially sad that Jews would do this.  This is only a move to show off your liberal street-cred, white guilty and Jewish self-hatred.  Just disgusting.

Boycotting can work on Israel, it doesn't work on states like China, India and Pakistan, because they're too big, it doesn't work on states like Sudan and North Korea, because they don't really sell consumer goods.

So it makes perfect sense to single Israel out, because like the boycot of South Africa it have a chance to work, simply because Israel is not a economic power house and it lack a domestic market big enough to ignore a boycot.

[ag]

don't they mean they were lifelong Zionists?

Actually, from this article it is clear they still are. I do not call for a boycott of Israel precisely because I am not a Zionist: for me, Israel is no different from any other country. But, then, I was not even very hot on the subject of the boycott of Myanmar.

These guys, in contrast, still have some romantic Zionist illusions. I think they are nuts, but they, actually, clearly love that place.

[bedstuy]

Boycotts should be reserved for the worst countries, places like Sudan and North Korea.  As other have pointed out, boycotting Israel and not boycotting China, India, Pakistan, etc., is applying double standard.  Applying a double standard against the one Jewish state, because it's the one Jewish state, is anti-Semitic.  

Boycotting Israel is so wrong on every level.  It only makes peace more difficult.  There's literally no upside to it.  It's especially sad that Jews would do this.  This is only a move to show off your liberal street-cred, white guilty and Jewish self-hatred.  Just disgusting.

Boycotting can work on Israel, it doesn't work on states like China, India and Pakistan, because they're too big, it doesn't work on states like Sudan and North Korea, because they don't really sell consumer goods.

So it makes perfect sense to single Israel out, because like the boycot of South Africa it have a chance to work, simply because Israel is not a economic power house and it lack a domestic market big enough to ignore a boycot.

That's hardly a good line to draw.  So, we just boycott every small country?  We boycott Iceland because of whaling?  We boycott Singapore for corporal punishment?  Boycott Turkey because of their territorial disputes with Greece?  I think we should focus on the most pressing human rights abusers and Israel is not one of those.

And, as far as probability of working, I totally disagree.  For one thing, these boycotts are only enabling  the forces on both sides who oppose peace.  They give the Palestinian extremists hope because they demonstrate that people around the world hate Israel.  And, they make the Israeli right feel like courting public opinion in Europe is hopeless.  They feel like Israel is just going to be made out to be the bad guy, no matter what they do.  The Palestinian Authority doesn't even support these efforts.  It's crazy that the left is more hard-line on Israel than the Palestinians.

And, the bigger issue is, peace is not within Israel's power.  There's nothing Israel can unilaterally do that would solve the conflict.  Israel doesn't have a partner that wants peace and will negotiate in good-faith.  What are these boycotters even asking Israel to do?

[ag]

 Boycott Turkey because of their territorial disputes with Greece?

Turkey is neither small, nor does it have and serious territorial disputes with Greece

[bedstuy]

 Boycott Turkey because of their territorial disputes with Greece?

Turkey is neither small, nor does it have and serious territorial disputes with Greece

Maybe that's a bad example.  My point stands, you don't just boycott anyone who is small enough to be impacted by it.

[dead0man]

Turkey did invade a country in 1974, illegally, and haven't left.  The people they invaded are not citizens of Greece, but they are Greek.  So no, Turkey doesn't have a serious territorial issue with Greece, but it certainly does with Greeks.

But like a lot of things with Turkey, we in the West don't like to talk about the issue.

[ingemann]

Boycotts should be reserved for the worst countries, places like Sudan and North Korea.  As other have pointed out, boycotting Israel and not boycotting China, India, Pakistan, etc., is applying double standard.  Applying a double standard against the one Jewish state, because it's the one Jewish state, is anti-Semitic.  

Boycotting Israel is so wrong on every level.  It only makes peace more difficult.  There's literally no upside to it.  It's especially sad that Jews would do this.  This is only a move to show off your liberal street-cred, white guilty and Jewish self-hatred.  Just disgusting.

Boycotting can work on Israel, it doesn't work on states like China, India and Pakistan, because they're too big, it doesn't work on states like Sudan and North Korea, because they don't really sell consumer goods.

So it makes perfect sense to single Israel out, because like the boycot of South Africa it have a chance to work, simply because Israel is not a economic power house and it lack a domestic market big enough to ignore a boycot.

That's hardly a good line to draw.  So, we just boycott every small country?  We boycott Iceland because of whaling?  We boycott Singapore for corporal punishment?  Boycott Turkey because of their territorial disputes with Greece?  I think we should focus on the most pressing human rights abusers and Israel is not one of those.

Well there's people who keep saying that Israel have a right to the Palestinian territories because they have conquered them, well mights makes rights work both ways. There's also nothing Iceland or Singapore could do if you decided to boycot them that. Just as Denmark coulkdn't do anything about the Muslim boycot of Denmark over the Cartoons, of course we didn't care much because they was minor export markets, but if Germany had pushed a boycot of Denmark, we would have had to back down, that's the nature of being a small state. Israel may behave arrogant, but in the end if people or states boycot Israel it's their choice.

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Bibi have done more to shape foreign opinion of Israel than every single Palestinians or their leaders. There's nothing which indicate that the Israeli government will make a peace which doesn't involve Palestinians living in broken up enclaves.

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I'm not going to discuss this, because if you are unable to see what Israel could do to cool down the conflict to a level where Palestinians willing to negotiate with Israel won't come across as Quislings or useful idiots, well it's you decision to close your eyes.

... and don't for a moment think that's a pro-Israeli position to take, these people, who see themselves as both as Jews and Zionists decision should be a warning to Israel of how they their only allies slowly become limited to RR and the nationalist right in the West and that's a very limited coalition to built your foreign support on.