Discussion for article #238205
“We are in the midst of a great struggle being waged against the state of Israel, an international campaign to blacken its name,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said recently. “It is not connected to our actions. It is connected to our very existence.”
Here’s the thing: It’s your actions that are blackening your name and threatening your existence.
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As I read this and the whining quotes by Netanyahoo I immediately thought of his efforts to interfere with our elections and political process. It isn’t about being Jewish it is about being shrewish and wanting more power than democracy, human rights and equality.
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I see nothing wrong with the BDS movement. Bibi has interjected himself into every country’s politics, brutally treated the Palestinians and few have come to their aid, including to the shame of the U.S., our own country which has turned a blind eye to many of the atrosities. Anything that puts pressure on Isreal to start being more humane is not a bad thing.
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So if the Palestinians use Violence to protest the Settlements they are condemned by Bibi and the Israeli right.
If the Palestinians use Non-Violence to protest the Settlements they are condemned by Bibi and the Israeli right.
At what point do we acknowledge that any actions that the Palestinians take on the Settlements will be condemned by Bibi and the Israeli right, because they have no intentions or interest in reigning in the Settlements and would be perfectly satisfied with the Settlers completely displacing the Palestinians?
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Thanks for nothing, Hillary. “No comment” was too much to ask?
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It is difficult for me to see this as anything other than a modern day colonialist, perpetual human right’s violation. The Netanyahu regime has never been a true partner in peace and seeing as how xenophobia and fear mongering won him this most recent election, it seems Israel will not be coming around anytime soon. So long as there appear to be no consequences for maintaining the status quo, the abuses will continue.
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If this helps move the ball forward I’m all for it. To paraphrase Beebs from the NY Times magazine “If I’m weak I can’t negotiate and if I’m strong why should I?” If we wait for Bibi we’ll be waiting a bloody long time. There are other peoples with an existential threat besides Israelis. Sometimes if ya don’t bend, you break.
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Actions such as settlements.
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This movement has gained momentum because of the completely tone deaf Israeli approach to the serious plight of the Palestinians. It is the fruit of Netanyahu’s political agenda. There are people who have given Israel the benefit of the doubt for years, but have lost faith. These people who have lost faith are not anti-Semitic, which is the standard slur, but are empathetic.
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Clearly, ANYTHING the Palestinians do to try to get human rights for themselves, whether violent (which I do not agree with), or non-violent (which I totally agree with), will be called by the Israeli right as “a threat to their very existence”. I thought Republican neo-cons were bad…this is 17th century type thinking from Bibi and Co.
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Yup.
as a Jew and a non supporter of Netanyahu along with many Jews in this country and Israel this Boycott will do the opposite but unite the Jewish people against the Palestinians. there is also wide support in the United States for Israel . the Arab states have been Boycotting Israel for years and that didn’t work . another fact is this so called BDS movement has some antisemitism in its groups if you don’t believe me you can google it. Israel is a Democracy they voted for Netanyahu the Boycott won’t change that but do the opposite. sorry you feel this way.
Well, I suppose we could take solace(?) in the fact that Hillary’s been a consistent AIPAC bootlicker her entire political career… no flip-flopping there.
its decentralized organization and language calling for universal human rights have proven difficult to counter,
Yeah, what’s the phrase, “you cannot wrestle a dove.” Perhaps a rethinking of their overall strategy would help? Then again, what’s the point when any single deranged psychopath on one side or the other with a gun has the power to hit the reset button on the entire peace process.
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The prior attempts of the Palestinians have failed to yield any progress, and Bibi has plainly stated his opposition to the two-state solution, so what’s there to lose for the Palestinians? I suppose Israel could kick them off their lands, seize all their assets, and allow Israelis to move onto their lands… but that’s already what’s going on.
True, Israel is a democracy, and like any democracy has a history of corruption and voting against it’s own interests. The US (a democracy) invaded Iraq (a dictatorship) for no other reason than Saddam spit in the eye of the father of our democratically elected president… that didn’t make the invasion morally or legally right.
I do agree with you that the boycott is unlikely to work by itself, but any step toward peacefully improving the human condition among the Palestinians is one that should be taken.
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Live by the sword…let’s just call it bibi’s bad karma.
And then…Hillary may ask herself why deceit is the cause of many not “being with her.” At this point, Senator Sanders is the better choice.