Opinion
Counter Palestinian boycott
Shaul Rosenfeld
Published: 21.05.10, 14:02
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1. 'lol'
AARON ,   Tel Aviv   (05.21.10)
Israeli factories will loose big
2. Can it be that they think Israelis are stupid?
m   (05.21.10)
Maybe they have good reason why Israelis won't respond to their boycott , but agree and retreat? (speaking from experience)
3. :: ‘Counter Boycott’? It will never happen
Matty Groves ,   Fairport   (05.21.10)
Shaul Rosenfeld’s article is ill thought out and hollow. “the Palestinian economy, which is fully reliant on Israel” The Palestinian economy is not ‘reliant’ on Israel the Palestinian economy is *controlled* by Israel via roadblocks, no Palestinian access to resources and land in the C area and of course total Israeli control over Palestinian imports and exports from the occupied WB. Israel will not ‘boycott’ nor further hinder the Palestinian WB economy because: 1) Obama will not allow it. Obama has Bibi lined up to make further ‘painful concessions’ which will include greater Palestinian freedom of movement and control over areas of the WB - any deviation from this plan will result in Obama taking away the carrot and using the stick. (This first point alone will stymie any childish ‘counter boycott’) 2) Any further ‘punitive’ measures by Israel will quickly derail the proximity talks. 3) It is in Israel’s own self-serving interests that the Palestinians continue to maintain a strong economy. 4) Bibi has staked his credibility on this "economic boom" in the WB – he is hardly going to lose this for the sake of a few illegal settlements etc. 5) I would again remind people that only Israeli military law applies to the WB and petty military punitive measures by Israel will incur a negative backlash among the international community - a backlash that Israel can ill afford as it is already on thin ice. 6) Any ‘disruption’ to the economy in the WB or Israel for that matter will bring Israel’s membership to the OECD into question. In short there will be no ‘counter boycott’ of the Palestinian boycott of goods and services from the illegal settlements in the WB. The Palestinian boycott will continue and there is nothing Israel can do about it so take it on the chin and move on.
4. To 3 Unimpressed with your counter arguments
The Dude   (05.21.10)
1) Obama now is completely engrossed for Nov 2010 midterm elections. If the trends keep up, he loses the purse strings and his control over both the carrot and the stick. Also considering that many leftists and democratic supporting Jews are questioning the Obama Admin, like Saban and getting Emanuel to apologize... isn't exactly a position of strenght. 2) Really? Like the shooting and rocket attacks aren't? The fact that Bibi has no self-respect and didn't walk away from the talks after the first talk was a massive failure on his part. And it doesn't change the fact that Israel could already walk away from it also considering the continued indoctrination campaign on PA TV dehumanizing Israeli's. 3) Really? I keep hearing these arguments and every time we invest into 'palestine', remove roadblocks, and stop counter-terror operations, there is only a massive increase in terror attacks. What exactly is the advantage? 4) Bibi has sold himself on this, not the rest of Israel for the Jewish villages of Judea and Samaria. 5) Actually it's PA law that is in Judea and Samaria except for specific areas. That was the freaken point of Oslo. The fact that the palestinians have broken every agreement brought to them since then (and technically before), does not bode well for an argument of autonomy. And one other point, Israel could drop 200 shekel bills from the sky all over Judea and Samaria and world would complain that Israel is polluting the palestinian areas. 6) Actually only Israel's economy. Unless you saying that the WB is part of Israel? Actually there is another counter-boycott that could work VERY easily and even be impossible for you, Obama, and the world to complain about! Simply put, we could demand that the palestinians get their own currency. Obviously if they want to be independent they obviously need a pali dollar, euro, peso, dinar, pound,... whatever. This would severely hamper and destroy their economy because the currency would be worthless because the palestinian economy is based entirely on foreign aid and hence no one would buy it because their is nothing substantive propping up that currency. And Israel could argue that it's assisting in the economic independence of palestine!
5. Until yesterday three Arabs from the territories worked in
Ehud   (05.21.10)
my farm. Next week, I told them, I am no longer going to employ any Arabs, Enough! I know that a number of Moshav members in my region have done the same thing. The people who will pay are the Arabs and their leaders. I refuse to see the products of Jews being boycotted while I employ Arabs Also, my wife stopped buying anything that is produced either by Arabs in the territories or by Arabs elsewhere. I support her decision.
6. Counter Boycotts Work
Ralph Levy ,   USA   (05.21.10)
Counter Boycotts DO Work. Here in the states we have counter boycotts going against cities that boycott Arizona over immigration and it is working. One thing that can be done also is Israel prevent goods from leaving Israel if they are made by the PA. Also the public should stop buying PA and EU goods. http://israelprotect.blogspot.com
7. big difference is there
observer   (05.21.10)
products from occupied territories are not like those from disputed land; the former is illegal.
8. Israel should close all border passes into and out of the
Giora Avivi ,   Israel   (05.21.10)
West Bank and not allow for goods to reach Israel and for row materials to reach the territories. I am sure in no time they will stop their boycott at that point.
9. A single, simple agenda
Dan ,   New York   (05.21.10)
The palestinians continually seem to be hijacked by a singular purpose - to hurt Israel. Their own economic, political and cultural maturity are the victims. It's astounding that there are so few palestinians who even seem to be aware of this, let alone act on it.
10. #3 Matty, Matty, Matty....
Mark   (05.21.10)
The boycott doesn't have to be officially sanctioned. Israelis can simply organize one on their own and identify and then boycott all Palestinian products, refuse to hire Arabs, etc. All they need is a website and the will to do it.
11. 7 and 3 Counter Boycott
Ralph Levy ,   USA   (05.21.10)
Technically the land is not occupied it is disputed territories according to International Law. That's because the land now known as the West Bank cannot be considered "occupied" in the legal sense of the word as it had not attained recognized sovereignty before Israel's conquest. Contrary to some beliefs there has never been a Palestinian state, and no other nation has ever established Jerusalem as its capital despite it being under Islamic control for hundreds of years. #3 The counter Boycotts in the states are coming from the Grass roots level average people since of course Obama is against the Arizona Bill. http://israelprotect.blogspot.com
12. Oh oh
Daniel   (05.21.10)
I'm sure such aboycott will be considered worse then what the Nazi's did, a crime against humanity, an affront against persecuted minorities everywhere and an insult against the universe (especially the inhabitants of Alpha Centauri). As a matter of fact, considering Israel disproportionate boycott of poor Palestinian tomatoes despite the total lack of any involvement by any type of vegetable in terrorist attacks against Israeli warcriminals, also known as civilians, sanctions may be in order. Obama, our good friend, will surely approve.
13. Netanyahu knows
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (05.21.10)
Netanyahu knows what Rosenfeld is saying, but he doesn't do it. The reason is simple. Get a list of Israelis who make big money from the Oslo process, who get a cut of the massive foreign aid and see if any of them contribute money to Netanyahu.
14. HAHAHAHAHA!! The funniest article of the month!
Michael Steiner ,   Bahrain   (05.21.10)
#3 said it all. An Israeli boycott of Palestinian goods and labor would hurt Israel both through the immediate effects (loss of cheap manual workers) and as such action ricocheted in due course (i.e. a further impoverished and indignant West Bank)... - not to mention a global backlash. The doomed settlement enterprise is like a cancer to the Palestinians (and to us as well, though with a delayed effect), and I am quite surprised that the P.A. has succeeded in keeping the West Bank quiet for this long. Coz, I tell ya, if some jackass tried to limit my movement and humiliated me on a daily basis at checkpoints, all in the name of phoney security and pursuant to some "holy" book, I'd not take it lying down.
15. had Israel accepted the 47 UN partition?
observer   (05.21.10)
Israel wasn't then a sovereign state, and in 48 Israel fooled the by expansion in others' land. does the one who does respect other states' sovereignty has the right to speak about sovereignty of any country?
16. Many Palestinian Arabs work in the
Robert Haymond ,   Israel/Canada   (05.21.10)
yishuvs (settlements) and depend on this work to feed their families. By the same token, Israeli employers are dependent on Palestinian labour. The disruption caused by official boycotts on the Palestinian side and unofficial boycotts in the Israeli camp would be significant. From my understanding (on the ground, as it were), many Arabs will refuse to heed Fayyad depending on the political persuasion of their clan (extended family) and many Jews will just continue to hire them. In some cases, depending on the individuals involved, the relationships between the two are both positive and friendly. So one is apt to view a good deal of confusion in the near future.
17. palestinians are boycotting only settlements, not israel
eporue ,   europe   (05.21.10)
so, it wouldnt be fair, when whole israel would boycott palestine... probably, they dont have fixcost-intensive plants there, and people might - due to their life circumstances - more flexible consumers, than in a high-(tech-)employment environment... => a boycott hurts the settlements, but a counterboycott would probably hurt israel more than the palestinians... its stunning somehow, that the settlements obviously harrassed their best customers most... ? almost like here ;)
18. Dr. Rosenfeld really scares me
Michael ,   Haifa   (05.21.10)
I also don't buy products from the Settlements
19. Better Response
Ze'ev ,   Coral Springs, FL US   (05.21.10)
The "let's boycott the Palestinians" proponents have it all wrong. The way to break the back of the west Bank boycott is to proactively buy settlement goods. The more settlement goods we buy, the stronger and more economically viable settlement industry becomes. New jobs will become available for the Palestinians who are free to accept them and feed their families or reject them and face economic deprivation. And here's the best part - the Palestinians can whine and cry all they want about "provocation", but there's not a darn thing they can do about it.
20. creative B.S, just to the least
ahmad ,   nablis   (05.21.10)
first, the occupier force has the legal mandate to allow the flow of raw material to the occupied. second, the settlements are not legal in the eye of the int'l and the world community vs. israel as a legal entity and the PA. third, the Palestinians are NOT boycotting israeli goods per ce, rather those of the settlements on the illegally occupied West bank. Today, I just bought two water melons, farmed, near Teberia for 5 NIS each. in accordance to Oslo the flow of goods must and are, indeed, free, however, the colonies on the West bank are not part of the agreements. Not I subscribe to the legalities I mentioned above including Israel's own existence, I am saying that from THE legal point of view that the Israeli state and the PA subscribe too. this creative B.S by this "philosophy" professor can make sense with some small brained people, zionists, and simplistic morons, but not the legal and logical world community
21. Counter Boycotts Example
Ralph Levy ,   USA   (05.21.10)
Here is on small example where counter boycotts are working. And so what if cheap PA labor suffers maybe it will teach a lesson to the boycotters. http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/Austin%27s-AZ-Boycott-spawns-backlash
22. THE BOYCOT WILL HELP TO THE PEACE. I SUPPORT IT.
ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU   (05.21.10)
Palestinians started to think like israelis. sleep with evil ! wake up as evil :) just kidding. *** ARE THESE THINGS THAT TO KEEP PEOPLE BUSY ?
23. Palestinian boycott ityself is the real counter boycott
Morality check   (05.21.10)
against occupation and siege. As it isn't enough to occupy their land, now you tell them what they have to eat?!
24. I try to limit myself to the legal produce of Israel proper
Eden ,   Ramat Gan   (05.21.10)
I also support the Palestinian boycott as it is limited to what is prodcued in the settlements. It's a good way to support those Israeli companies that prefer to stay out from there.
25. Profitable occupation
Nora   (05.21.10)
Hit where it hurts most - the pockets of the settlement enterprise.
26. Matty # 3
Eaglebeak ,   Left Coast, USA   (05.21.10)
Israel doesn't answer to Obama and Obama doesn't know how to use a stick. Iran would be a good example of that.
27. :: Eaglebeak - #26
Matty Groves ,   Fairport   (05.21.10)
Of course it does! Israel is jumping to Obama’s tune and it is doing a merry jig. Tell me has Israel broken ground on those 1,600 housing units yet? Of course not because Obama said no more building. Can Israel attack Iran? No because Obama said no (see post #16). Need I remind you about the time Israel had to write a Letter of Apology to the US because it tried to sell military tech to China? See: www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3100923,00.html Israel sold its sovereignty to the US along time ago in return for US support and aid, in truth Israel has become the 51st Jewish State of the USA. Iran is not a Client State of the US like Israel is. You don’t see Iran or Syria bending over like Israel does. Russia, China, Venezuela, etc (ie: real sovereign states) would laugh at the US if Obama demanded what he is demanding of Israel.
28. :: Mark - #10 - Be my guest
Matty Groves ,   Fairport   (05.21.10)
Go ahead then, boycott the Palestinians and their goods/services, hire Thai workers and only buy more expensive goods and services from Israel. Such action will only compound the Palestinian boycott of the illegal goods and services from the settlements and further lessen the viability of the illegal settlements.
29. #15 you know the answer to your own question. Now...
better observer   (05.21.10)
...the question is if you know what Arabs accepted in 1947, and what that invasion of Israel and occupation by 5 Arab armies have to do with the partition plan Unlike your previous confused ramblings this requires real intelligence and is an important test to your challenged IQ
30. Boycott Palestians 24 and 25
Ralph Levy ,   USA   (05.21.10)
I said Boycott Palestinians as a counter boycott and I will buy settlement produced goods. Hit the Palestinians in their pocketbook since they are forcing boycotts of Israelis and demonizing Israel around the world, I say also Boycott Elvis Costello, http://ralphsrant1.blogspot.com
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