Opinion
An EU boycott could be good for Israel
Dr. Adam Reuter
Published: 05.02.14, 09:12
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47 Talkbacks for this article
1. Some Good Points
Claude ,   London and Cape Town   (02.05.14)
Raised in this article Here are some additional Points to consider 1. The EU is hardly a united on any issue from Immigration, fishing, or even in how to handle its horrific economic crisis which has resulted in mass youth unemployment in some member states. It's a dysfunctional group of bickering bureaucrats that is losing the confidence of the electorates. 2. a Boycott can only really be successful if it has mass public support and is backed up and enforced by force if necessary. However much IL policy is disliked maybe even by a majority this dislike has to be compared to the huge and dangerous rise in anti arab, anti Islam feeling. 3. One of the biggest problems for BDS and PSC is how these movements have often been hijacked by nutters like Galloway in UK, Diuedonne in France. The Anti Apartheid Movement was better at silencing its more extreme nutter supporters. 4. BDS claims successes where none in reality exist. The Co op still imports IL products, Norway State has agreed to invest in IL gas finds, far more important than the puny divestment from its S WFund 5. Remember Rhodesia. Well the economy boomed after sanctions, new industries and home grown services developed. It's understandably fashionable to claim that sanctions against SA brought down the regime. The evidence is not so clear cut. Few Whites were inconvenienced by an economic boycott, like Rhodesia new industries flourished. 6 The biggest driver for change was the collapse of the Soviet Tyranny, this opened the once closed mining markets of Russia to the big boys who made it very clear to NP and ANC they better get serious about changing course. Or investment in this key sector would dry up. 7 Is there an Israeli Palestinian equivalent of De Klerk and Mandela. It does not look like it
2. Finance-centric biased reasoning
Nathan ,   Italy   (02.05.14)
No ordinary people concerns in all those financial arguments, provided that interest of people often don't overlap those of entrpreneurs. As to say: the surgeon will succed although the patients shall die. As usual, Finance sees the trees but not the forest.
3. interesting perspective......
josh ,   usa   (02.05.14)
But is it wishful thinking to imagine that a big loss of sales is actually a good thing? I hope the author is correct, or better yet, that this whole boycott nonsense goes away.
4. Well spoken
Daniel ,   TA - IL   (02.05.14)
the ones crying wolf in israel over boycots are the leftwingers who initiated them and now fear for their eu blood money subsidies. The first to suffer are are grants to the predominantly extrem leftwing universities in Israel. exports of goods manufactured beyond the green are not that significant, however, bloodmoney subsidies to universities and leftwing causes are Maybe we should celebrate a boycot!
5. Wishful thinking Galore
Lynx ,   Palestine   (02.05.14)
During the late apartheid era, RSA thought it could also flourish in the face of sanctions. Construction companies for example, implemented high-tech solutions to minimize waste and control every fraction of a percentage of it....to protect profit margins. However, most companies could not hold the severe effects of rising sanctions in the late 80's and apartheid crumbled anyway... Let is be an example for you... Your only hope if quitting the Occupation and partnering an independent Palestine on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital!
6. Reject the threat
Mikael ,   Malmö, Sweden   (02.05.14)
This recent obsession about the boycott is only nurturing the threat. Get proactive and promote Israel's strengths and possibilities instead of exaggerating our vulnerabilities. Europe is sliding fast into a new financial dark age. Lost dependencies to a sick market is the best thing that could happen. In three years Israel may have a friend in the white house, but ceeded national interests will not be returned.
7. Dearer imports???
Col ,   Raanana   (02.05.14)
Good article, Mr. Reuter, but if exporters gain, does that mean that imprters will lose out, thus making the cost of living here higher?
8. how much does israel import from uk eu just asking
ralph   (02.05.14)
They are in dire straights.
9. Buy Baby Buy and Build Baby Build
Ben S ,   Free World   (02.05.14)
10. to#5 lynx
Marcelo ,   Tel Aviv / Berlin   (02.05.14)
not, the only option is to fire all fakestineans and give work only to good people. A boycott on Israel would also cause vast firing waves of arabs... the lie of a fakestinean state with a slice of Jerusalem as capital is a dream you pursue to destroy Israel but not more...so, little Fakestinean, dream on, if Boycott comes, you will suffer first...
11. Lynx in South Africa
Claude ,   London and Cape Town   (02.05.14)
Not a native animal in our National Parks! You may be correct that it is indeed time for IL to withdraw from most of WB area . But your analysis of SA Business during Apartheid era is incorrect. Virtually all areas expanded, some consumer products like Kodak withdrew, but located in Swaziland. Construction boomed. The myth of the story of the successful sanctions campaign is really just a Yes the Sports and Cultural Boycott isolated SA, but it was hardly a hardship. The evidenced truth, you can even read this in the minutes of ANC and AAM docs of the era is that sanctions had little impact on the ground. What was the big game changer. The collapse of USSR, the subsequent opening up of these huge new opportunities for the SA mining houses. in the end meant they held the cards and could force the ANC and NP into starting secret talks held in UK with knowledge and support of that much maligned Thatcher. Pity neither IL or Palestinians have produced leaders willing to take the risks, required. Because they are beholden to nutty settlors on one side and Palestinian rejectionists on the other. Lynx you also fail to understand that however much some public opinion dislikes IL policies, in EU especially there is real dislike of arabs, islam and the EU itself is hardly regarded with much respect.
12. #5 please answer
(02.05.14)
You say "partnering with an independent Palestine". Hamas (80% of your voters) calls for genocide of Jews as a religious obligation. "Moderate" Abbas' PLO (15% of your voters) calls for destruction of Israel with ethnic cleansing of most Jews (Article 6 of PLO charter). So even if you are part of the remaing 5% and are sincere and you really want the "partnership", you can't make it happen. Most Arabs and all their leaders want war and genocide, and there is nothing we can do to change it.
13. #5 never missing a chance to miss a chance galore
(02.05.14)
You could have had your state in 1947 borders if you were smart enough not to try to kill all the Jews, and just accept the partition plan instead. And many times since then. But instead you chose to reject every offer you got and turned to violence middle-ages style. Most Israelis want nothing to do with the crazy, lazy, violent, fanatic, uneducated people living in Jenin and Gaza. Most of them will be happy to finally separate from you murderers.
14. BDS FAIL
Joseph Kelly ,   Australia   (02.05.14)
Three separate EU Universities are begging me to take my $200 million Hydrogen Storage research project to them. As an Israeli, I felt genuine fear of death of my Israeli team especially at their Sharia compliant Unis. So I am in negotiation with China, the new world order with the irony being the passe old world order, the EU will pay for the licenses from China, something they could have sold themselves. I am also selling my BMW 520 and Passat for Lexus's this year and I urge that like minded Jews do the same.
15. important jews will never follow boycott appeal
dr daniel mostrel ,   paris france   (02.05.14)
be sure that we can fight back in EU all compagnies ; boycott is illegal in most countries and we will stand with israel and support her economically, we are not afraid at all abd israel has many supporters even outside the jewish community if israel decides to not sign a suicidal treaty we will support it
16. # 9 Ben Ben Ben BUY BABY BUY and BUILD BABY BUILD !!!
BUILD BABY BUILD!!!! ,   United States   (02.05.14)
Bravo! WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK AND.. KEEP BUILDING AND BUYING!!!! A building boom has unlimited economic benefits. Hey hey!
17. This learned article....
Michael ,   Haifa   (02.05.14)
...has really convinced me that we are in dire need of a world-wide boycott
18. Boycott, shmoycott. It makes a mockery of all my predictions
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (02.05.14)
19. The boycott will cost the EU even more
Gee ,   Zikron Yaakov   (02.05.14)
We have several trade agreements with various EU states. Violation of those treaties will trigger massive fines from the IMF. Only triple the cost of their boycotts. The EU could end up providing an extra 60 Euros a year in penalties and get nothing for their trouble as well
20. #5,do you really wiish to live in another failed Arab state?
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (02.05.14)
21. Boycotts strengthen Israel.
Chaim ,   Israel   (02.05.14)
Leftists are always trying to scare Israel into lunatic concessions with boycott fear mongering. Israel has always lived with boycotts. Dealing with boycotts has helped transform Israel into the significant world power she is today. Nor need Israel fear "isolation". All of Israel's most glorious deeds are accomplished in "isolation". From The Six Days War to Entebbe to the destruction of Iraqi and Syrian nukes.
22. EU boycot
JB ,   France   (02.05.14)
If it is just a matter of currency change, why not just devaluate the shekel right now ?
23. @LYNX,we are NOT RSA! Do you get it?
trump   (02.05.14)
Wishful thinking will take you nowhere!
24. Nathan @2, boycott that is meant to hurt is always
blog2038 ,   USA   (02.05.14)
finance-centric. Israel can live without Italy, but Israel cannot survive without robust economy.
25. Good thinking ,...
split ,   US   (02.05.14)
It may force you to start to be creative sustain yourself and stop counting on handouts ,...
26. To All Commentators
Harold ,   USA   (02.05.14)
#5 is right. Peace sounds very attractive word to most and hated to some. Try to listen to #5 and live friendly with your neighbors.
27. forget EU
mehrdad ,   germany   (02.05.14)
israel should do more trade with big players like china and india which see their relation with israel pragmatic and not idological (good old european antisemitism)like the dying EU. actualy israels cooperation with india, china and africa is RISING from year to year. hell even with countries like turkey trade relations are increasing each year. and these are the boom regions in the next years. the EU will be irrelevant in some 40-50 years.
28. # 27 ,...
split ,   US   (02.05.14)
Good idea if you tell us what do you have that they already don't or can't buy it from other countries for less?
29. #5. What about fictional "Palestinian" economy?
Chaim ,   Israel   (02.05.14)
Israel is a real state with a real and rapidly expanding economy. What about the fictional "Palestinian" economy? Just wait till Israel has leaders with the guts to end the flow of Israeli food, materials, money, electricity etc. to Fictional Palestine. "Palestinians" won't be able to flee our land fast enough.
30. # 27 ,...
split ,   US   (02.05.14)
Good idea if you tell us what do you have that they already don't or can't buy it from other countries for less?
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