Opinion  Sever Plocker
Battle against BDS must be fought by Israel's left
Sever Plocker
Published: 08.06.15, 09:14
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20 Talkbacks for this article
1. Problem is there is no such left, all are traitors.
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (06.08.15)
2. The Flocker is full of it, again.
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (06.08.15)
3. BDS vs BDS - battle must be fought by all, all the time and.
Scharp ,   Tel Aviv, israel   (06.08.15)
...everywhere. In this battle, make distinctions: criticism against Israels policies in Gaza and the West Bank - fine. Undermining the State of Israel - means you are an enemy. What do the BDS-people suggest should be done to improve the situation for both israelis and palestinians? Let´s just start right there. Concrete proposals. And ask them what should be done regarding the intrapalestinian rift, and Hamas and IS in Gaza? We have to remind the world, the bashers and the BDS-camp that it is a complicated situation, complex, not black and white. That´s basic stuff, a starting point.
4. The boycott is aimed at leftist Jews too.
Sam ,   Canada   (06.08.15)
It's in the Israeli Left's interest to be involved because the "occupation" to the Palestinians means all of Israel. The Left is deluding itself if it thinks otherwise. Israel is in the West Bank for religious,nationalistic and security reasons not because it wishes to dominate Palestinians.The Left doesn't do Israel any favours by talking about the "occupation",
5. Israeli left
Serge ,   Antwerp, Belgium   (06.08.15)
The Israeli left and extreme left are problematic as they are feeding the BDS abroad (in English) for narrow political and electoral reasons.
6. THE PATRIOTIC LEFT
Joe ,   Alon Shevut, Israel   (06.08.15)
As I understand the appeal, it is mainly directed towards academics, intellectuals and not MK's. The problem is that in the past these people have denigrated "patriotism". Perhaps an appeal to their intellectual honesty would yield better results
7. Wrong headline: "Israel must battle Left"!
(06.08.15)
8. BDS association Holocaust Denialists
Zola   (06.08.15)
Its important to Emphasize the Holocaust Denial in the BDS the Apatheid of Dhimmi the Second class citizen and execution of Islamics who become Christian Jewish or Atheist Democratic Socialists and for Israel not to Provoke and provide more equality economic and social in the areas it holds extreme Security Challenges. P
9. BDS is the child of the left (planned or otherwise)
UR   (06.08.15)
The Israeli left is responsible for BDS, first by actively promoting it in certain quarters; and, secondly, by using BDS-supporting arguments in their political fights against the right. Take the most recent example in which Zehava Gal-On yesterday posited, on the basis of hot air, that BDS is not motivated by antisemitism but by Bibi and settlements. There is nothing which promotes antisemitism more than a Jew standing up to argue that antisemitism is not antisemitism. All you get in result is one Jew arguing it is antisemitism; and one Jew arguing it is not. The result is that people will come away with the impression that it is not. BDS would be nowhere without the Jewish and Israeli left. When antisemitism becomes systemic, even Jews growing up within that system develop antisemitic ways of perceiving & understanding the world. And so it is for much of the Israeli left, even when they are arguing against BDS, they make arguments promoting it.
10. Right, BDS must be fought the Israel's left because
Dan   (06.08.15)
the left are after all the destroyers of Israel (and of the rest of the US).
11. BDS doesn't exist if we all learn Torah happily
Deborah ,   Jerusalem   (06.08.15)
12. nice, but...
nadav ,   tlv   (06.08.15)
It's the Israeli Left that helped make sure BDS was launched. When they call the PM a racist and a fascist in international media, then how can you expect these liberal fools to fight their spiritual twins in the BDS movement? The Israeli left and BDS are two sides of the same coin!
13. Amos Schocken & his "haaretz" strongly disagree,they're BDS
ab   (06.08.15)
14. The "Left" should support BDS
Avi ,   NYC, USA   (06.08.15)
The monstrous subjugation of the Palestinians by Israel must end! To achieve this BDS should be expanded to include ALL Israeli products, especially arms, and not only products made in the settlement. It is also important that everyone sees what lies behind the mask of benevolence Israel is wearing: The world has to be educated about what the Talmud says about gentiles.
15. A step in the right direction
Sidney ,   California   (06.08.15)
But here is the reality: 1. BDS is just plain antisemitism and should always be called that. 2. Humanities programs in the west are just as bad as in Israel so aren't worth cultivating. 3. Stop the "Oy Veh" approach, Israelis build it with their over reaction. 4. Let the Palestinians know that they can't have it both ways, backing BDS and other anti-Israel activities around the world while negotiating for improvement in their condition. Nobody pays attention to the UN except for the Israeli media.
16. RE#1. Just today unpatriotic left Meretz proposes bill
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (06.08.15)
Meretz presents bill in Knesset to implement BDS in Israel itself by Israeli government. So much for The Flocker fantasies.
17. Dominating Fashionable Trend!
Claude ,   UK and Cape Town   (06.08.15)
Really, Mr Plocker Have you visited a UK University Campus recently Yes BDS and Palestinian Support Groups pass motions and win some votes But these events rarely make headlines outside IL, Jewish, ME, Pal Media. Most UK students like most UK consumers could not care less The membership of the largets Pal support Group in UK is tiny compared to the numbers who supported Anti Apartheid Movement, and that was before the Internet era! A combination of Ennui, Islamophobia, widespread cynicism about all campaigning groups makes the mountain for BDS to climb quite steep.
18. The Israeli Left's reason for existence is to agree
Arty ,   Israel   (06.09.15)
With all the anti-Semites abroad. Just look at who funds them. zehava galon was the head of betzelem, a foreign funded 5th column organization.
19. to the anti-Semites check #3
carlos ,   San Diego CA   (06.09.15)
Antisemitism Lets fight antisemitism in 3 subjects: 1) History of Israel its creation and achievements To start lets mention the three pilars of western civilization: Judaism, The Romans The Greeks Recount how many times peace initiatives were rejected by Palestinians (with Rabin, Ehud Barak and Olmert) they want to destroy Israel, they don’t want peace. 2) History of Arab terror and murder with examples and pictures. Plenty of daily stories here 3) Definition of antisemitism so all anti-semites see themselves in the mirror. A short definition of antisemitism: —-Irrationality, xenophobia and racism —-Ignorance and lack of intelligence, people unable to understand its surroundings —-Gullibility; believing in all sort of canards about the Jews —-Absolute immorality, corruption, no principles. Belonging to nazis and later to communism, Lying all the time —-Sociopaths lack of regard for human life —-Cowardice 4) What explains the criminal behavior of Muslims that everyday day we read in the the news about killings by Muslims (Isis, Boko Haram, Hizbollah, Hamas, Fatah, etc,etc.). That behavior is explained by their cultural values which determines their norms, attitudes and finally their behavior? Show their genocidal charters statements and intentions: Fatah, Hamas, Hizbollah, Iran
20. inaccurate portrayal of BDS
Mark LeVine ,   Irvine, CA   (06.10.15)
This article is premised on the idea that BDS encourages or demands the boycott of individual Israeli scholars. This is simply not true. It is an institutional boycott, not a boycott of individuals. Thus supporters of BDS would like welcome an increase in funding for the humanities and other subjects at Israeli universities, or at least not care one way or another. The issue is the institutional support for an illegal, brutal occupation that is not only destroying Palestinian society but destroying any chance for an Israeli Jewish society built upon "humanistic" and democratic values. In that regard, the idea that there can be a "patriotic left" that would take the lead against BDS is misplaced. The raison d'etre of the Israeli state has increasingly been geared to the occupation for almost half a century. The only way to oppose the occupation meaningfully is to oppose the Israeli state in its present form, which is by definition "unpatriotic." Therefore no true "Left"--which presently exists only in fragments in Israel--would engage in the anti-BDS behavior being called for because they'd be too busy fighting the state with every mechanism at their disposal, including BDS. the Zionist Left is a chimera; it has been the biggest support mechanism for the occupation since the rise of Gush Emunim out of the labor movement decades ago.
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