This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/world/middleeast/west-bank-boycott-a-political-act-or-prejudice.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
West Bank Boycott: A Political Act or Prejudice? West Bank Boycott: A Political Act or Prejudice?
(7 months later)
JERUSALEM — Many, many words have been uttered recently about the mounting boycott movement targeting Israeli products made in West Bank settlements, and, in some cases, all Israeli businesses and institutions. One worth closer examination is “immoral,” which is what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel called the boycott earlier this month. JERUSALEM — Many, many words have been uttered recently about the mounting boycott movement targeting Israeli products made in West Bank settlements, and, in some cases, all Israeli businesses and institutions. One worth closer examination is “immoral,” which is what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel called the boycott earlier this month.
Boycotts have an admirable history as a nonviolent political tool. British Christians in the 18th century refused to buy sugar produced by slaves. Black people walked rather than sit in the back of buses in the American South. Divestment helped topple apartheid.Boycotts have an admirable history as a nonviolent political tool. British Christians in the 18th century refused to buy sugar produced by slaves. Black people walked rather than sit in the back of buses in the American South. Divestment helped topple apartheid.
But for many Israelis, the boycott that comes to mind is the Nazi-led one of Jewish-owned businesses that spread in the 1930s from Germany across Europe and beyond. Avoiding a coffee shop because you don’t like the way the boss treats his employees is voting with your wallet; doing so because the boss is Jewish — or black or female or gay — is discrimination.But for many Israelis, the boycott that comes to mind is the Nazi-led one of Jewish-owned businesses that spread in the 1930s from Germany across Europe and beyond. Avoiding a coffee shop because you don’t like the way the boss treats his employees is voting with your wallet; doing so because the boss is Jewish — or black or female or gay — is discrimination.
Mr. Netanyahu is not opposed to all boycotts — on the contrary, he is a prime leader in the push for economic sanctions, the diplomatic equivalent, to pressure Iran regarding its nuclear program. Underlying the accusation of immorality, which the prime minister is not alone in making, may be a belief that the movement is motivated by anti-Semitism, that the ultimate target is not Israeli policy, but Israel’s right to exist.Mr. Netanyahu is not opposed to all boycotts — on the contrary, he is a prime leader in the push for economic sanctions, the diplomatic equivalent, to pressure Iran regarding its nuclear program. Underlying the accusation of immorality, which the prime minister is not alone in making, may be a belief that the movement is motivated by anti-Semitism, that the ultimate target is not Israeli policy, but Israel’s right to exist.
“Seventy years ago, you went after, ‘Kill the Jews’ — here you say, ‘Kill the Jewish state,”’ said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “That somehow is kosher. The politically correct way to be anti-Semitic is not to say, ‘I hate the Jews,’ but to say, ‘I hate Israel.”’“Seventy years ago, you went after, ‘Kill the Jews’ — here you say, ‘Kill the Jewish state,”’ said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “That somehow is kosher. The politically correct way to be anti-Semitic is not to say, ‘I hate the Jews,’ but to say, ‘I hate Israel.”’
Mr. Hoenlein, and Mark Regev, Mr. Netanyahu’s spokesman, said Israel is unfairly singled out, while human rights violations elsewhere in the world — and other states’ occupation of land claimed by other ethnic groups — are ignored.Mr. Hoenlein, and Mark Regev, Mr. Netanyahu’s spokesman, said Israel is unfairly singled out, while human rights violations elsewhere in the world — and other states’ occupation of land claimed by other ethnic groups — are ignored.
“It’s of dubious morality to hold the Jewish state to a standard to which you hold no one else,” Mr. Regev said. “Are you boycotting any other place of disputed sovereignty on the planet, or are you picking and choosing your moral outrage?” He added that some people “are being very selective with their indignation, and it fits into certain cultural prejudices.”“It’s of dubious morality to hold the Jewish state to a standard to which you hold no one else,” Mr. Regev said. “Are you boycotting any other place of disputed sovereignty on the planet, or are you picking and choosing your moral outrage?” He added that some people “are being very selective with their indignation, and it fits into certain cultural prejudices.”
Omar Barghouti, who helped found the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement in 2005, said activists had every right to pick their causes and where to focus their energy.Omar Barghouti, who helped found the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement in 2005, said activists had every right to pick their causes and where to focus their energy.
“He can say anything he wishes, but immoral? Resistance to his immoral policies can never be immoral,” Mr. Barghouti said of Mr. Netanyahu. “The litmus test is are you boycotting a group of people based on their identity, or are you boycotting something — an act, a company, a business — that you disagree with.“He can say anything he wishes, but immoral? Resistance to his immoral policies can never be immoral,” Mr. Barghouti said of Mr. Netanyahu. “The litmus test is are you boycotting a group of people based on their identity, or are you boycotting something — an act, a company, a business — that you disagree with.
“We have three reasons,” Mr. Barghouti said, citing the movement’s goals of ending the occupation; ensuring equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel; and promoting the right of return for Palestinian refugees. “End the three reasons and we won’t boycott.”“We have three reasons,” Mr. Barghouti said, citing the movement’s goals of ending the occupation; ensuring equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel; and promoting the right of return for Palestinian refugees. “End the three reasons and we won’t boycott.”
Many Israeli leaders do not buy this. A peace deal, they say, would provide only temporary reprieve from the isolation campaign, particularly by those who believe there should be a single, binational state between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.Many Israeli leaders do not buy this. A peace deal, they say, would provide only temporary reprieve from the isolation campaign, particularly by those who believe there should be a single, binational state between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.
That is part of why Mr. Netanyahu and others insist that recognition of Israel as a Jewish state must be included in any agreement with the Palestinians.That is part of why Mr. Netanyahu and others insist that recognition of Israel as a Jewish state must be included in any agreement with the Palestinians.
As for the growing boycott, some Israelis think the proper — even moral — response is to fight fire with fire. With European supermarkets labeling Israeli goods made in the West Bank and European pension funds divesting of banks that do business in settlements, Dani Dayan, a leader of the settlers’ council, suggested that El Al, the Israeli airline, buy from Boeing instead of Airbus.As for the growing boycott, some Israelis think the proper — even moral — response is to fight fire with fire. With European supermarkets labeling Israeli goods made in the West Bank and European pension funds divesting of banks that do business in settlements, Dani Dayan, a leader of the settlers’ council, suggested that El Al, the Israeli airline, buy from Boeing instead of Airbus.
“It shouldn’t be a one-sided movement,” Mr. Dayan said. “Until now Israel has adopted a meteorological approach, like with the weather — we talk a lot about it, but do nothing to change it. But boycotts are not rain. We can challenge them.”“It shouldn’t be a one-sided movement,” Mr. Dayan said. “Until now Israel has adopted a meteorological approach, like with the weather — we talk a lot about it, but do nothing to change it. But boycotts are not rain. We can challenge them.”