Sunday, October 23, 2011

Plain and Simple #2 - Is BDS anti-Semitic?

In August, I published a piece in the Linewaiters' Gazette showing that the goals of the Global BDS Movement are to eliminate Israel as a Jewish State.  I published a slightly longer version of the article on this blog, in two parts. I also pointed out that the statements of the BDS leadership fulfilled a globally accepted definition of anti-Semitism.

I further wrote that presenting a proposal to hold a referendum on joining BDS to the General Meeting provides legitimacy to a movement shown to be anti-Semitic. I said such an action is unacceptable for the Park Slope Food Coop, as we are committed to diversity.

Now, our members who want to hold the referendum have posted on their website page titled "About BDS," the exact BDS platform. Further down the page they ask, "Is BDS anti-Semitic?" In order to answer that question with a "No," they would have to show:
  1. Either BDS does not oppose the existence of Israel as  a Jewish State or that opposing the right of self-determination for Jews is not anti-Semitic.
  2. BDS does not deny the unique historic connection between Jews and the Land of Israel.
  3. That the conditions demanded by BDS do not endanger the physical safety of Jews.
  4. That there is a true commitment among the Palestinian leadership to live in peace with Jews, with full recognition of their rights.
  5. That BDS demands of the Arabs an end to the conflict.
Of course, they don't do any of that. Nor do they address any of the other issues I raised in my essays. Is it because they haven't read the essays? Or is it because they don't know how to answer? Or is it because they don't know how to think about these issues because they truly don't know enough about it?

Instead, they provide a totally illogical, self-contradicting answer that reveals their ignorance. I will deconstruct their statement in the next post.

Once again, we see that plain and simple, they don't know what they are talking about.

4 comments:

  1. You keep on writing Barb. The stated goals of the BDS movement is the dismantling of the State of Israel. Thank you for breaking down their facade of "fairness".
    avishay

    ReplyDelete
  2. i would suggest that you tell the BDS pushers that they can no longer use Microsoft OFFICE since that was developed in Israel. Additionally, SKYPE is off limits, as is Copaxone for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, all instant messaging systems like AOL messenger and ichat, USB flash drives, and FIREWALL for their computers. Explain that if they want to boycott Israel, all these things are Israeli and must be discarded since they have sworn not to use Israeli products.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just wondering, is this the official guidelines for a group or person being anti-Semitic, or is this your own criteria?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jacob -

    The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights has a working definition of anti-Semitism that you can read here:

    http://www.european-forum-on-antisemitism.org/working-definition-of-antisemitism/english/

    I have listed here specific items referring to my post "Who Is BDS" that fall under the categories listed in the EU definition.

    Mom

    ReplyDelete

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