The Failing BDS -An Update
Boycotts are a long-standing favorable weapon of enemies of Jews when they want to vent their hatred. For them, boycotting the Jews is just the first step in a process of isolating them, signalling them out and finally exterminating them. The first antisemitic move of the Nazi regime in Germany in April 1933, was the day of national boycott of Jewish businesses all over the newly emerging Third Reich. We know how that ended. The Arab League declared a boycott of Israel and anyone doing business with her, right after the Arab defeat in the war of 1948–9. We know how that was supposed to end. The BDS movement as of the early 2000’s is the current version of this old strategy. Antisemites really believe themselves when they spread their anti- Jewish propaganda, so they truly are convinced, that all you need to do against the Jews is to beat them in their pockets and thus bring them to their knees. An old antisemitic cliche, used by both Right Wing and Left Wing haters, which is used by the current BDS movement and its ideological proponents. They just follow in the footsteps of their predecessors, and, as we know, there are so many of those. So, why not send these haters a simple message -you simply fail, you are losers. Not an ideological debate, just a list of facts, not myths, a reality check, not a statement of fantasy land politics.
Let us start with some economic news; S& P reconfirmed Israel’s credit score of -AA, one of the highest in the world. A simple statement of trust and confidence in the fundamental strength of the Israeli economy. Boycotts? Do not make these people at the reputable credit agency laugh. They know better. Intel, a giant American corporation just announced a new investment of 11 BN US dollars in their already booming plant in Kiryat Gat, in South Israel. Boycotts? The executives in Intel will not even laugh, they will simply feel sorry for the boycotters . Interestingly enough, Ireland was competing with Israel over this investment. Ireland is one of the few countries where BDS has made some gains. Ireland lost-the loss of hatred and bigotry, maybe a lesson to Gerry Adams and his former terror friends-the future is in progress , and you belong to the past. Israel signed an agreement with Cyprus, Greece and Italy to construct a pipeline for the Israeli natural gas to go to Europe. Israel is signing another huge arms deal with India, worth 3.5BN US dollars, and just few days ago, the US Army announced its deal to buy the defensive Iron Dome from Israel. Last but not least, Brasil is buying the Israeli desalination technology. This is not an exaggeration-Israel is becoming a significant international trade player. BDS? Well, it stays prominent in the writings of the theoreticians of the movement. It has nothing to do with reality.
BDS is obviously an attempt to turn Israel into the pariah state of the world. The modern-day untouchables. Who, under these circumstances would like to visit there? Here again, hatred is one thing, reality is another. 2018 was a record year of tourism to Israel, with over 4 million tourists. Same failure is registered with the cultural boycott drive, led by the likes of Roger Waters, who just declared his support for the Maduro regime in Venezuela. This old Pink Floyd hater called for a boycott of the Eurovision song contest in Israel. Poor Roger-a record number of states, 43, will participate in what will be a great spectacle. We are left with the academic boycott.
Even supporters of Israel argue, that if BDS has any meaningful success, it is in academia. Yes, in twenty-five-thirty colleges, mainly in the East coast and California, among them some very reputable institutions, the campaign has inroads. This is regrettable, but as they say in Israel-Lo Naim , aval Lo nora… not pleasant, but not terrible. Here I write with some first-hand experience. I challenge the boycotters to conduct a representative survey of students all over the country, and ask a simple question:what comes to your mind first, when you hear the words Middle East? Israel,Palestinians and BDS will be in the end of the list. Guaranteed.
The US Senate, with the support of a majority of the Democratic membership and all the Republicans[save for Rand Paul] voted against BDS .They represent American public opinion much better than the rabble-rousers of BDS. Something for Jews and all people of good will to cheer about.
