Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East.
(From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Monday 27 February 2012

The Brooklynites Who Want To Boycott Israel

"We are African-American, Arab, Asian, European-American, Latina/o, and South Asian. We are Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, & agnostics. We are educators, students, librarians, designers, non-profit workers, medical professionals, business people and artists. We are people of all ages. We are like you," coos  the 16,000-member strong Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn.
"We believe that the PSFC should join the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS). BDS is a nonviolent tactic recently adopted by the decades-long Palestinian movement to end Israel’s violent and illegal occupation of their lands, gain equal rights, and achieve peace, freedom and economic stability.
We think that joining the BDS movement will help send a message to Israel that it must honor international law and human rights. It will also make the PSFC a more welcoming place for all people who want justice realized in Palestine. And taken in a larger context, we believe that BDS is one of multiple ways to participate in the global struggle against all forms of oppression."
So they're taking a vote on the issue late next month.

Comments  journalist Yori Yanover in a fuller article here:
'I can just see it now: Prime Minister Netanyahu’s red phone is ringing, it’s 3 in the morning, Israel’s ambassador to the US is on the line – Sir, we’re losing the food co-op near Prospect Park. If the co-op boycotts us, we’re doomed. – Fine, fine, just tell those settlers to pack up the suitcases and get on the trucks, they’ll understand…
Naturally, this whole boycott and sanctions thing is not at all about the realities of the Middle East, concerning which the sum total of most Americans’ knowledge can be written on the pinky fingernail of a small child. This is about the Jews of Park Slope being embarrassed about their other country and how colonialist it makes them look at mixers. Because they clearly write:
“It will also make the PSFC a more welcoming place for all people who want justice realized in Palestine. And taken in a larger context, we believe that BDS is one of multiple ways to participate in the global struggle against all forms of oppression.”
Naturally, we’re against oppression everywhere, but we’ll go after the Jews first.'
 Update: More on the PSFC website here - what I earlier described above as its website is in fact a BDS website that carries its statement.  Fortunately, there's a fightback: see this blog and Like the Facebook page"Stop BDS at Park Slope Food Coop"

5 comments:

  1. The coop's web site is foodcoop.com, not be confused with the bds website which you mistake for the coop's own. Please see the coop's statement there

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. I've added a note to that effect at the end of the blog post.

      Delete
  2. Daphne -

    I am a great fan of your blog. We are working hard here in Brooklyn to get out the vote and defeat the BDS initiative.

    The quote you cite above is from the website of the small group of members who have submitted the BDS referendum vote to our governance system. That statement represents their views, and they do not speak for the Coop (although they would like to.) Would you mind please making that correction? Your update does not make that clear.

    You can help by linking to my blog, stopbdsparkslope.blogspot.com and and encouraging your readers to "like" our Facebook page: "Stop BDS at Park Slope Food Coop"

    Thanks
    Nycerbarb

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, Nycerbarb - have added that in bold type to the update. Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  4. BDS is one of multiple ways to participate in the global struggle against all forms of oppression

    OK! Number one make a fuss about humus and chocolate at the local coop, that probably stocks five items from Israel from thousands.
    Number two, support or take-part (ROFLMAO) in war against Israel, just like we did against Libya (from behind).
    Number 3................?

    ReplyDelete

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