Daphne Anson: "BDS, Go Away, EcoStream Is Here To Stay!": In Brighton, Sussex Friends of Israel Take on the BDSers

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)

Sunday, 29 September 2013

"BDS, Go Away, EcoStream Is Here To Stay!": In Brighton, Sussex Friends of Israel Take on the BDSers

Yesterday, BDSers held demos in London and in Brighton against EcoStream.

In Brighton, where the BDS movement musters strong and nasty (see here for example) supporters of Israel were in no mood for keeping calm.

Have a look at this video, showing a big counter-demo by Sussex Friends of Israel against the BDS rabble protesting outside the EcoStream shop in Brighton. Roars of "BDS, Go Away, EcoStream is here to stay!" compete with the cries of "Free Palestine!" from the Israel-hating mob.

"Boycott the Boycotters!" and "Racist scum!" are heard from the good side, where Israeli flags abound.

(It's stuff to warms the cockles of many a pro-Israel heart!)

Meanwhile, John Lewis, arguably the best of the big department stores in London, and certainly the one that reports the best trading figures year after year, was the target of one of the anti-EcoStream demos: this video showing the action, but with no conversation recorded, has been uploaded by an anti-Israel activist of Jewish background, whose frequent comments on social media against Zionism and Zionists are often breathtakingly shameful in their intemperate, antisemitism-inducing nature.

Note how most passers-by on the video are literally that, shunning the anti-Israel propaganda on offer (which inevitably includes that ubiquitous, mendacious four-map set on a large placard).

Business for the Israel-haters is so slow that one female Israel-hater, a pashmina draped over ger hair in what is presumably a nod to Londonistan, looks at her watch, presumably out of boredom...

In the background can be seen a group of about half a dozen Israel-supporters, holding two Israeli flags.

They do appear to be keeping calm.

13 comments:

Daphne Anson29 September 2013 at 10:02
Jill, I received your comment and note the poster, but I've had to disable the post it was on, about the churches, because for some unknown reason part of the text from that post showed up across this post - very strange.
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Shirl in Oz29 September 2013 at 10:31
I was about to send you this.
What I find astounding is that the police allow the BDSers so close to the premises and so close to the Israel supporters.
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Anonymous29 September 2013 at 20:35
Brighton set a new Gold Standard in grass roots cross community Israel activism yesterday . I decided not to attend the London protest as I had a feeling something special was about to take place and I was not to be disappointed .
While the drop outs were still recovering from a night on the lash ( booze) not meeting up till 12.00 , the community had already commandeered all space outside the shop arranging trestle tables stacked full of beigels cakes biscuits and of course delicious soda stream drinks .
Other tables had well produced literature and flyers ready to hand out .
We had about 60-70 supporters , a great mix of the Jewish community with more arriving after Shul , and Christian Friends of Israel who are simply the best turning out every week rain or shine to counter the BDS hate brigade .
The BDS showed up around 12.30 having stopped off at a few soda stream stockists and doubtless a pub or two along the way . Their shock at seeing their pitch completely taken over by blue and white Star of David flags quickly turned to anger as they tried to get in among us but apart from the increasingly bizarre and clearly deranged tony Greenstein who was soon ejected from our midst , no BDS got even remotely close to the shop .
However the police did ensure that peace was maintained by forming a line between the two sides . BDS were forced to stand over the road . They had a megaphone but this was repeatedly drowned out by incredibly powerful renditions of David Melech Yisrael and Avinu Shalom Malechem from our side .
Naomi Wimborne Adrissi , Jews for Justice blah blah snuck in at one point to avail herself of the incredible food .
I waited till she had finished eating to tell her the biscuits were Israeli . Her face crumpled up and looked as if she was about to be sick - which of course she is .
The BDS eventually slunk off , tails between their legs , no doubt to console themselves with a prolonged liquid lunch .
They departed to the sounds of Hava Nagila and BDS fail ringing in their ears .
I was immensely proud to be with the Brighton Jewish community and CFI and to see what can be done to counter these hate filled fascists .
Well done one and all
Harvey Garfield
British Israel Coalition
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SFI30 September 2013 at 00:04
Great piece - thank you so much for your support.

We've added your blog to our website.
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mony30 September 2013 at 15:28
DEAR DAPHNE
thank u so much again and again from israel.
and great thanks to the pro israeli supporters.
mony
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Daphne Anson1 October 2013 at 13:05
Oh, joy! This is a great result (thanks, Shirlee!):
http://www.sussexfriendsofisrael.org/sussex-friends-of-israel-celebrate-bagels-against-bigotry-party/
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Daphne Anson2 October 2013 at 23:56
Nick Grey's article on BDS here:
http://www.thecommentator.com/article/4219/britain_s_failing_israel_boycott_campaign
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Unknown30 July 2016 at 01:50
Utter rubbish, Israel is a vile place, home to Satan, where children are kidnapped, raped by soldiers and politicians, Jewish and visitors, then murdered. In Europe, unlike iin the US, we have sussed you out. We will rid you from Europe, dispensing with your crook, thief, lying paedo way of life.
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Islamophobia is a false allegation of prejudice which is deployed to silence rational criticism based on actual facts about attitudes and practices within the Islamic world.
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The division of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) into three separate areas “A”, “B” and “C” was agreed on by Israel and the PLO pursuant to the Oslo Accords.
95% of the West Bank Arabs live in Areas A and B and their daily lives are under the total administration and control of the PLO since the Palestinian Authority was disbanded by Abbas in January 2013. The PLO has total security control in A and shares security control in B with Israel. Israel has total administrative and security control in C.
Israel is entitled to and will continue to take responsibility for the security of Jews living in the West Bank.
Jews were given the legal right to settle in the West Bank under article 6 of the Mandate for Palestine and article 80 of the UN Charter. They did so for decades until they were driven out in 1947 and not able to return there until 1967.
There are Arab roads only in the West Bank that Jews are not allowed to use. Jews are also forbidden from entering Area “A”. Selling land to Jews is forbidden by the PLO under pain of death. The PLO runs the daily lives of 95% of the West Bank Arabs and Hamas runs the daily lives of 100% of the Gazan Arabs. They have been under occupation – and subjugation – by these two evil groups for the last ten years and given no say in their future or any opportunity to elect others to lead them following the disastrous political decisions of their leaders over the past ten years. Hamas and the PLO do not accept the continued existence of a Jewish State and call for its disappearance.
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