Protecting Israel from its citizens
The parliamentary investigative panel to examine organizations' funding sources actually have no interest in questions of legality and constitutionality. All they want is to delegitimize protest and political opinions, and to scare us.
By Avirama GolanOn Tuesday, a Knesset committee is due to approve on second and third readings the bill combating boycotts against Israel - another hysterical proposal by the right wing and Kadima MK Dalia Itzik designed to protect our weak and tiny country, which is being attacked from within and without.
"This law," explain the architects of the proposal, "is designed to protect the State of Israel in general and its citizens in particular from academic, economic and other boycotts that are imposed on the country, its citizens and corporations, due to their connection to the State of Israel." The law is designed to protect "the area under Israeli control, including Judea and Samaria." According to the bill, "It is forbidden to initiate a boycott against the State of Israel, to encourage participation in it or to provide assistance or information in order to promote it."
There is no problem, therefore, with a boycott by ultra-Orthodox consumers against supermarkets that open on Shabbat, or against a merchant whose sons serve in the Israel Defense Forces, even if it leads to their economic collapse. There might also not be a problem in boycotting fur exporters, for example. The only offense is "a boycott against the State of Israel," and in effect against the settlements, whose products are the object of most boycotts in Israel and the world over.
That being the case, the bill - which is certainly not constitutional (we can make an endless list of freedoms that it undermines ) - opposes even international agreements that Israel has signed. First among them is the agreement to join the OECD and the agreement with the European Union. These require that products be marked, distinguishing the Israeli economy from that of the territories.
But even someone who believes that a consumer boycott is legitimate while an academic boycott is a despicable tool that harms Israeli education's soft underbelly - someone who doesn't move a single stone from the wall of the occupation - can't support legislation that involves a consumer boycott directed only at the settlements, or silences anyone who demonstrates or speaks against them.
This is what will happen if the bill passes - and its chances are considerable despite the protest of many organizations, headed by the Coalition of Women for Peace and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel. A "talkbacker" on the Internet who complains, for example, about the economic burden caused by the settlements can expect a lawsuit from a settler who can claim that the comment promoted a boycott of his products. The writer will be fined at least NIS 30,000 and the plaintiff won't have to prove the link between what is written and the damage. Not to mention writers of articles and people who express opinions on radio and television.
Bizarre? Not compared to the next article: "If the interior minister sees someone who is not a citizen or a resident of Israel acting in contradiction to Article 2, or if the cabinet has decided by a majority of its members that such a person is imposing a boycott against the State of Israel, the interior minister is allowed to request the district court to deny that person the right to enter Israel for a period of at least 10 years." So what? Will Ken Loach beg to be allowed to attend the Haifa Film Festival and be denied entry?
In other times we could depend on the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee to reject such embarrassing texts out of hand. Not now. Questions of legality and constitutionality, freedom of expression and human rights are now dwarfed in light of the goal, whose distorted definition "protection of the State of Israel" justifies the means.
Behind this declared objective hides a more problematic one. The initiators of the glorious legislation of recent years - the Nakba law, the loyalty law, the community-admission-committee law, the denial of citizenship law ("the Bishara Law" ), the parliamentary investigative panel to examine organizations' funding sources - actually have no interest in questions of legality and constitutionality. All they want is to delegitimize protest and political opinions, and to scare us.
Although Israelis find it hard to see the connection among the laws, which ostensibly refer to different issues and communities, the violent rape of the law book caused by this legislation has destructive results. And these results - which are collapsing the foundations of Israeli democracy - will harm everyone in the end, without distinction.
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It's rapidly becoming just another corrupt, authoritarian, racist Middle East satrapy.
If someone claims the state of Israel has no right to exist, why should we let him come here?
I mean, apart from the kids who are paid to go there so they can be Hasbara-ized? In criminalizing criticism, Israel is just proving once again that it is not a democracy and hasn't the slightest resemblance to a democracy.
Another opinion: It is the left that has deligitimzed itself with its seditious attacks on its own country. It is of no matter whatsoever if it is the extreme left Israelis or the arab muslims (who have by some unknown miracle been given Israeli citizenship). These leftists of both camps have shot themselves in the feet. Their political demise and deligitimazation is on their own heads.
1. This law is pointless. The people whose boycott most affects Israel are not Israeli citizens and do not answer to Israeli law. It cannot accomplish anything it seeks to accomplish. 2. This law is clearly fascist. There is no other word to describe it. Sorry if this word offends some people, but if it walks and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.
Many people hold this point of view including: Azmi Bishara Hasan Nasralla Mordechai Vanunu
This is a good law. It is the legislator's role to protect the economy of Israel against traitors. All countries pass law for the defense of their interest. The BDS initiative is an attempt to delegitimize Israel.
The undermining of democracy in Israel by Israeli Arabs and extreme leftist Jews has endangered jews all over the world including in Holland and now moderate Jews had enough of it finally!!Prosecute those who undermine Israel!!
...it's not synonynous with "criticism" or "boycott".
""In the U.S. there is are laws aimed at preventing Americans from boycotting U.S. allies, including Israel. It appears that in light of the reality in Israel, we need a similar law that applies to Israeli citizens," said the bill's sponsors" - Haaretz// Now consideer ACTUAL reality: "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press" - US Constitution/ Israel has no constitution and crazy rightwingers can come up with all sorts of ideas which might endanger Israeli democracy and transform it into a McCarthyist state, or worse. This proposed law is directed against people who advocate, not only participate in, a boycott of Israeli institution. In the US, the law cannot stop the "advocacy", only the actual practice of boycott, because of Constitutional protection of free speech. But go and explain this fine difference to the right wing. Their law of course is actually aimed at speech. Israelis don't boycott Israel, they sometimes speak against policies of Israel and call for actions that would cause them to be changed, including boycott. It is fundamental that such speech be allowed to be heard. What is advocated may even be correct. Do Israelis want to hear about sanctions only when these finally take place?
The real reasons for the 'anti-boycott law' are plain. The law simple puts a protective layer of isolation between the producers in Israel and those who want to damage the economy. That is not unconstitutional. Nor does it undermine the rights of free speech, etc. The right that it does undermine is the 'right' of the enemies of Israel to participate in sedition which is a crime against the State of Israel just as it is a crime against any other state. The advantage of this new law is that it makes the penalty for this crime of sedition a civil penalty instead of a 'criminal' one. What's the difference? you might ask. That's a fair question. The difference is that a civil penalty is usually a fine (or compensation to the injured party) whereas a criminal penalty is usually incarceration and/or a fine paid to the State. So, how do you handle this matter? Tell the EU and others that "it's all Israel and it's all for the Jews!" And, since it's all Israel, there is no longer any such thing as the 'territories'.
...I'd already be fined NIS 30,000 just for having my blog. That's free speech?
A 'democracy' you say? Can Israel be the next to have a 'regime' change?
It is amazing: in Egypt, people fight for their freedom. In Israel, "the only democracy in the Middle East", democratic rights are deleted day after day. Maybe there is a political future for Mubarak in Israel...
Fair's fair.
The Knesset's new proposed legislation takes us back in time to the days of the US House Committee on Un-American Activities. Scary. I think I'll also protest, boycott, demonstrate now...
....to understand some of the less noble aspects of the BDS-movement. For one thing, they want us, Israel, to suffer the same sanctions that were directed against South Africa. Now, those who compare the apartheid with the israeli-palestinian conflict are doing a serious and stupid mistake. Our conflict is something else - it´s not the same as the one that were in South Africa. And please - don´t be naive: some of those that advocate this BDS-activity, doesn´t really think so much about the wall or the West Bank. They want simply to undermine the legitimacy of Israel. So if we still have some self-respect left, and don´t want to commit suicide and die, than we have to challenge those who wants to make Israel the ultimatie bad guy of the world. But the bill is bad. This is not the way to do it.
Laws like this GUARANTEE the end for Israel will not be an easy transition, but a violent mess. Keep deluding yourselves, oh guests of Palestine. The best among you will leave. You will drive away anyone useful from joining you. You will be left with insane settler-type who's instigation of the destruction of Israel will be at your own encouragement. Peace to all and boycott now!
The quicker Avirama Golan and the likes of her leave the better for Israel. Israel does not need woolly liberal Stalinists. Their time is nearing the end, in spite of being bank rolled by the Arab money.
Ireland cares about Israel---the 1947 version and wants to save Israel from itself. Of course Israeli Jews do not see it that way and seek to denegrate Irish efforts to save them from themselves. Some day-- sooner then they think they will thank us for our persistence. Your welcome.
You need somebody to look down your noses at. So smug, so self rightous, so pious - from safe and secure Ireland
clashes at the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The IRA are still active and terrorism is still existent. One of the fundamental differences between the two peoples is a religious matter. Does any of this ring a bell? Ireland is trying to tell Israel that they need a reality check, or else they will end up in the same boat.
Israel can learn much from the peace process in Ireland and while Israel's deep-rooted fear is understandable, it gets in the way of clear and logical thinking. The oppression of the Palestinians and annexation of their lands for Jewish settlements guarantees ongoing strife. The rights of Israelis do not take precedence over those of their neighbours.
While the rest of the region seems to be embracing the notion of democracy, Israel is galloping away with all its might from the definition of the word. Though of course, it'll still try and argue that it's the most democratic nation in the world... oh well, guess I might as well while I still can : BOYCOTT BOYCOTT BOYCOTTTTTT!!!!
to boycott the hell out of Israel!
not be more appropriate to wait and see what the Knesset does as far as passing or not passing these laws--which are only "proposed" at this point--before taking any action? (Of course, if they DO pass them--well, then heck--acts DO lead to other acts--or so I keep hearing lots of REALLY shrill voices saying.)