Boycott Israel


No love for “Palestine”…

9FB13FF7-F9AF-4B86-AEBE-D894D9872544.jpeg
 
The boycott, divestment, sanctions (BDS) movement hinders peace in the Middle East and keeps Palestinians down, human rights activist Bassem Eid told students at Duke University on Sunday.

As first reported by The Duke Chronicle, Eid, a Palestinian native and chairman of The Center for Near East Policy Research, was invited to the university by Students Supporting Israel (SSI), which last year survived an attempted cancellation that began when former Duke Student Government (DSG) president Christina Wang vetoed legislation to grant the club official recognition.


During the event at Zener Auditorium, Eid accused progressive organizations, including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), of leveraging the Palestinian plight to aggrandize and enrich themselves, charging that “they are using us.”

“Those people live in their warm houses, you know, in Virginia, Los Angeles, in the UK, and they have no problem from time to time to give a speech on behalf of Palestinians,” he said. “The BDS movement is people who used to be jobless and they found a job forever. If the Israeli-Palestine conflict is solved, all of the BDS members will be jobless and refugees.”

(full article online)

 
The vegan dog food company Hownd announced this week that it was ending its three-year sponsorship deal with the English soccer club Forest Green Rovers after the team raised Palestinian flags and displayed anti-Israel banners at its matches.

In April, the Jewish owner of Hownd, Mark Hirschel, attended a Forest Green Rovers home match with his two sons, ages 20 and 17, at New Lawn Stadium in Gloucestershire when the Palestinian flag was on display. Hownd was sponsoring the game as part of an annual commitment that is in the company’s three-year sponsorship deal with the soccer team, which was signed in August 2021.

“We were wined and dined before the game and were in the club’s function room with [club owner] Dale [Vince] and about 100 other VIP guests. Suddenly, my youngest son spotted a Palestinian flag flying high above one of the stands and told me,” Hirschel told the London-based Jewish Chronicle. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was shocked and very surprised.”

He added, “In hindsight, I should have taken it up with Dale immediately, grabbed the boys and walked out, but at the time I didn’t want to act in haste. I watched the game, just wanting it to be over so I could leave the ground … When I got home, I spoke to my business partner, who is also Jewish, and we agreed to write a formal letter to Dale asking him for an explanation.”

Vince explained the decision to raise the Palestinian flag in a Twitter post on April 18. He wrote, “We flew this flag at Rovers’ game today. In solidarity with Palestine. The conflict there has all the same ingredients as the one in Ukraine — invasion, occupation, murder of civilians, destruction of homes and hospitals — and sieges.”

“Palestine has been under siege by Israel – by air, land and sea, for decades,” he additionally claimed. “The US allows this, pumps billions into Israel to support it’s [sic] economy and military and uses its veto to block any meaningful action by the UN. What’s happening there is a disgrace to nations that collectively self identify as the ‘West’. It stands in stark contradiction to ‘our’ claims to moral superiority, civilization and democratic values.”

Vince has repeatedly flown a Palestinian flag at the New Lawn Stadium, where Rovers, who compete in England’s League One, play their home games.

Then in May, Vince invited Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian Mission to the United Kingdom, to Rovers home match at the New Lawn Stadium for an interview on the field. During their chat Vince expressed his solidarity with Palestinians and Zomlot thanked Vince for raising the Palestinian flag at the team’s game. Zomlot also claimed that “the field of sports in Palestine is suffering under the Israeli military occupation,” and invited Vince and the entire FGR team to visit “Palestine to have a friendly game in the occupied city of Jerusalem.” Behind the two men were digital advertisements that read, “End the invasion and occupation of Palestine.”


UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) argued in a letter to Forest Green Rovers and the Football Association’s CEO Mark Bullingham in May that flying the Palestinian flag and using anti-Israel advertising boards is a breach of the club’s charter and FA’s equality policy that prohibits discrimination based on nationality.

Vince responded to UKLFI in his own letter in July. He told the pro-Israel group, “Criticism of the state of Israel does not amount to racism in any form or to any degree. It is simply criticism of the state of Israel … Your claim that Israel gives equal rights to all people is clearly nonsense. It’s not for nothing that the situation there is increasingly compared to apartheid. I regard your letter as devoid of any proper argument or merit and as a simple attempt to intimidate — and such is often the way when people speak out in support of Palestine.”

An FA spokesperson said the association has “reviewed” the anti-Israel advertisings from May and has determined that they are not in breach of its regulations, The Jewish Chronicle noted.
The fruit drinks giant Innocent, owned by Coca-Cola, also ended its sponsorship with the soccer club in May, just weeks after the match that Hirschel attended with his sons. However, a spokesperson for Innocent told The Jewish Chronicle that the move was “independent of political stances.” The spokesperson said: “The decision had already been made to not renew Innocent’s sponsorship.”



 
Dear Mr. Bach,

Re: IOC support for the Palestine Olympic Committee

We the undersigned were shocked and disappointed to read that you have met with the chairman of the Palestinian Olympic Committee Jibril Rajoub and offered to increase financial support to the Palestinian Olympic Committee. In normal circumstances, we would, of course, have no reservation about the desire to promote Palestinian sports as a means to further and realize the noble Olympic goals and values. However, these are not normal circumstances. At the head of the Palestine Olympic Committee stands Jibril Rajoub. If you would know who Jibril Rajoub is, and the values that he represents, we are confident you would not have made this error in judgment and not have agreed that the IOC participate and fund outright racism that undermines and rejects the most basic of Olympic values.

Jibril Rajoub is an anti-semite who violates the most important humanistic values, including values that are particularly important for you as a German, in addition to violating the principles of the International Olympic Committee.

Comparing Israeli behavior to Nazism is one of the examples in the IHRA definition of “Antisemitism” which has been adopted by countries across Europe including Germany. German Chancellor Scholz recently said he was “disgusted” by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ libel that Israel committed “50 holocausts” which he called “outrageous… intolerable and unacceptable.”

Similar to Abbas, Jibril Rajoub constantly compares Israel and its actions to the Nazis and their actions. Inter alia, Rajoub has said in his various public speeches that Israel's “prisons are an identical copy of Auschwitz and the death camps”; "Auschwitz is here in every city in Palestine”; Israelis are “the ugly face of Nazism, which is this Zionism”; “new Nazis”; “model of the fascist and Nazi thinking”; “Nazi state terror”; "What is happening in Palestine is a second Holocaust”.

Regarding Israeli leaders Rajoub continues: “Netanyahu, the ugly face of Mussolini and Hitler” “Mussolini was a kindergarten compared to Netanyahu,” and even libeled our organization: “Palestinian Media Watch, whose director is Goebbels.” (All full quotes follow below.)

In addition, as a fundamental policy, the Palestine Olympic Committee under Rajoub, rejects the Olympic Committee Charter and Code of Ethics by both prohibiting Palestinians from participating in sports with Israelis and condemning Arab states that do participate in sports with Israel.

In furtherance of this policy, Rajoub even praised Algerian judoka Fethi Nourine for withdrawing from the Olympic competition in 2021 rather than face an Israeli: “There is no place for meeting with anyone who is connected to this official terror (i.e., Israel), not in sports and not outside of sports. I hope that this will be a message to all the Arabs who are normalizing and those who are rushing [towards normalizing sports with Israel].”

On both of these subjects, Palestinian Media Watch submitted official complaints to the IOC that are still pending. The complaints can be accessed here and here.

The statements that follow are just a handful of statements made by Rajoub in which he displayed his blatant racism, constantly comparing Israel to the Nazis and the actions of the Nazis, most specifically the creation of death camps such as Auschwitz, to the actions of Israel. In fact, Rajoub even preempted PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in making the claim, that “disgusted” German Chancellor Scholz, that Israel is committing a “Holocaust” against the Palestinians.

Needless to say, this claim, as PMW conclusively proved, is entirely baseless. While in the Holocaust the Jews of Europe were decimated, under Israel, the Palestinian population has consistently grown, some would even argue, at an unusually high rate.

The statements of Rajoub included herein, that reflect his outright racism and his rejection of IOC goals, are nothing new. Rather they are part of his decade-long abuse of Palestinian sports. During his crusade, Rajoub has even used sports, used the Olympics, as a means to promote hatred and as a means to incite violence and terror. Rajoub’s history of promoting hatred, violence and terror, can be found in thisPMW report.

Additional examples of Rajoub’s promotion and support for terror, his collaboration with internationally designated terror organizations, his glorification of terrorists and his rejection of Israel’s right to exist, can be found, inter alia, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

As the world and the IOC mark 50 years since Palestinian terrorists murdered 11 Israeli athletes in the Munich Olympics, it would not only be a mistake, but rather a disgrace, for the IOC to now fund one of the foremost Palestinian vehicles that promote the hatred of Jews, racism, and violence.

Since our goal is not to damage the development of Palestinian sport, but rather to root out hatred and racism, we call on you to immediately announce the freezing of the IOC support to the Palestinian Olympic Committee, until Rajoub is permanently removed from his position as the Chairman of the Palestinian Olympic Committee. By doing so, the IOC would give the Palestinian Olympic Committee the opportunity to choose development and prosperity, accepting an embracing the IOC goals and values, or to choose hatred and racism, rejecting the IOC goals and values.

The following are some examples of Rajoub’s anti-semitic comments comparing Israel to the Nazis:

Israel is a “fascist,” “racist” country equivalent to the Nazis

Instead of celebrating the opening of the 2022 Palestine Marathon, Rajoub chose to label Israel as “fascist,” “racist” and compared Zionism to Nazism:

Chairman of the Palestinian Olympic Committee and Fatah Central Committee Secretary Jibril Rajoub: “We are conveying a message to the world: The time has come to confront this fascist racist occupation… The international legitimacy is one, and it must be implemented against the ugly face of Nazism, which is this Zionism and this racist fascist occupation...
The time has come for the new Nazis who are working to eliminate the Palestinian people to leave or to be confronted.”
[Facebook page of Fatah Central Committee Secretary Jibril Rajoub, March 18, 2022]
He made a similar comment in January 2022:

(full article online)



 
I buy Israeli goods at every opportunity. My support for Israel is unconditional. The only Palestinians I care about are the Christian Palestinians. I think the rest should have been deported immediately after the Six Day War in 1967, and the land Israel conquered should have been formally annexed.

 

Portraying Sarsour as Victim​

Depicting Sarsour as the victim of Russian disinformation, the story begins by emotively recounting how Sarsour awoke one morning, “glanced at the internet and felt sick.” Beleaguered by “a torrent of focused grievance that targeted her,” Sarsour asked, “’Do they really hate me that much?’”

Readers are informed that Sarsour is a longtime “activist, largely advocating for the rights of Muslims” who was likely singled out for online attacks because her “hijab marked her as an observant Muslim.” The message? Sarsour was the victim of Islamophobia in a Russian campaign that circulated “damning, often fabricated” narratives about her. Readers are told of the losses Sarsour suffered as a result:

“[Sarsour] is seldom invited to national platforms these days, and when she is, protests often follow. Whatever buzz there was around her as a future political candidate has quieted. She knows how she is seen, as a polarizing figure. She has adjusted to this reality, and sees herself more as an activist, in the mold of Angela Davis.
‘I’m never going to get a real job,’ at a major nonprofit or a corporation, she said. ‘That’s the kind of impact that these things have on our lives.’”
The article appears to be an attempt to rehabilitate Sarsour’s toxic reputation by presenting her as a tragic victim of Russia’s interference. And while reporter Ellen Barry acknowledges that some criticism of Sarsour was also “organic,” she implies that it came primarily from “pro-Israeli politicians” or Democratic supporters of Israel over Sarsour’s “criticism” of the Jewish state and her support of a Palestinian rights group – which is how the reporter characterizes the antisemitic BDS movement.

The article deceives readers.

Misrepresenting BDS​

Barry writes that:

“[Featuring Linda Sarsour at a Sanders campaign event] troubled pro-Israel politicians in New York, who pointed to her support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to secure Palestinian rights by isolating Israel. Critics of the movement contend that it threatens Israel’s existence.” [emphasis added]
Asserting as fact in her reporter’s voice that the BDS movement “seeks to secure Palestinian rights,” Barry suggests that its threat to Israel’s existence is just an argument used by opponents to discredit the movement.

But it is not merely BDS critics who contend the movement threatens Israel’s existence. Leaders and proponents of the BDS movement firmly maintain that the primary goal of BDS is to end Israel’s existence. For example:

Co-founder Omar Barghouti insists that

“A Jewish state in Palestine, in any shape or form, cannot but contravene the basic rights of the land’s indigenous Palestinian population…definitely, most definitely, we oppose a Jewish state in any part of Palestine. No Palestinian – rational Palestinian, not a sellout Palestinian—will ever accept a Jewish state in Palestine.” (See: Omar Barghouti – Strategies for Change)
Paul Larudee, treasurer of the Association for Investment in Popular Action Committees, a funding corporation for BDS groups and activities, explains:

“Our corporation boycotts all Israeli products and services, and encourages other institutions, companies and individuals to cease and avoid all economic, academic and cultural activity that supports the racist state of Israel until that state dissolves itself, welcomes all Palestinians to return to their homes, restores all of their property and pays damages for the harm it has done to Palestinians and their property.” [emphasis added]


(full article online)



 
The first-ever free trade agreement (FTA) between Israel and an Asian country is set to go into effect on Dec. 1, Israel’s Economy Ministry announced on Wednesday.

The announcement comes after South Korea’s National Assembly on Tuesday ratified the FTA with Israel, marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The trade deal is Korea’s first in the Middle East.

(full article online)


 
A bilateral agreement for energy cooperation between Israel and Moroccowas signed on Thursday at Bar-Ilan University (BIU) in Ramat Gan, with Education Minister Dr. Yifat Shasha-Biton looking on. Signing the document were the head of the liaison office of the Kingdom of Morocco to the State of Israel Abderrahim Beyyoudh and BIU president Prof. Arie Zaban.


Also in attendance was a Moroccan delegation of senior officials and scientists, leading Israeli scientists from seven universities, Israel Aerospace Industries board chairman Amir Peretz and senior Israeli energy company officials.


What will come out of the agreement?​

Bilateral joint research will be conducted on rechargeable batteries, recycling, solar energy and the hydrogen economy, as well as solving Morocco’s major challenge of storing and transporting its energy to neighboring countries including Spain. Morocco has set a goal of producing 52% of its electricity through renewable energy by 2030.

(full article online)

 
Hundreds of Palestinians poured out of Jerusalem’s Old City on a recent weekday carrying two open caskets, painted in deep green and emblazoned with Quranic verses, to the Muslim cemetery just outside the Lion’s Gate.

Fighting against the mourning tide, both literally and figuratively, a group of 12 Pakistani visitors slowly made their way into the ancient city, each step bringing them closer to fulfilling a lifelong dream.

The delegation of Pakistani community leaders touring the country as part of a regional peace initiative arrived in Israel last Sunday for a six-day visit designed to foster deeper ties between the two countries, which do not have diplomatic relations.

(full article online)


 
Spain’s fight to eradicate antisemitism notched two significant legal victories this week.

On Monday, the Supreme Court of Spain ruled that the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel is discriminatory, upholding a lower court decision from a case the Action and Communication on the Middle East (ACOM) brought to nullify “Apartheid Free Zones” established in 2016 by the City Council of Reinosa in Cantabria when it endorsed BDS.

On Wednesday, the Congress of Deputies, Spain’s parliament lower house of parliament, advanced legislation that would ban organizations engaging in antisemitic activities as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism from receiving public grants and government contracts and subsidies. The IHRA definition includes instances of anti-Zionism among its examples.

If passed by the Senate, the bill, first proposed by the Assembly of Madrid, will effectively prevent pro-BDS groups from receiving state support.

(full article online)

 

Forum List

Back
Top