Anti Boycott Law is Wrong

Here is a good example of being able to support Israel yet criticize an internal matter.

While I recognize the need to speak out against those that threaten to harm Israel, taking away the freedom to speak out is not the way to combat critics.

Throughout Israel's history, many have tried to organize boycotts against Israel.

This week the Knesset the Boycott Law. This law makes it possible to bring to court anyone who calls for an economic, academic or cultural boycott of the State of Israel, including Judea and Samaria, and sue them for damages. While the passing of the law may be constitutional, the cost of treading on the freedom of expression is questionable.

Jack Cohen's analysis is a good one:

The so-called "Boycott Bill" has been a major bone of contention between the right and the left in Israeli politics for some time. The right alleges that left-wing Israeli organizations are accepting donations from abroad to support the boycott of Israeli goods, institutions and academics, and that this is tantamount to treason. The left alleges that right-wing organizations also take donations from abroad that support the settlement movement, and that this undermines the chances of peace with the Palestinians. After much wrangling, the Boycott Bill was passed on Tuesday, but after it was greatly modified. Instead of criminalizing the use of foreign funds to influence Israeli policies, the Bill only opens such activities to civil suits. In other words, if an individual or an organization feels that it has been harmed by the use of foreign funds by an Israeli organization that is trying to influence Israeli policies, then they can sue in civil court. Since the Bill was supported by the Israel Beitanu faction, one of the first possible suits would be by an IB MK against Ahmed Tibi, an Arab MK who has been openly supporting the boycott movement from within Israel. Another possible suit would be by companies that are losing financially due to the boycott of their products against those supporting the boycott.

The left is now starting a campaign against the Bill on grounds of its constitutionality, in that it will be used to prevent the free expression of opinion in relation to the boycott. They claim that the Bill will be used to shut down critical voices on the left against Netanyahu's policies. They have brought a case against the Bill in the Supreme Court of Israel. There is serious discussion amongst lawyers as to the rightness of using legal means to stop foreign funds influencing Israeli policies. The argument of the supporters of the Bill is that these funds are used by enemies of Israel to influence Israeli policies and public opinion against valid Israeli activities, such as settlement on the West Bank and production there. It is pointed out that not only is Israeli settlement legal under international law (whatever the political considerations), but that it also gives work to thousands of Arabs who otherwise would have none. Also, to support the BDS movement from within Israel is aiding and abetting those who have the intention of destroying the Jewish State.

Whatever one's political opinion, the Bill will now be tested in court, and those who criticize Israel must acknowledge that Israel is a democratic country where the rule of law is paramount.

More insightful commentary by Jack Cohen

Here are some comments on the current situation:

1. We have a dilemma. The flotilla and fly-in activists are doing this to get publicity and to be provocative. We must be careful not to inadvertently give them publicity and show them that we are provoked. One measure of our success is if they are NOT mentioned in the news and on the TV. Let's not give them cause to think that they are successful. The flotilla is a flop, the fly-in has been stopped before it starts. The Israeli Govt. has been successful in its diplomatic moves (with Greece and with the airlines). Let's spread our word but with the minimum of fuss, let's keep a low profile for now.

2. The Palmer Report, that has not yet been officially issued by the UN, concludes that the Israeli blockade of Gaza is LEGAL according to international law and custom. This is the first UN enquiry that was really neutral (i.e. unlike the Goldstone Committee that was established by the UNHRC to investigate Israeli "war crimes" in Gaza). The PR mainly criticizes Turkey for conniving with the IHH Islamists, but it also criticizes Israel for the use of undue force (are the IDF allowed to defend themselves?) The publication has been delayed by mutual consent between Israel, Turkey and the UN for 3 weeks to allow Israel and Turkey to negotiate a post-flotilla agreement. Turkey demands an apology from Israel for killing its citizens, but Israel refuses to apologize since their citizens were deliberately violent and provoked IDF reaction. Maybe some compromise can be reached since both sides now apparently want to improve relations. If not the Report will be published and Turkey will bear the brunt of the criticism!

3. Opening a can of worms. The point should be made that any Government that votes for the establishment of a Palestinian State at the UN GA in September is opening a can of worms. If this were adopted then any dissident group could go to the UN and ask for independence once a precedent has been established. The Chechens in Russia, the Abkhazians in Georgia, the Native Americans in the US, the Hungarians in Romania, and so on. Palestine would be a bad precedent for all! Perhaps the countries of the world will realize this before they vote. But, if the Pals get a majority in the GA they still would need Security Council approval for actual recognition and joining the UN, and we know that at least the US would use its veto to prevent this.

4. If the Palestinians take unilateral action by going to the UN for recognition, Israel would be legally justified in cancelling the outcome of the Oslo Accords, and then annexing parts of the West Bank where its citizens live and that it needs for security purposes. If it doesn't, lacking any negotiations, the Palestinians will claim these areas as part of its State. FM Lieberman has stated this, but it is not clear that it is official Israeli Government policy. No doubt the US and others would look askance at any Israeli counter-action, but why should we sit still when the Palestinians are breaking all the rules set by the UN of bilateral negotiations accepted by both sides until now.

5. The failure of the flotilla and the "flightilla" (horrible word) is all a Jewish plot! Not only did we order the Greek Government to stop the boats in their harbors, but we also caused all European countries to shut their airports to the well-meaning useful idiots who wanted to visit "Palestine" (somewhere near Oz, its over the rainbow). So only about 120 idiots actually reached the wonderful Land of Israel and were temporary guests of the Israeli prison system, before being hastily expelled. But, here's the clincher, we also arranged the "hacking" scandal in Britain, the shootings by the Syrian Govt, the visit of the Royals to Canada and the US, all to take news attention away from the Gaza wannabees. It proves the Jews control the media. At least we seem to be successful this time.

"Israel's Peculiar Position"

Eric Hoffer was a longshoreman who turned into a philosopher, wrote columns for newspapers and some books. He was a non-Jewish American social philosopher. He was born in 1902 and died in 1983, after writing nine books and winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His first book, The True Believer, published in 1951, was widely recognized as a classic.

Eric Hoffer was one of the most influential American philosophers and free thinkers of the 20th Century. His books are still widely read and quoted today. Acclaimed for his thoughts on mass movements and fanaticism, Hoffer was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1983. Hopewell Publications awards the best in independent publishing across a wide range of categories, singling out the most thought provoking titles in books and short prose, on a yearly basis in honor of Eric Hoffer.

Here is one of his columns from 1968 -- 42 years ago! Some things never change!

"Israel's Peculiar Position"
by Eric Hoffer
Los Angeles Times, Sunday May 26, 1968, Section G-7.

The Jews are a peculiar people: things permitted to other nations are forbidden to the Jews.

Other nations drive out thousands, even millions of people and there is no refugee problem. Russia did it, Poland and Czechoslovakia did it.

Turkey threw out a million Greeks and Algeria a million Frenchman.

Indonesia threw out heaven knows how many Chinese and no one says a word about refugees.

But in the case of Israel , the displaced Arabs have become eternal refugees.

Everyone insists that Israel must take back every single one.

Arnold Toynbee calls the displacement of the Arabs an atrocity greater than any committed by the Nazis.

Other nations when victorious on the battlefield dictate peace terms.

But when Israel is victorious, it must sue for peace.

Everyone expects the Jews to be the only real Christians in this world.

Other nations, when they are defeated, survive and recover but should Israel be defeated it would be destroyed.

Had Nasser triumphed last June [1967], he would have wiped Israel off the map, and no one would have lifted a finger to save the Jews.

No commitment to the Jews by any government, including our own, is worth the paper it is written on.

There is a cry of outrage all over the world when people die in Vietnam or when two Blacks are executed in Rhodesia .

But, when Hitler slaughtered Jews no one demonstrated against him.

The Swedes, who were ready to break off diplomatic relations with America because of what we did in Vietnam , did not let out a peep when Hitler was slaughtering Jews.

They sent Hitler choice iron ore, and ball bearings, and serviced his troops in Norway.

The Jews are alone in the world.

If Israel survives, it will be solely because of Jewish efforts. And Jewish resources.

Yet at this moment, Israel is our only reliable and unconditional ally.

We can rely more on Israel than Israel can rely on us.

And one has only to imagine what would have happened last summer [1967] had the Arabs and their Russian backers won the war, to realize how vital the survival of Israel is to America and the West in general.

I have a premonition that will not leave me; as it goes with Israel so will it go with all of us.

Should Israel perish, the Holocaust will be upon us all.

Ten Talking Points about the second flotilla

Thanks belong to Jack Cohen for putting these together.

Here are ten talking points about the supposed second flotilla, which is being organized by anti-Israel activists to try to break the Israel naval blockade of Gaza. Please distribute (in your own words) to all your friends on e-mail and facebook.

1. NO Humanitarian crisis: The ostensible basis for having such a flotilla is because there is a "humanitarian crisis" in Gaza, in other words, people there are starving and there is not enough food or other supplies. This is entirely false! The International Red Cross representative in Gaza said several weeks ago that "there is NO humanitarian crisis in Gaza," she continued "this can be seen in the shops." Pictures and videos of Gaza that are widely available on the internet show clearly that Gaza's shops are full of food and goods.

2. Israel is sending hundreds of trucks and thousands of tons of food and medical supplies into Gaza on a daily basis (these are paid for and ordered by UWRA and other international agencies) . Not only does Israel supply all the basic food needs of Gazans, but Israel also supplies ample water and electricity from the Israeli grid. Many other goods (TVs, even cars) are smuggled in from Egypt including thru the many tunnels under the Egyptian-Gaza border.

3. Hamas is in a "state of war" with Israel. Hamas is a terrorist organization recognized by the UN, US, EU and UK, that denies Israel's right to exist and is mainly supported by the Iranian regime. One proof of this is that Hamas has fired ca. 8,000 rockets into Israel in the past 8 years, and the current "ceasefire" (since Israeli Operation Cast Lead) has been pronounced as a "temporary" ceasefire. Also, when rockets are still fired at Israeli territory aimed at Israeli towns in order to kill civilians, Hamas claims that they do not control all the extremist groups.

4. The Israeli blockade of Gaza is legal. Under international law it is legitimate for a country at war to blockade the territory of an enemy in order to prevent the supply of arms and personnel (for example the US blockaded Cuba). On board the Mavi Marmara was a group of trained Turkish extremist members of the IHH organization, that if they had been allowed to reach Gaza would have contributed to the armed forces of Hamas. Also, several large shipments of arms have been stopped on the seas by Israeli naval forces on their way to Gaza. Since the blockade is legal, to try to breach it is itself an illegal act.

5. Provocation. This flotilla is an obvious provocation intended to delegitimize Israel and deny Israel's right to defend itself. Some fo the boats do not have any cargo and most of the passengers call themselves "human rights activists" but in fact all of them are extreme anti-Israel campaigners. They see no evil anywhere except the lone Jewish State of Israel. They have no flotillas to the Arab ports of Banias in Syria and Misratah in Libya where ordinary civilians are being killed by the forces of their dictators, Assad and Gaddafi, and where there really are humanitarian crises.

6. The passengers have been inflitrated. According to reports, extremist Islamists have infiltrated among the passengers that consider themselves innocent "human rights activists," also known as "useful idiots." They ahve learned form experiecne, int eh frist flotilla all the extremists were concetrated on the Mavi Marmara and after attacking the Israeli commandos, seven of them were shot. The proof of this is that there was no violence aboard the other ships int eh first flotilla. They have learned this lesson and are now dispersed throughout the crew and passengers, so as to make matters mroe difficult for the ISraeli forces.

7. This flotilla is coming from Greece. The first flotilla or the Mavi Marmara flotilla came from Turkey, with Turkish Government covert support. This time for political reasons the Turkish Government decided not to support the flotilla and not to allow the Mavi Marmara (under the excuse that it was damaged!) to sail with the second flotilla. The IHH organization also officially dropped out. The Greek Government (beset by economic crisis) has not supported or cooperated with the second flotilla.

8. The size of the flotilla is reduced. There were plans for 12 ships and maybe 1,500 people on board. However, this number has dwindled down to 7 ships and ca. 250 people. According to reports one of the ships was sabotaged in its berth in Greece, having the propellor shaft cut. Noone knows who might have done this, if true. That leaves 6 ships, two of which left from France some days ago and are due to rendezvous with the others near Cyprus. Cyprus has refused to allow ships of the flotilla to dock there and will not allow them to use its territorial waters.

9. The sailing of the flotilla is delayed. According to reports the sailing of the flotilla (the four remaining boats from Greece) has been delayed by days and up to a week because of delays in obtaining the necessary maritime insurance and the shipping permits from the Greek port authorities.

10. International opinion has turned against the flotilla. The US and most European countries have come out against the flotilla, uging those who want to send humanitarian aid to do so through the legitimate routes, either the Israeli port of Ashdod or the Egyptian ports of Port Said or El Arish and thence by road thru the Rafah crossing into Gaza, with the agreement of the Egyptian authorities. Note that the Egyptians search any material destined for Gaza and check every individual to ensure that they are not terrorists. The US and other coutnries have warned their citizens not to participate in an illegal action in a war zone.