Germany designates BDS Israel boycott movement as anti-Semitic

[rooster59]

Germany designates BDS Israel boycott movement as anti-Semitic

By Joseph Nasr and Riham Alkousaa

 

FILE PHOTO: Visitors walk inside the glass dome of the Reichstag building, the seat of the German lower house of parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Germany, January 12, 2018. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke - RC180CE99100/File Photo

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German parliament voted on Friday to condemn as anti-Semitic a movement that calls for economic pressure on Israel to end the occupation of Palestinian land, grant Arab citizens equal rights and recognise the right of return of Palestinian refugees.

 

In a move welcomed by Israel, a majority of lawmakers in the Bundestag voted in favour of a motion to label the international Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement as an entity that uses anti-Semitic tactics to fulfil its political goals.

 

"The argumentation patterns and methods used by the BDS movement are anti-Semitic," read the motion submitted by Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, their Social Democrat coalition partners as well as the Greens and Free Democrats.

 

Securing Israel's survival has been a priority for Germany since the defeat of the Nazi dictatorship that committed the Holocaust, in which an estimated six million Jews were murdered.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the Bundestag decision in a statement on Twitter.

 

"I hope that this decision will bring about concrete steps and I call upon other countries to adopt similar legislation," he said in a statement on Twitter.

 

The BDS condemned the motion as anti-Palestinian.

 

"The German establishment is entrenching its complicity in Israel's crimes of military occupation, ethnic cleansing, siege and apartheid, while desperately trying to shield it from accountability to international law," it said on Twitter.

 

Lawmakers from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party abstained during the symbolic vote. They had submitted their own motion calling for a total ban of the BDS in Germany. That motion was defeated.

 

A majority of the far-left Die Linke party voted against the motion. The party also submitted its own proposal, which called to oppose the BDS and commit the German government to work towards a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on U.N. Security Council resolutions. Its motion was also defeated.

 

The latest battle between the BDS and the Israeli government has been over the Eurovision Song Contest final, which takes place in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

 

In the run-up to the event, the BDS has called on artists, music fans and broadcasters to avoid the event, arguing it amounts to "whitewashing" Israel's policies towards Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

 

With Friday's Bundestag motion, Germany has effectively backed Israel's position that international boycotts are discriminatory and anti-Semitic.

 

The motion said a BDS campaign calling for Israeli products to be labelled with "Don't Buy" stickers was reminiscent of the Nazi-era boycott of Jewish businesses, known in German as "Judenboykott", which used slogans such as: "Don't buy from Jews."

 

Israel's ambassador to Germany, Jeremy Issacharoff, welcomed the Bundestag decision.

 

"It (the motion) has broader European significance given that BDS makes no attempt to build coexistence and peace between Israel and all of its neighbors," he wrote on Twitter.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-18

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[Pedrogaz]

I have been a proud member of BDS for a few years now. It aims to fight against the anti-Palestinian policies of the Israeli government. Their policies are racist and apartheid and like South Africa 30 to 50 years ago should be subject to sanctions. 

I personally have not bought anything made in Israel for many years now. When I discovered that Apple use some Israeli parts in their iPhones and computers, I stopped buying Apple as well. 

IT really is time to settle this conflict equitably and the only equitable way is a two state solution with Israel returning all annexed land.

[Morch]

4 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

I have been a proud member of BDS for a few years now. It aims to fight against the anti-Palestinian policies of the Israeli government. Their policies are racist and apartheid and like South Africa 30 to 50 years ago should be subject to sanctions. 

I personally have not bought anything made in Israel for many years now. When I discovered that Apple use some Israeli parts in their iPhones and computers, I stopped buying Apple as well. 

IT really is time to settle this conflict equitably and the only equitable way is a two state solution with Israel returning all annexed land.

 

I'm sure you're proud, but also not particularly informed. The amount of Israeli-related stuff in tech and medicine makes it quite difficult to avoid all related products. People into this nonsense usually focus on the more obvious, or convenient objects. Let's just say that not buying anything made in Israel doesn't really cover it. But whatever gets you through the day.

 

With regard to BDS rhetoric and politics, it usually inhabits the more extreme version of "solutions" - with a strong showing of half-cooked one-state notions. In the same manner, it is rather hard to claim wishing for peaceful, cooperative solutions when engaging in the sort of extreme rhetoric such as appearing in the post above.  

 

As for the German decision - I wouldn't label all BDS efforts and activists as being about antisemitism. There's obviously quite a lot of that, yes - but bundling everyone together is usually a bad move.

 

[PingRoundTheWorld]

About time. BDS and it's supporters are almost all anti-Semitic. The entire organization reeks of it.

 

19 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

the only equitable way is a two state solution with Israel returning all annexed land.

Israel tried that before - many times - and every time they did they paid with blood as the Palestinians don't want a two-state solution. They want a ONE state solution, without Jews. And so does BDS.

 

Israel does what it does for security reasons, not apartheid or a desire to "rule" Palestinians. The average Israeli couldn't care less about the occupied territories EXCEPT that they are being used to launch attacks (rockets) against Israel on a regular basis. 20% of Israel's citizens are Muslim arabs, and a few percent are Christian as well. None are persecuted or discriminated against on a systemic level, and they are free to work and move about as any other citizen. Israel is the only real democracy in the region, and Israeli-Arab citizens have their own political parties and MPs in the government.

[the guest]

Religion .... the bane of Mankind !

[JCauto]

5 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

I have been a proud member of BDS for a few years now. It aims to fight against the anti-Palestinian policies of the Israeli government. Their policies are racist and apartheid and like South Africa 30 to 50 years ago should be subject to sanctions. 

I personally have not bought anything made in Israel for many years now. When I discovered that Apple use some Israeli parts in their iPhones and computers, I stopped buying Apple as well. 

IT really is time to settle this conflict equitably and the only equitable way is a two state solution with Israel returning all annexed land.

So Israel disgusts you so much that you actively boycott their products; it's good that you have principles and put them into action. But must be difficult, no? You obviously are outraged and angry about the ongoing slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Yemeni by the Saudi's, with the support of the USA which is clearly much worse of a violation. How do you avoid Saudi oil products and USA manufactured products or internet apps? Must be very complicated to navigate this in a practical way. Oh, and then of course there's the Russians and their annexing of the Crimea and causing the deaths of hundreds there, shooting down passenger planes etc. No Russian products for a principled man like you! Now the Chinese and their concentration camps for the Uighers. How appalling that we find ourselves using the words "concentration camps" again, eh? So no Chinese stuff for you, right?

Or not. After all, they're not Jews.

[Jingthing]

I think the Germans got it right.

 

 

 

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[up-country_sinclair]

The BDS movement is not anti-semitic, and this designation is clearly the handiwork of Israeli lobbyists.  Money talks in politics. It's all about the Benjamins.

[sanemax]

5 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

I have been a proud member of BDS for a few years now. It aims to fight against the anti-Palestinian policies of the Israeli government. Their policies are racist and apartheid and like South Africa 30 to 50 years ago should be subject to sanctions. 

I personally have not bought anything made in Israel for many years now. When I discovered that Apple use some Israeli parts in their iPhones and computers, I stopped buying Apple as well. 

IT really is time to settle this conflict equitably and the only equitable way is a two state solution with Israel returning all annexed land.

Computer firewalls were invented by an Israeli , whilst working for the IDF .

I do hope that you switch your firewall off , rather than picking and choosing what you want to boycott .

   Numerous medicines have been invented in Israel as well . I do hope that you know which ones , so that if one day you need life saving medicines made in Israel, you can decline receiving them  

[sanemax]

6 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

I have been a proud member of BDS for a few years now. 

Here is a list of things that you need to boycott 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Israeli_inventions_and_discoveries

[Morch]

5 hours ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

About time. BDS and it's supporters are almost all anti-Semitic. The entire organization reeks of it.

 

Israel tried that before - many times - and every time they did they paid with blood as the Palestinians don't want a two-state solution. They want a ONE state solution, without Jews. And so does BDS.

 

Israel does what it does for security reasons, not apartheid or a desire to "rule" Palestinians. The average Israeli couldn't care less about the occupied territories EXCEPT that they are being used to launch attacks (rockets) against Israel on a regular basis. 20% of Israel's citizens are Muslim arabs, and a few percent are Christian as well. None are persecuted or discriminated against on a systemic level, and they are free to work and move about as any other citizen. Israel is the only real democracy in the region, and Israeli-Arab citizens have their own political parties and MPs in the government.

 

There are quite a few Jews, and even Israelis supporting the BDS movement. Does that make them anti-Semites?

 

Regardless of what the Palestinians may want, or what the BDS movement might push, Israel didn't quite "tried that before", certainly not many times. Employing a false narrative to counter a false narrative is not really helpful.

 

And no, the currently occupied Palestinian territories (ie, the West Bank) are not used to launch rocket attacks against Israel. There originate from the Gaza Strip, which isn't occupied by Israeli forces. There's quite a lot to be said about this, but probably not directly related to BDS-Germany thing.

[Morch]

22 minutes ago, up-country_sinclair said:

The BDS movement is not anti-semitic, and this designation is clearly the handiwork of Israeli lobbyists.  Money talks in politics. It's all about the Benjamins.

 

There's enough convergence to make your own wholesale comment about as accurate as labeling all BDS supporters as anti-Semites. And in case there was a doubt where you stand, there goes the meme. Not expecting you'll actually bother to substantiate it, but eh...

[sanemax]

5 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

There are quite a few Jews, and even Israelis supporting the BDS movement. Does that make them anti-Semites?

 

 

There are some Jews/Israelis who oppose the being of the Israeli state for Religious reasons , *Israel shouldnt be in existence until the Messiah returns and leads to the creation of an Israeli Jewish state* or whatever .

   That is their reason for opposing the being of a current Israeli state .

Why would a German oppose the current Israeli state ?

[bristolboy]

4 minutes ago, sanemax said:

There are some Jews/Israelis who oppose the being of the Israeli state for Religious reasons , *Israel shouldnt be in existence until the Messiah returns and leads to the creation of an Israeli Jewish state* or whatever .

   That is their reason for opposing the being of a current Israeli state .

Why would a German oppose the current Israeli state ?

Those are not the Jews Morch is referring to. I doubt the Haredim care one way or anothe about BDS. Here is one link, There are plenty of others

https://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/jvp-supports-the-bds-movement/

[Morch]

3 minutes ago, sanemax said:

There are some Jews/Israelis who oppose the being of the Israeli state for Religious reasons , *Israel shouldnt be in existence until the Messiah returns and leads to the creation of an Israeli Jewish state* or whatever .

   That is their reason for opposing the being of a current Israeli state .

Why would a German oppose the current Israeli state ?

 

Somehow doubt this refers to the majority of Jews/Israelis who support the BDS. Nor does it explain if Jews holding such religious views are anti-Semites, or what to make of all them Jewish/Israeli BDS supporters who don't belong with such groups. No idea what your ending question got to do with my post, sorry.

[Scott]

Off-topic post with video reported and removed.

 

[sanemax]

Just now, Morch said:

 

Somehow doubt this refers to the majority of Jews/Israelis who support the BDS. Nor does it explain if Jews holding such religious views are anti-Semites, or what to make of all them Jewish/Israeli BDS supporters who don't belong with such groups. No idea what your ending question got to do with my post, sorry.

Although this thread is about the German Government making a ruling about Germans in Germany , nothing to do with Jews or Israelis .

[sanemax]

7 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Those are not the Jews Morch is referring to. I doubt the Haredim care one way or anothe about BDS. Here is one link, There are plenty of others

https://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/jvp-supports-the-bds-movement/

So, * I have the same opinion as some Jews , they cannot be anti-semetic and that makes me not an anti-semite*

   Could be some flaws in that logic there

[Jingthing]

The fact that there are some Jews that support BDS in no way proves that BDS isn't an inherently antisemitic movement.

 

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[Morch]

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

The fact that there are some Jews that support BDS in no way proves that BDS isn't an inherently antisemitic movement.

 

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The BDS movement is hardly a unified construct. So it's quite easy to focus on extreme or moderate elements as to support this view or that. I think many of the people supporting it aren't anti-Semites, and that many aren't even all that informed when with regard to troubling parts of BDS ideology/cause.

[Morch]

20 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Although this thread is about the German Government making a ruling about Germans in Germany , nothing to do with Jews or Israelis .

 

Nothing to do with, says poster.

[bristolboy]

21 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

The fact that there are some Jews that support BDS in no way proves that BDS isn't an inherently antisemitic movement.

 

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But it certainly doesn't help prove that it is.

[sanemax]

58 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

The BDS movement is hardly a unified construct. So it's quite easy to focus on extreme or moderate elements as to support this view or that. I think many of the people supporting it aren't anti-Semites, and that many aren't even all that informed when with regard to troubling parts of BDS ideology/cause.

OK, China , they treat their Tibetan/Uigar minorities much worse then Israel treats the Palestinians .

   I am sure that most people are aware of the plight of the Tibetans , land annexed , culture destroyed , Tibet being settled in by Han Chinese from other parts of China , its Religious leaders being replaced by Chinese impostors , the Chinese treatment of Tibetans is much worse then Israelis treat Palestinians .

   The same could be said of numerous other Countries and minorities  , white farmers in Zimbabwe , Marsh Arabs/Kurds in Arabia , Rohinyga in Myanmar , even the Dalit low caste in India .

   Numerous peoples get treated worse than the Palestinians .

Where are the movements to boycott China , Myanmar , Zimbabwe ect ?

Why do BDS supporters only boycott Israel ? 

Is it just a coincidence that Israel is a Jewish nation or do they support BDS BECAUSE Israel is a Jewish Nation ? ?

[Jingthing]

But it certainly doesn't help prove that it is.

Let me put it this way. Gay republicans. They exist but their existence does not prove that the republican party is not an anti gay civil rights party. I agree that not every supporter of BDS is an antisemite but overall the movement is.

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[bristolboy]

14 minutes ago, sanemax said:

OK, China , they treat their Tibetan/Uigar minorities much worse then Israel treats the Palestinians .

   I am sure that most people are aware of the plight of the Tibetans , land annexed , culture destroyed , Tibet being settled in by Han Chinese from other parts of China , its Religious leaders being replaced by Chinese impostors , the Chinese treatment of Tibetans is much worse then Israelis treat Palestinians .

   The same could be said of numerous other Countries and minorities  , white farmers in Zimbabwe , Marsh Arabs/Kurds in Arabia , Rohinyga in Myanmar , even the Dalit low caste in India .

   Numerous peoples get treated worse than the Palestinians .

Where are the movements to boycott China , Myanmar , Zimbabwe ect ?

Why do BDS supporters only boycott Israel ? 

Is it just a coincidence that Israel is a Jewish nation or do they support BDS BECAUSE Israel is a Jewish Nation ? ?

But none of those nations are considered close allies of the United States and Western Europe, are they? None of them have benefited from preferential treatment the the way Israel has been treated. And it's a pretty weak justification for Israel's disgraceful treatment of the Palestinians to say it could be worse.

[bristolboy]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

So, * I have the same opinion as some Jews , they cannot be anti-semetic and that makes me not an anti-semite*

   Could be some flaws in that logic there

Certainly some flaws in your sentence structure. Could you try again to make clear what you were trying to say?

[Bluespunk]

7 hours ago, the guest said:

Religion .... the bane of Mankind !

Mankind is the bane of mankind. Religion’s just an excuse. 

[sanemax]

Just now, bristolboy said:

But none of those nations are considered close allies of the United States and Western Europe, are they? None of them have benefited from preferential treatment the the way Israel has been treated. And it's a pretty weak justification for Israel's disgraceful treatment of the Palestinians to say it could be worse.

Chinese , Zimbabwe and Myanmar are not "White" Countries , so it doesnt matter, they can do what they want ?

   You've divided the World up between "us" and "them" .

"We" cannot do certain things , but its OK if "they" do certain things because they're not Whites ?

[sanemax]

5 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Certainly some flaws in your sentence structure. Could you try again to make clear what you were trying to say?

To put it in different words , a Jew may not be anti semetic , but a non Jew might be , even if they agree on certain things .

  For example , both the Zionists and Hitler wanted the Jews out of Germany , Hitler was an anti-semite and the Zionists were not , even if they agreed on the same thing 

[bristolboy]

9 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Chinese , Zimbabwe and Myanmar are not "White" Countries , so it doesnt matter, they can do what they want ?

   You've divided the World up between "us" and "them" .

"We" cannot do certain things , but its OK if "they" do certain things because they're not Whites ?

Have you got race on the brain? It's like that old joke that goes ask an alcoholic what 1 plus 1 is and he answers is 2 bottles of beer. When have I mentioned race in any of my comments?