No place for BDS
The recent article by progressive Zionists invoked George Orwell in their claims about attempts at unfair exclusion from the World Zionist Elections process (“It’s not 1938, it’s 1984,” July 3).
One of the Orwellianisms they failed to cite was “Lies are Truth.”
The progressive Ameinu’s “Hatikvah” slate should have been excluded from the Zionist elections. Why? Because Ameinu falsely claimed that the “Hatikvah” slate groups combat the Boycott, Divestion, and Sanctions movement. The truth is that the Partners for Progressive Israel, one of the top Hatikvah slate members, has been promoting discriminatory boycotts against close to 200 Israeli and Jewish-owned businesses and industries, as seen on its website. PPI also supports “cultural” anti-Israel anti-Jewish boycotts, including against the performing arts center in Ariel, a university community where over 25,000 Jews live. PPI had also been working against the anti-boycott bill in the state of Illinois. Ameinu also shares offices with PPI. Through its “The Third Narrative” subsidiary, it promotes severe international sanctions, including travel restrictions and financial penalties, against Israeli officials [fellow Jews] with whom it disagrees.
The article also does not mention that the “Hatikvah” slate included leaders of virulent supporters of the BDS movement, including Americans for Peace Now. Peace Now can be clearly seen on its website promoting boycotts against Jewish and Israeli-owned businesses that have any facility over the Green Line, including in eastern Jerusalem. The slate also included the New Israel Fund, which funds BDS groups in Judea and Samaria, and funded the BDS infrastructure. The Progressive Zionist list included J Street, which promotes and delivers leading BDS speakers to conferences and college campuses. They also included “Open Hillel,” which works with the vile anti-Israel group “Students for Justice in Palestine,” to try to force campus Hillel chapters to host BDS events who openly promote Israel’s destruction.
While there is always room for legitimate differences of opinions within the Jewish people, those who wholeheartedly support the BDS movement are outside the realm of acceptability. The BDS movement is clearly anti-Semitic. To discriminate against the over 600,000 Jews who live beyond the Green Line simply supports the enemies of the Jewish people and embitters the lives of all the Jews in the land of Israel, wherever they live. Those who point this hypocrisy out do not demonize the progressives. Zionism can never include boycotts against Jewish communities simply based on where they live. Those who sit with the enemies of all Jews delude themselves into believing that they somehow “help.”
Withdrawal from Gaza brought missiles and terror. Withdrawal from Lebanon brought missiles and terror. Withdrawal from Judea and Samaria based on a forced concession from Israel will bring doves and rainbows? Hardly. Orwell would recognize the “Surrender is Peace” and “National Suicide is a Bright Future” as slogans that truly reflect the actions of these left-wing groups. They hardly reflect the opinion and views of what is acceptable for American Jewry and they should never be allowed a place at the table.
Scott David Lippe, M.D.,
Fair Lawn
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