28 dec 2013
An Israeli senior official slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and said that he is driving Israel into international boycott and isolation and that he is not really willing to move forward with the peace talks.
Yediot Ahranot quoted the official's statements as saying, "He [Netanyahu] should have released the Palestinian prisoners at once and not release prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit. He caused great damage for Mahmoud Abbas with his conduct. He only wants to preserve his status in his party and everyone knows what it looks like."
According to Ynet, the senior official, who has been involved in running the country for years and knows its greatest secrets and sensitive issues, is opening up fierce disapproval of the Israeli prime minister and his conduct in several critical arenas, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel's relations with the US and the battle against nuclear Iran.
He added, "While Jerusalem is attempting to minimize the importance of political criticism from Europe and calls for boycotts and sanctions against Israel, the top political echelon is admitting that these are issues that may dramatically hurt Israel. The year 2014 is marked as the key time in this sense, and it is feared that the calls to boycott Israel will only expand."
"Our main problem," the official said, "is not wars, but the economic situation. A UN resolution is not needed in order to impose sanctions on us or boycott Israeli products. It is sufficient for one country to start doing it and then it spreads across Europe. We are a country that exports, and in light of the situation with the Palestinians and the continued occupation, we are seen as an apartheid state. A boycott of Israel is the most dangerous thing that exists today. The deterioration (of the situation) can be very rapid."
The senior official criticized European Union position regarding the signing of the Horizon 2020 project with Israel and said, "The Europeans must take a stance, and they want it to be a moral one. This position sides with the Palestinians – they live under occupation and Israel is the occupier."
The official added that he no longer trusts in Netanyahu's desire to reach an agreement with the Palestinians, despite his public statements on the subject. "Netanyahu has crossed the rubicon, there is no doubt," the official cynically said. "He is now at a point where he wants the Palestinians to agree with his views and his opinions."
Ynet reported, in regards to the Iranian issue, the senior official said that "due to Netanyahu's outcries, Iran has become in recent years a missile superpower, second only to the US. People do not know this, but because of Netanyahu's clamors, Iran has developed missile capabilities that are among the most advanced in the world.
"Why does he have to shout all the time that Israel will attack, what good will that do?! Israel's second strike capabilities should have been made clear to Iran and he should have clarified that if something happens — Iran will disappear. But instead, he decided to threaten and shout, prompting Iran's development of missile capabilities that they didn't previously have."
Concerning the relationship between Netanyahu and United States, the official said "Netanyahu does not understand Obama, nor the United States of today. Obama is outraged by Israel concerning the Iranian issue. In his words, "the American president is very patient. The problem is that support for Israel among Americans is declining."
"Netanyahu constantly wants to be Churchill — he quotes him all the time — but in the modern world, it is better to be Nelson Mandela or the new Pope that has taken over the world with a storm. These are not Churchill's times," the official concluded.
Yediot Ahranot quoted the official's statements as saying, "He [Netanyahu] should have released the Palestinian prisoners at once and not release prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit. He caused great damage for Mahmoud Abbas with his conduct. He only wants to preserve his status in his party and everyone knows what it looks like."
According to Ynet, the senior official, who has been involved in running the country for years and knows its greatest secrets and sensitive issues, is opening up fierce disapproval of the Israeli prime minister and his conduct in several critical arenas, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel's relations with the US and the battle against nuclear Iran.
He added, "While Jerusalem is attempting to minimize the importance of political criticism from Europe and calls for boycotts and sanctions against Israel, the top political echelon is admitting that these are issues that may dramatically hurt Israel. The year 2014 is marked as the key time in this sense, and it is feared that the calls to boycott Israel will only expand."
"Our main problem," the official said, "is not wars, but the economic situation. A UN resolution is not needed in order to impose sanctions on us or boycott Israeli products. It is sufficient for one country to start doing it and then it spreads across Europe. We are a country that exports, and in light of the situation with the Palestinians and the continued occupation, we are seen as an apartheid state. A boycott of Israel is the most dangerous thing that exists today. The deterioration (of the situation) can be very rapid."
The senior official criticized European Union position regarding the signing of the Horizon 2020 project with Israel and said, "The Europeans must take a stance, and they want it to be a moral one. This position sides with the Palestinians – they live under occupation and Israel is the occupier."
The official added that he no longer trusts in Netanyahu's desire to reach an agreement with the Palestinians, despite his public statements on the subject. "Netanyahu has crossed the rubicon, there is no doubt," the official cynically said. "He is now at a point where he wants the Palestinians to agree with his views and his opinions."
Ynet reported, in regards to the Iranian issue, the senior official said that "due to Netanyahu's outcries, Iran has become in recent years a missile superpower, second only to the US. People do not know this, but because of Netanyahu's clamors, Iran has developed missile capabilities that are among the most advanced in the world.
"Why does he have to shout all the time that Israel will attack, what good will that do?! Israel's second strike capabilities should have been made clear to Iran and he should have clarified that if something happens — Iran will disappear. But instead, he decided to threaten and shout, prompting Iran's development of missile capabilities that they didn't previously have."
Concerning the relationship between Netanyahu and United States, the official said "Netanyahu does not understand Obama, nor the United States of today. Obama is outraged by Israel concerning the Iranian issue. In his words, "the American president is very patient. The problem is that support for Israel among Americans is declining."
"Netanyahu constantly wants to be Churchill — he quotes him all the time — but in the modern world, it is better to be Nelson Mandela or the new Pope that has taken over the world with a storm. These are not Churchill's times," the official concluded.
25 dec 2013
New York Rep. Eliot Engel
The boycott of Israeli academic institutions by the American Studies Association (ASA) has angered Democratic Congressman Rep. Eliot Engel.
Last week, the American Studies Association said its boycott was in protest to Israel’s brutal treatment of Palestinians and the involvement of Israeli universities in supporting such policies.
Two thirds of the 1,252 members of the organization who participated in the vote approved the measure.
“The ASA condemns the United States' significant role in aiding and abetting Israel's violations of human rights against Palestinians and its occupation of Palestinian lands through its use of the veto in the UN Security Council," it said in a statement.
The move is part of a larger international effort to win boycotts of Israeli institutions over its policies toward Palestinians.
In a letter to the association’s leaders, Rep. Eliot Engel urged the ASA to end the boycott.
He said he was surprised that other countries that violated human rights are not subject to a boycott.
“I have attached several sections from the State Department’s most recent Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for your review,” the congressman wrote.
“If you desire any assistance in further identifying other countries with human rights records of concern, I and my staff stand ready to assist you and the ASA in that regard,” he added.
The American Studies Association is a professional group of about 4,000 scholars who study US history and culture.
The group has been debating a boycott since 2006 and put the matter to a vote after its leadership endorsed the idea in early December.
The boycott of Israeli academic institutions by the American Studies Association (ASA) has angered Democratic Congressman Rep. Eliot Engel.
Last week, the American Studies Association said its boycott was in protest to Israel’s brutal treatment of Palestinians and the involvement of Israeli universities in supporting such policies.
Two thirds of the 1,252 members of the organization who participated in the vote approved the measure.
“The ASA condemns the United States' significant role in aiding and abetting Israel's violations of human rights against Palestinians and its occupation of Palestinian lands through its use of the veto in the UN Security Council," it said in a statement.
The move is part of a larger international effort to win boycotts of Israeli institutions over its policies toward Palestinians.
In a letter to the association’s leaders, Rep. Eliot Engel urged the ASA to end the boycott.
He said he was surprised that other countries that violated human rights are not subject to a boycott.
“I have attached several sections from the State Department’s most recent Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for your review,” the congressman wrote.
“If you desire any assistance in further identifying other countries with human rights records of concern, I and my staff stand ready to assist you and the ASA in that regard,” he added.
The American Studies Association is a professional group of about 4,000 scholars who study US history and culture.
The group has been debating a boycott since 2006 and put the matter to a vote after its leadership endorsed the idea in early December.
22 dec 2013
More academic associations must follow in the footsteps of the American Studies Association (ASA) in its endorsement of a widespread boycott of Israeli universities, an analyst says.
“It (Boycott Israel movement) must be expanded into a full-scale assault on Israeli lobby subversion of America to rip it out by the roots,” Jim W. Dean wrote in a column for Press TV on Sunday.
“We will never be safe as long as they can operate freely. If they are to be victims, let them be victims of their own stupidity and treason toward the rest of us,” he said.
Dean noted that “the Boycott Israel movement got a major moral shot in the arm recently” following the ASA’s endorsement.
He said the Zionists have “run extensive academic espionage operations here on the old communist model.” The campaign to cut off ties with Israeli academic institutions dates back a decade, but it was not until April that an American academic group of any size endorsed a boycott.
The boycott calls on American schools and academic groups to ban collaboration with Israeli institutions, but individual Israeli scholars who do not represent Tel Aviv would still be able to attend academic events in the United States.
On Friday, Israel’s former ambassador to US, Michael Oren, warned that more organizations are likely to boycott Israeli academia.
Dean said “Israeli operatives” have been “subverting” US institutions to “serve special interests that is putting wind into the sails of the anti-Zionist movement now.”
“Militant Zionists and their 5th column in the US have a growing concern of the increasingly open opposition to their long record of crimes against humanity and ongoing cover-up. They know they have done these things and have pumped massive resources into stacking the deck to block any justice being served upon them,” wrote Dean.
“It (Boycott Israel movement) must be expanded into a full-scale assault on Israeli lobby subversion of America to rip it out by the roots,” Jim W. Dean wrote in a column for Press TV on Sunday.
“We will never be safe as long as they can operate freely. If they are to be victims, let them be victims of their own stupidity and treason toward the rest of us,” he said.
Dean noted that “the Boycott Israel movement got a major moral shot in the arm recently” following the ASA’s endorsement.
He said the Zionists have “run extensive academic espionage operations here on the old communist model.” The campaign to cut off ties with Israeli academic institutions dates back a decade, but it was not until April that an American academic group of any size endorsed a boycott.
The boycott calls on American schools and academic groups to ban collaboration with Israeli institutions, but individual Israeli scholars who do not represent Tel Aviv would still be able to attend academic events in the United States.
On Friday, Israel’s former ambassador to US, Michael Oren, warned that more organizations are likely to boycott Israeli academia.
Dean said “Israeli operatives” have been “subverting” US institutions to “serve special interests that is putting wind into the sails of the anti-Zionist movement now.”
“Militant Zionists and their 5th column in the US have a growing concern of the increasingly open opposition to their long record of crimes against humanity and ongoing cover-up. They know they have done these things and have pumped massive resources into stacking the deck to block any justice being served upon them,” wrote Dean.
21 dec 2013
Palestinian officials in South Africa released a statement clarifying that they are not opposed to the boycott of Israel on Friday.
The statement comes in the wake of controversial anti-boycott statements made by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas while he was visiting South Africa to mark the death of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.
The statement, which was released jointly by the Embassy of Palestine in South Africa and BDS South Africa, stopped short of declaring its support for the boycott of Israel.
It did, however, confirm its support for the boycott of Israeli settlement products and stressing that it "respect(s) and uphold(s) the right of Palestinian civil society to initiate and lead local and global BDS campaigns."
The statement also expressed "deep appreciation" for the efforts of the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement "to uphold international law and universal principles of human rights."
"With the view that the Israeli settlements are illegitimate and an obstruction to a just peace, the Palestinian Authority has accordingly initiated an official boycott of all Israeli settlement products in the occupied Palestinian territory," the statement read, pointing out that it supports this move "as a first step."
The statement highlighted the historical importance of the international BDS solidarity movement in defeating the apartheid system in South Africa, and stressed that "if Nelson Mandela and the South African people defeated apartheid, the Palestinians too will defeat the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands."
The statement was released amid an uproar after Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas told South African newspaper "The Star" on December 11 that he does not support the boycott of Israel.
"No we do not support the boycott of Israel," Abbas is reported to have told a press conference during his visit to South Africa to mark the death of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.
"But we ask everyone to boycott the products of the settlements. Because the settlements are in our territories. It is illegal … But we don't ask anyone to boycott Israel itself. We have relations with Israel, we have mutual recognition of Israel."
The statement comes in the wake of controversial anti-boycott statements made by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas while he was visiting South Africa to mark the death of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.
The statement, which was released jointly by the Embassy of Palestine in South Africa and BDS South Africa, stopped short of declaring its support for the boycott of Israel.
It did, however, confirm its support for the boycott of Israeli settlement products and stressing that it "respect(s) and uphold(s) the right of Palestinian civil society to initiate and lead local and global BDS campaigns."
The statement also expressed "deep appreciation" for the efforts of the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement "to uphold international law and universal principles of human rights."
"With the view that the Israeli settlements are illegitimate and an obstruction to a just peace, the Palestinian Authority has accordingly initiated an official boycott of all Israeli settlement products in the occupied Palestinian territory," the statement read, pointing out that it supports this move "as a first step."
The statement highlighted the historical importance of the international BDS solidarity movement in defeating the apartheid system in South Africa, and stressed that "if Nelson Mandela and the South African people defeated apartheid, the Palestinians too will defeat the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands."
The statement was released amid an uproar after Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas told South African newspaper "The Star" on December 11 that he does not support the boycott of Israel.
"No we do not support the boycott of Israel," Abbas is reported to have told a press conference during his visit to South Africa to mark the death of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.
"But we ask everyone to boycott the products of the settlements. Because the settlements are in our territories. It is illegal … But we don't ask anyone to boycott Israel itself. We have relations with Israel, we have mutual recognition of Israel."
The statements provoked outrage among activists, who saw in his words a condemnation of the growing movement to isolate Israel politically, economically, and culturally in order to support the Palestinian struggle.
The statement released by the Embassy of Palestine in South Africa, however, disputed this.
"Recent comments made in South Africa by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization), regarding the boycott of Israeli settlements and products, seem to have been taken out of context and misconstrued by some members of the media and members of the Israeli lobby," the statement argued.
Prior to the recent statement's release, prominent BDS activist Omar Barghouti stressed the the widespread support for the boycott of Israel within Palestinian civil society.
"Any Palestinian official who lacks a democratic mandate and any real public support, therefore, cannot claim to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people when it comes to deciding our strategies of resistance to Israel’s regime of occupation, colonization and apartheid," he told alternative media outlet Electronic Intifada on December 12.
"Any Palestinian official who today explicitly speaks against boycotting Israel – particularly in a country like South Africa, where the ruling party, leading trade unions, churches and other civil society groups have warmly endorsed BDS – only shows how aloof he is from his own people’s aspirations for freedom, justice and equality, and how oblivious he is to our struggle for their inalienable rights," Barghouti added.
The statement released by the Embassy of Palestine in South Africa, however, disputed this.
"Recent comments made in South Africa by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization), regarding the boycott of Israeli settlements and products, seem to have been taken out of context and misconstrued by some members of the media and members of the Israeli lobby," the statement argued.
Prior to the recent statement's release, prominent BDS activist Omar Barghouti stressed the the widespread support for the boycott of Israel within Palestinian civil society.
"Any Palestinian official who lacks a democratic mandate and any real public support, therefore, cannot claim to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people when it comes to deciding our strategies of resistance to Israel’s regime of occupation, colonization and apartheid," he told alternative media outlet Electronic Intifada on December 12.
"Any Palestinian official who today explicitly speaks against boycotting Israel – particularly in a country like South Africa, where the ruling party, leading trade unions, churches and other civil society groups have warmly endorsed BDS – only shows how aloof he is from his own people’s aspirations for freedom, justice and equality, and how oblivious he is to our struggle for their inalienable rights," Barghouti added.