I think these dudes are taking the David and Goliath thing a bit too far. First, we have the BDS movement which calls for boycott and divestment from Israeli companies and products until the Occupation ends. As a corrollary, the British government has decided to mark imported products of the Occupied Territories as distinct from Israeli products so that consumers may know the origin of such items. Presumably, this would allow those who object to the Occupation to refuse to purchase such products.
This has sent the entire Likud Knesset delegation into spasms of apoplexy. In their indignation, they penned a threatening letter (pdf) on December 21st to the Speaker of the House of Commons. It has to be read to be believed:
…In light of this decision [to distinguish between Israeli and settlement products], we are recommending the citizens of Israel to reconsider using the services of companies that operate in Great Britain…
We hope it will not be necessary to take any further action to make it clear how seriously we view this recommendation that in effect promotes a boycott of Israeli produce.
Wow, a boycott by extreme right-wing Israelis against Britain. That’ll surely bring the British economy to its knees. Not to mention the hordes of Israelis who will clamor to buy British products to differentiate themselves from these numbskulls.
This Knesset letter originates in the “Pure Chutzpah” school of Israeli discourse. Someone says or does something that impinges on your God-given right, jump up and down, scream bloody murder, accuse them of anti-Semitism or whatever. Note that the letter also refuses to distinguish between settler and Israeli produce and refuses to understand that placing an identifying label on settlement produce isn’t anything like a “boycott of Israeli produce.” Do I hear duplicity anyone?
H/t to Brian Klug and David Newman.
I’m not even Israeli, and I already boycott British stuff.
Why? Whether you are Israeli or not, why boycott British goods? Please explain.
Ah well, so much more toffees, Jaguars, Newcastle Brown ale and Fawlty Towers for the rest of us. I tried to get the limeys to airmail me a newspaper-encased order of fish and chips direct from London all piping hot and ready to eat once, but it didn’t work (I’m on the West Coast of the US).
RB, maybe you could boycott that ultimate British “product” the English language, now THAT would be impressive. Granted, it would be more challenging for you to make inane comments on English language blogs under said scenario. We’ll keep James Bond, thank you, you can have Moshe Goldstein Mossad agent extraordinaire (coming to a theatre near you, or maybe not… )
I love the wording here, “differentiate between Jewish and Palestinian produce that originates exactly from the same area.” Just one more indication that while Israelis whinge about no one accepting their existence, they won’t let anyone do that minus the occupied territories. And I’m pretty sure when Palestinian produce was (is?) sold in Israel, buyers know who made it.
The purple prose could use some work, although I’ll grant “dark shadow” could be a literary device that sounds less silly in Hebrew.
The hysteria amuses me; I just shake my head in wonder that so many nutcases are in the Knesset. Well, that does explain a lot of things, such as the approval of millions of dollars worth of aid to settlers. Everything is an existential threat to them, including the labeling of products. And the urge to retaliate against any perceived aggression is so overwrought that oh, gosh, they’re going to label British goods so that Israelis can choose not to buy them, too! Do they really think that Israelis will boycott British companies, when British goods permeate the consumer market there?
Nutcases indeed – the subject of Gideon Levy’s latest column: link to haaretz.com
It’s not just boycotting British goods–it’s boycotting companies that operate in Britain. That’s a heck of a lot of companies. In fact, this would logically entail boycotting Israeli companies that export to Britain. The whole thing is about as well-thought out as the last Lebanon war.
Good point!
The amazing thing is that 42 Israeli parliamentarians – over a third of their knesset – signed the petition in favour of boycotting British goods!?
you should see the response of the zionist federation to the relabelling excercize here:
link to youtube.com
It’s amazing how much energy they are expending trying to restrict the amount of information available to the consumer!