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Thejerusalem Post THEJERUSALEM POST “The BDS Movement... is unacceptable and must be most strongly condemned. The argumentation patterns and methods of the BDS Movement are antisemitic... and inevitably kindle memories of the Nazi era.” (Motion adopted by the German Parliament, the Bundestag, on May 17, 2019) US says NO to BDS Ted Cruz and Ted Deutch spearhead the battle 04 • by Steve Linde Germany’s antisemitism commissioner fights hatred against Jews and Israel 06 • by Orit Arfa New antisemitism presents new challenges 09 • by Linda Gradstein Terrorists in Suits: Unmasking BDS’s support for terror 12 • by Maayan Hoffman 16 World leaders speak out against BDS Boomerang: Economic pressure hits BDS campaigners 18 • by Benjamin Weinthal Fighting BDS online 21 • by Ilanit Chernick contents Christians who stand with Israel combat BDS 24 • by Brian Schrauger International legal network sets back BDS across the globe 26 • by Yonah Jeremy Bob We don't need no education 28 • by Liat Collins Concert – Together for Israel 31 • by Alan Rosenbaum Editor: Steve Linde Business Development Manager: Reut Levy Graphic Designer: Daniela Gleiser and Michal Torkia Copy Editor: Elli Wohlgelernter THEJERUSALEM POST June 2019 ‹› 2 SIMA VAKNIN-GIL Winning the battle against BDS n October 2015, the Israeli government it go unchallenged will haunt generations to The Palestinians cleverly managed to convince acted upon the need take action against come. Like a steady stream of water against the world that they are the sole victims. They the boycott campaign, otherwise known a wall, BDS has the potential to permeate portray themselves as weak and downtrodden as BDS, against the State of Israel, and create fissures before finally leading to with no rights, while Israel is the product Iand called upon the newly-formed Ministry collapse. of white colonialism with worldviews and of Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy It is important to note that BDS is not a few policies no longer acceptable in today’s world. to lead this initiative. unorganized groups muddling around, but rather, They are the good and we are bad. And there The government’s decision to assign a a well-organized and coordinated campaign are those who buy this simplistic narrative dedicated ministry to address a very real comprising hundreds of organizations around without asking too many questions. challenge Israel’s national security with a the globe. In the face of its ongoing pressure, In an age where facts and knowledge are less proactive approach was a vital, needed and it is necessary to conduct an aggressive, broad, important than one’s public image, there is long overdue. sustained and holistic strategy to ensure that little reason to counter the accusations against The goal of the boycott campaign, even BDS stays on the defensive. Israel in the prism of historical justice. In an if it’s not officially declared as such, is to age when the public is divided into camps, dismantle the State of Israel as the nation-state right vs. left, hawk vs. peacenik, there is no of the Jewish people. Nothing less. They hide, place for complex explanations. There is no camouflage, and cloak their true intentions room for shades of gray. through lofty language of “human rights” and In an age of ignorance and superficiality in “liberalism” while portraying Palestinians as BDS and its true public discourse, it is easy to mobilize broad victims, but never perpetrators. These hidden intentions have been audiences who feel deprived with catchy slogans messages are intertwined in their actions, and lies, even if they have no connection speeches and protests with the express aim exposed and as a to reality. In an anti-establishment era such of targeting Israel. result began suffering as ours, it is not enough to win the support For three years, the Ministry of Strategic of a country’s leadership; we must reach its Affairs has been directing the struggle against a series of blows people as well. the delegitimization campaign and its calls for Explaining the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Sima Vaknin-Gil the context of its historical roots and geopolitical Israel. The campaign, led by a rigid pro- situation is a task that is destined to fail. Instead, Palestinian agenda, is carried out by groups This means we need to be continuously the fight against the delegitimization campaign and operatives with deep ties to terrorist learning. We have to identify emerging threats, must be based on a broad method attacking groups and rife with unbridled antisemitism develop sophisticated and creative methods the false narrative that Israel is the arch villain and hostility towards Israel. of action, become more familiar with legal and Palestinians are the noble victims. Things have begun to change. BDS and frameworks, and identify their Achilles’ heel. The Ministry of Strategic Affairs has been, its true intentions have been exposed, and as The learning curve our ministry went through and will continue to be, successful alongside a result, began suffering a series of blows. in the beginning led us to conclude that three our friends throughout the world in changing Legislation against BDS has been passed in areas avenues in which to advance – expose the narrative and containing the phenomenon. 27 US states, bank accounts have been shut BDS and its ties to antisemitism and terrorism, At the same time, it must continue, and even down, and crowdfunding websites refuse to inhibit its ability to raise funds, and share the increase, its scope of activities. We need to host BDS for its ties to terror. The campaign’s truth about Israel for the world to see. ensure that Israel’s image problem does not failures are not in any one field. Economically, Despite the many achievements of the pass the point of no return. academically, legally, and culturally BDS is ministry, both large and small, I could not In order to turn the tables around, or at suffering great losses. Its precarious situation ignore the constant gut feeling that in order least to bring about a significant change in is the product of coordinated and effective to eradicate this phenomenon from the root, the existing equation, a process of a different campaign by a network of pro-Israel organizations we must not only continue with existing and magnitude is required. It will require all of alongside the Israeli government. proven methods, but also supplement them us – the government and civil society in Israel This is not enough. Fostering a country’s with complementary actions to achieve even and abroad – to act together in a coordinated foreign relations in the 21st century requires greater success. fashin. Only a clear definition of the threat and modern ways of thinking and action that go far Israel’s struggle over its image as a democratic, the continuation of a series of complementary beyond “classical” diplomacy. Even though Jewish, legitimate and liberal state in the public actions in the political, public and civil spheres BDS is on the defensive, it will continue to discourse in Western countries has deteriorated will lead to a shift of the equation in our favor. try, and sometimes succeed, to win hearts and since the delegitimization campaign abegan minds. Whereas the boycott campaign may not in 2001 with the Durban Conference, and Sima Vaknin-Gil is the outgoing director- pose an immediate existential threat, letting took off in 2005 with the founding of BDS. general of the Ministry of Strategic Affairs. BDS ‹› 3 US says NO to BDS Senator Ted Cruz and Rep. Ted Deutch spearhead the battle in Congress • By STEVE LINDE soon be passed by the Senate. “I recently introduced a resolution with o country has taken a stronger Senator Kaine that condemns all antisemitism, stand and action against the including boycotts targeting Jewish businesses,” Boycott, Divestment and said Cruz. “It has over 50 cosponsors in the Sanctions (BDS) movement Senate, and I hope that the Senate will soon It is an antisemitic thanN the United States, both in Congress pass it and condemn these manifestations and in the 50 states – 27 states, from New of antisemitism in one voice.” movement that York to South Carolina, have already passed Cruz pointed out that “there’s a long tradition seeks to delegitimize regulations using their own finances to block of senators coming together to combat BDS. In BDS activists from accomplishing their goals. 2015, I penned a letter with Senator Gillibrand and destroy the The battle against BDS is being led by the to Federica Mogherini, which was signed by pro-Israel community in the US, and it is 36 senators, condemning Europe’s efforts to Jewish State important to note that it remains a bipartisan impose labeling restrictions that would’ve issue bringing together Republicans and amounted to a de facto boycott of Israel.” Ted Cruz Democrats. Two of its most powerful warriors Mogherini has served as High Representative are Ted Cruz, the Republican senator from of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Florida – don’t worry about that,” he said, Texas who ran for president in 2016, and and Security Policy since November 2014. noting that he had helped in the successful Ted Deutch, a Democrat from Florida in Asked what he had accomplished in his battle to get Airbnb to drop its boycott of the House of Representatives. battle against BDS, Deutch responded: Jews in the West Bank. “Lo and behold, In exclusive interviews, Cruz and Deutch “Boycotting, divesting from or sanctioning because of our leadership and the leadership were clear that they both consider the BDS Israel are counter-productive toward achieving of others, just recently Airbnb reversed its movement not just anti-Israel, but antisemitic a peaceful, two-state resolution to the Israeli- discriminatory policy.” too.
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