U.S. Labor leaders take issue with British Union boycott of Israel
I know from British friends of mine that it is true that British anti-Semitism is a normal part of English culture there, nevertheless, the fervor with which the British have taken up boycotting Israel is both hysterical and counterproductive. Particularly since the targets of these boycotts have largely been parts of the Israeli culture that tend to be progressive and might actually (do) serve in the struggle for equality.
So it’s nice to see that Labor leadersin the USA have not jumped on the indiscriminate boycotting bandwagon.
According to a letter sent by the Jewish Labor Committee’s Arieh Lebowitz over two dozen U.S. labor leaders have denounced British unions’ support for boycotting Israel.
Their response comes in the wake of a decision by several unions, including the UK Transport and General Workers Union, to back economic, cultural and academic boycotts of Israel in protest against “the treatment of the Palestinian people.”
“Their resolutions have no purpose other than demonizing Israel,” said Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Jewish Labor Committee, an organization of Jewish union leaders and supporters which is continuing to solicit support for their statement opposing these boycotts.
Statement of Opposition to Divestment From or Boycotts of Israel on the JLC website
July 18, 2007
We view with increasing concern the phenomenon of trade unions in a number of countries, including, most recently, the United Kingdom, issuing resolutions that either directly or indirectly call for divestment from and boycotts of Israel.
With the large number of local, regional and international conflicts, with the diverse range of oppressive regimes around the world about which there is almost universal silence, we have to question the motives of these resolutions that single out one country in one conflict.
We note with increasing concern that virtually all of these resolutions focus solely on objections to actions or policies of the Israeli government, and never on actions or policies of Palestinian or other Arab governments, parties or movements. We notice with increasing concern that characterization of the Palestinians as victims and Israel as victimizer is a staple of such resolutions. That there are victims and victimizers on all sides, and that many if not most of the victims of violence and repression on all sides are civilians, are essential items often not mentioned in these resolutions.
Any just and fair resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be brought about through meaningful negotiations between their elected representatives. We believe strongly in a two-state solution, brought about through meaningful negotiations, with the involvement and encouragement of the world community.
Trade unionists and their organizations seeking such a just and fair resolution should be assisting those working to bring the two sides together in direct talks and then negotiations. In this regard, we call for increased engagement of trade unions with their counterparts on all sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We support efforts of Palestinian and Israeli trade unionists and their organizations to maintain contact and cooperative and mutually supportive activities, even in the midst of tumult and political change within their respective communities and polities.
Calls for academic boycotts of Israel are inimical to and counter to the principles of academic freedom and freedom of association, key principles for which academics and educational unions have struggled over many years. Rather than limiting interactions with Israeli educators, academics and educational institutions, we see the importance of maximizing, rather than proscribing, the free flow of ideas and academic interaction between peoples, cultures, religions and countries.
Similarly, calls for journalistic boycotts of Israel are inimical to the free flow of information and journalistic objectivity, and must be opposed.
Rather than divestment from Israel, we believe that investment of time, energy and material aid is the best means to alleviate the ongoing suffering of Palestinians and Israelis. Engagement, rather than disengagement, with the Israeli people and the Palestinian people is needed, so that a just and fair resolution of this conflict may be pursued, and so that meaningful progress towards achieving the legitimate needs of Palestinians and Israelis can be made.
We offer our support to assist trade unionists as well as interested members of the community-at-large who are grappling with these matters, and who share our concern over simplistic and non-constructive approaches, whether in the form of misguided resolutions or other statements on the tragic conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Signed by: (see website)
Having close British relations and having recently lived in London for 2 years, I can report that British antisemitism is centered in the Muslim community, the left (including academia and many of the papers – the Guardian, Observer and Independent) and amongst the neo Stalinists (many of whom still run the labor unions). The average man on the street is not an anti semite. And unfortunately, excluding the labor unions, the same groups are the hot beds of anti semitism in America.
Some people whine endlessly about violent resistance to the Israeli occupation and then whine even more when people find non-violent ways to resist
One of the major British opponents of anti-Israel boycotts is Engage, which was founded by people — mostly academics but not only academics, people `on the left’ but not only, Jews and non-Jews — who have done a serious job of organizing opposition to boycott Israel resolutions in first off the AUT and then the NATFHE, and more recently the UCU, the NUJ, and others.
Their website — http://www.engageonline.org.uk — is a valuable resource for anti-boycott Israel resolutions and anti-divestment from Israel resolutions not just in the UK, but elsewhere as well.
incorrect – I’m afriad you’re just not correct – British anti-semitism is a pretty deep rooted phenom. It’s been around for a long time…
Second, John Brown, I’m afraid that you’re missing the point. I have no problem with non-violent protest from whatever country. My point is that boycotting left and progressive institutions – ones which have by and large supported the values which might lead to some future resolution has the opposite effect from teh one sought – it strengthens those who claim that the whole world doens’t care abnout the issue, but just hate Jews no matter what; moreover, it also weakens the power of those institutions to actually make the changes that those boycotting claim to want to see.
As a UK Catholic I suppose I am what one would expect to be one of the deep seated anti-Semites you refer to, but I can assure you ‘incorrect’ is nearer the mark. We do not have many ‘Jewish Communities’ outside of London and the big cities and apart for the odd joke featuring a Jew, tasteful or otherwise, Jews as an identifiable group do not play a particularly visible role in the UK. Mostly Jews keep to themselves, are exemplary British Citizens and just want to be left alone to get on with life. Occasionally the media trot out the Chief Rabbi when some comment on Israel is required but apart from that, Nada. I prefer to think of Jew as JPII designated Our Older Brothers in Faith and have no issues with Jews, nor to my knowledge do ant of my friends aor colleagues.
Kol Ra’ash Gadol wrote : John Brown, I’m afraid that you’re missing the point. I have no problem with non-violent protest from whatever country. My point is that boycotting left and progressive institutions – ones which have by and large supported the values which might lead to some future resolution has the opposite effect from teh one sought – it strengthens those who claim that the whole world doens’t care abnout the issue, but just hate Jews no matter what; moreover, it also weakens the power of those institutions to actually make the changes that those boycotting claim to want to see.
Kol, I hear what you’re saying. I know this comparison is not the same in all ways however – lacking better examples – the precedents for this type of action must be the boycotts of South Africa and Libya. Both of those were total economic boycotts which surely as a side effect must have also affected the entire spectrum of the two countries’ economies including the left-wing.
Do you think today the anti-Apartheid activists in South Africa (for instance) regret the economic price they paid during the boycott?