What do the supporters of boycotts against Israel really want?

[Vic]

A sudden thought of mine, after reading about Sweden's recent boycott of imports from Israel:

Political "swings to the right" are a common result of a poor economic situation, real or imaginary security threats and external pressure. Therefore, if European politicians were serious both about their criticism of the policies of the current Israeli government and in their support of the "peace process", which by common consent amounts to support for the Israeli Left, they would certainly take care to keep Israelis as rich, healthy and happy as possible: this would be the only chance for a left-wing government to be elected. It is a much-discussed topic here that insecurity drives the voters to the right, and no one AFAIK assumes that politics function much differently in Israel than at home. No electorate can be blackmailed from the outside into voting left-wing.


Finding a rationale behind the acts of the European political leaders is not an easy task. They are a real mystery to me. Here are some suggestions:[list=1]
They want to collapse the State of Israel completely.
They honestly believe that it is the current conservative Israeli government that causes the problems. In this case they can either be (A) idiots, if they belive that will displace it this way (see above); or (B) gambling on the continuation of the conflict (jobs, excitement, just b/c they cannot live without it anymore).
They are secretly in support of a right-wing government, for reasons other than 2(B).
They have no idea of what they are doing at all, what we are witnessing are occasional bitching spasms.
[/list=1]

What do you all think?

Would the same apply, maybe in a somewhat moderated form, to the US State Dept. (and to the CIA)?

[Haifa]

9- or they're just applying pressure so that the right wing government would make peace like what happened with Manachem Begin. THe left does not have to be there for peace to happen

[Vic]

Well knowing that this will never happen in this case, i.e. the current government will not accept the European blueprint. The only ones likely to do so (?) are the very left-wingers that European political action is compromising at the moment.

The current tactic seems rather to try to suffoscate the Israeli population slowly:
Aug. 22, 2002
Netherlands to cut pensions of citizens living over Green Line
By TOVAH LAZAROFF


The Netherlands plans to reduce pension payments to Dutch Israeli single seniors who live over the Green Line by 20 percent starting in January, the Social Insurance Bank announced Wednesday.

The bank said it no longer recognizes Israel's post-1967 borders, and will also stop other payments, including child benefits, to Dutch Israelis living in the territories.

"We consider that the occupied territories are not part of Israel," said Win Vervenne, the bank's policy adviser.

But Hans Yanssen, a Dutch Foreign Ministry spokesman, said the bank's decision does not reflect the Netherlands' official policy.

Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer opposes the bank's decision not to recognize the post-1967 borders, Yanssen said. He said he plans to discuss the matter with the minister of social affairs tomorrow, hoping he will agree to reverse the decision.

He said the decision is not final.

However, an August 8 letter announcing the decision was received this week by beneficiaries living here.

Vervenne said the decision not to recognize the territories was made in 1999, in advance of the January 2000 Export Restrictions on Benefits Act, which stipulates that full benefits can only be given to those who live in the Netherlands or in countries that have a benefits treaty with it.

In drawing up a treaty with Israel, the bank did not include the territories, Vervenne said. But an interim agreement allowed payments to continue though December 31, he added.

A letter informing recipients of benefits that their pensions will drop from 50% to 70% was sent this month.

The bank has close to 1,400 benefit receivers here, Vervenne said, adding that only about 40 of them will be impacted by the decision.

Married pensioners already receive only 50% pensions, and their pensions will continue, he said. Those who will be affected the most will be single seniors, who receive 70% pensions, and recipients of child benefits.

Jacop Clothof told The Jerusalem Post he was surprised and outraged to discover his home in Jerusalem is not considered to be part of Israel. He said he received a letter informing him that his mother-in-law's pension would be reduced, because his neighborhood of Ramot is not covered in the treaty.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the matter is under investigation by the ministry's legal department to see if the Dutch action is legal. If not, the ministry is likely to appeal the decision, he said.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1029920494530

[ybe]

Europe from the 8th century until now is a collective history of extremes. Museums throughout EU are filled with priceless works of art expressing high moral ideals, brotherly love and wanting to achieve salvation and heaven but at the same time EU history chronicles the ceaseless wars, bloodshed, persecutions of minorities, intolerance, tribalism and on and on and on...

Traveling today throughout the EU, one sees centers of cultural displays brimming with visitors and tourists but its centers of moral ideals are valued for their architectural attractions, revenue generation and the color they add to local history and customs.

Europeans due to their abundant historical wealth are not interested in dwelling in the past but rather in visions of the future, using the present as a vehicle to achieving them.

Don't bother or confuse them with details for their history is much to endow with details but rather the vision is the goal to be achieved.

To understand what makes Jews, Israelis, Jewish Religion and the Jewish State of Israel tic is to dig in to the layers and layers of details, events, volumes of commentaries and libraries of history to deal with. Something very difficult and unappealing for Europeans to deal with.

Europeans prefer the vision instead of the facts.
They prefer quick solutions and adherence to dogma.
If you do not accept their vision and believe in their dogma
then there is punishment.
Punishment to force compliance and acceptance of their solutions, their visions and dogmas.

Europeans are the same as always and we Jews are as stiff-neck as ever but this time we are on our own turf and we re not helpless.

[Mediocrates]

Originally posted by Vic
Well knowing that this will never happen in this case, i.e. the current government will not accept the European blueprint. The only ones likely to do so (?) are the very left-wingers that European political action is compromising at the moment.

The current tactic seems rather to try to suffocate the Israeli population slowly:


If that were the US it would be a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and well as unconsititutional, probably under the 8th and 9th Ammendments as possibly the 10th as well. Furthermore one could make a plausible case that it violates the 14th and 15th ammendments, constructively.

What this amounts to is a passing a "Bill of Attainder" which is a law passed specifically against an individual or an identifiable group. It's illuminating to see a so called progressive nation pass sanctions not against a government but against their own citizens living in a foreign country.