BDS

I am opposed to BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions). I am critical of the extreme Right in Israel (as well as among Jews here in America and the Diaspora), but BDS does nothing to improve the problem between Israel and Palestine. In fact, it aggravates the problem. Also, it assumes that the Palestinian Arabs are innocent victims, and Israelis are aggressors which is not true. In spite of their conflicting interests, Israelis and Palestinians also have interests in common which I believe actually outweigh their differences. BDS works against those common interests and often targets academic and artistic Israelis who are most interested in promoting peace while giving the most far Right ammunition to promote the idea that peace and fairness are impossible. Although I do not look with favor at the Settlement movement because of its negative effect on Israel, there have been instances where BDS has caused Palestinian unemployment by boycotting combined Settlement/Palestinian businesses and Settlement businesses that employ Palestinians. BDS is not a movement to promote peace or fairness but rather a movement that seeks to destroy Israel and in the process does nothing for the real interests of the average Palestinian.