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Today’s Top BDS Stories:
1. BDS to play key role in AIPAC Conference. The New York Times reports:
Aipac’s response is to push for expanded engagement with Israel, and to urge Congress to battle against Palestinian efforts to exclude Israel from international organizations. “Our message is one of inclusion,” said a senior Aipac official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, in keeping with the group’s practice.
At one level, giving the boycott movement such attention seems odd. While it has gained some traction in Europe, where a Dutch pension fund recently cut ties to Israeli banks that do business with Jewish settlements, it remains largely a nonstarter in the United States.
2. NYU students protest the ASA-sponsored BDS conference that took place at the university over the weekend. Although there was a media blackout, Elder of Ziyon located some Tweets about what was discussed.
3. Norwegian YMCA endorses BDS.
Other BDS-Related Content:
* How much damage has the recent “wave” of boycotts done to Israel’s economy? Not much, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.
The true story is that after nearly 10 years of campaigning, the global BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) movement has not had the slightest economic impact. Its victories have consisted of coaxing a handful of pop stars and academics to cancel appearances in Israel, and winning empty, sanctimonious declarations of support from the likes of student governments, cooperative grocery stories and leftish church groups.
In other words, the damage has all by in the realm of propaganda. That’s the real threat posed by the BDS movement.
* Haaretz columnist Chemi Shalev is worried about the recent trend of disqualifying people who support the destruction of Israel – because it’s a slippery slope that will lead to bigger problems.
* See Ben Shapiro’s dramatic two-minute testimony before the UCLA Student government vote. The divestment measure was defeated last week. Meanwhile, Israellycool reports on a potential case of cyberbullying against one of the members of the student government that voted against the measure.
See Thursday’s Fighting BDS Roundup.
