Boycotts are not the answer

Concepts such as peace, human rights and social justice have always been the object of distortion and political exploitation. Rarely is the sincerity of groups preaching such principles questioned, but while the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement presents its way as a nonviolent struggle for justice for the Palestinians, it is just the opposite. By targeting Israeli businessmen, companies, entrepreneurs, artists and academics around the world, the BDS movement's activities are far from advancing peace and fraternity.

The BDS movement and other radical groups share a common ideology and speak the same language of hatred toward Israel. Their goal is to exert psychological pressure on society through indoctrination, and they are, in fact, opposed to peace with Israel.

By using the huge number of political activists and academics at its disposal to promote anti-Israeli boycotts, demonstrations and sanctions, the BDS movement opposes the very existence of Israel and rejects the two-state solution.

One of its founders, Omar Barghouti, expresses this sentiment openly in private events and speeches that the media is not privy to. That is why the actions of BDS activists are exploited by radical Islamic organizations.

BDS also exploits Islamic symbols, even though it is not an Islamic movement. Radical left-wing anti-Israel governments, as well as political and social circles that advocate anti-Semitism and racism provide the BDS movement with massive financial and logistical support and, in accordance with Marxist propaganda and provocation methods, BDS activists sometimes try to enlist the support of the Muslim masses with the argument of Islamic supremacy. But this ideology, based on confrontation with Israel and the desire to expel the Jews from their homeland, lacks any basis in the Koran.

The boycott of Israeli companies harms the Palestinians more than anyone else. Many of them, who are employed under good conditions in Israeli companies, have become victims of the systematic boycott of Israel. As a result, places of employment where Jews and Muslims, Israelis and Palestinians worked together, are forced to close and an artificial abyss is created between the two peoples, even in places where they peacefully coexist.

And finally, the BDS movement falsifies facts and exploits historic injustices. Anyone who ever visited Israel or who has a decent approach to the issue would admit that Arabs and Muslims enjoy more rights and freedoms in Israel than in any country in the Arab-Muslim Middle East. The maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip, Israel's military activity in the West Bank and measures such as the security fence, which are some of the BDS's movement's main arguments, are simply essential – even if unwanted – defense and precautionary measures taken after years of suicide terrorism and Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.

The Israeli government repeatedly underscores its desire to annul these measures if the conditions for peace and security are met.

Through aggressive discourse and destructive propaganda, the BDS movement actually fuels the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. An entity that sincerely has the Palestinians' best interest in mind will not endorse a policy that encouraged hostility towards Israelis and Jews, but rather strongly condemn acts of terror, missile attacks, and suicide bombers; and then it will offer rationalist educational solutions to neutralize these threats and abolish hatred.

Above all, an entity that truly has the Palestinians' best interest at heart will seek to foster a prosperous environment that will enable both people to thrive and live together in a spirit of true peace and brotherhood.

Adnan Oktar's piece in Israel Hayom (Israel):

http://www.israelhayom.com/opinions/boycotts-are-not-the-answer/