Israel Matzav

The Left is qvelling

For those who wonder where I have been for the last few hours.... Some of you probably already figured out that I went to a friend's house to watch Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals. It was a great game, but we won't discuss the result.

The International hard Left is qvelling after the Israeli business newspaper Calcalist reported on a meeting of 80 business executives who warned of Israel being ostracized like South Africa (link in Hebrew) in the wake of a unilateral declaration of a 'Palestinian state' at the United Nations in September. Ironically, the article quotes heavily from Idan Ofer, the son of Sammy and nephew of Yuli Ofer. Sammy and Yuli scandalized Israel earlier this week when their dealings with Iran were exposed. But the International Left is happy to see business dealings with Iran too, so they don't even mention the Iran scandal. Instead, they are qvelling how BDS works due to the seeming panic in the Israeli business community.

“Global business provide us with heightened senses and in recent months we are experiencing signs of substantial erosion in the legitimacy of the state of Israel, stated Ofer. “If in the past the community of business people tended to desist from taking a position in relation to the political process, today’s situation obligates us to act in defence of the Israeli economy. In an age in which exports represent almost 50% of the gross domestic product, damage to Israel’s international position will immediately endanger jobs and households in Israel.” Therefore, said Ofer, “we must act with all the means at our disposal to call on the government of Israel to initiate a political initiative that will prevent any possibility of the imposition of a boycott on Israel.”

Dani Gillerman, the former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, said “the morning after the expected recognition of a Palestinian state, a dramatic and painful process of South Africanisation of the state of Israel will commence. The economic quiet existing today in Israel is illusionary, and is very likely to explode immediately following the declaration. I continue even today to receive messages from senior Palestinian officials that the Palestinian side prefers a peace agreement over a unilateral move. Therefore, the (Israeli) prime minister must initiate a real political process which will allow this, and prevent a catastrophe from an Israeli perspective.”

Calcalist reports that “Until now”, Gilman added, “we enjoyed legitimacy despite the situation of occupied territories, but if the state will not do something we will be perceived as South Africa 2 and that will harm the economy.”

I don't see this for five reasons. First, I doubt it will come to a vote in the United Nations General Assembly, since the Obama administration will likely have to use its Security Council veto at this time (in 2013, it would be a different story). Second, there is too much Israeli technology in the World economy for an effective boycott against Israel to be mounted (think of all those "if you want to boycott Israel" videos and how difficult it has been to mount effective sanctions against Iran). Third, even if the Obama administration were not to exercise a UN veto, there is no way that sanctions against Israel would pass Congress. The US market would pick up any slack from the Europeans. Fourth, I have my doubts as to what the business community is actually hearing abroad. We all know how Israel's business community thinks. And fifth, there is no indication that the 'Palestinians' are willing to make any kind of compromise, so much as the business community may want a deal, there isn't one available.

Labels: BDS, unilateral declaration of statehood, United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Security Council

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:22 AM