Stephen Hawking’s support for the boycott of Israel is a turning point
Ali Abunimah, The Guardian,
Thu 9 May 2013
Thu 9 May 2013
Boycotting
Israel as a stance for justice is going mainstream – Israelis can no longer
pretend theirs is in an enlightened country
Israel as a stance for justice is going mainstream – Israelis can no longer
pretend theirs is in an enlightened country
 |
| ‘Professor Hawking’s decision to respect the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement has forced Israelis – and the rest of the world – to understand that the status quo has a price.’ Photograph: John Phillips/UK Press via Getty Images |
A
standard objection to the Palestinian campaign for the boycott of Israel is
that it would cut off “dialogue” and hurt the chances of peace. We’ve
heard this again in the wake of Professor Stephen Hawking’s laudable decision to withdraw from Israel’s
Presidential Conference in response to requests from Palestinian academics –
but it would be hard to think of a more unconvincing position as far as
Palestinians are concerned.
standard objection to the Palestinian campaign for the boycott of Israel is
that it would cut off “dialogue” and hurt the chances of peace. We’ve
heard this again in the wake of Professor Stephen Hawking’s laudable decision to withdraw from Israel’s
Presidential Conference in response to requests from Palestinian academics –
but it would be hard to think of a more unconvincing position as far as
Palestinians are concerned.
One of
the most deceptive aspects of the so-called peace process is the pretence that
Palestinians and Israelis are two equal sides, equally at fault, equally
responsible – thus erasing from view the brutal reality that Palestinians are
an occupied, colonised people, dispossessed at the hands of one of the most
powerful militaries on earth.
the most deceptive aspects of the so-called peace process is the pretence that
Palestinians and Israelis are two equal sides, equally at fault, equally
responsible – thus erasing from view the brutal reality that Palestinians are
an occupied, colonised people, dispossessed at the hands of one of the most
powerful militaries on earth.
For more
than two decades, under the cover of this fiction, Palestinians have engaged in
internationally-sponsored “peace talks” and other forms of dialogue,
only to watch as Israel
has continued to occupy, steal and settle their land, and to kill and maim
thousands of people with impunity.
than two decades, under the cover of this fiction, Palestinians have engaged in
internationally-sponsored “peace talks” and other forms of dialogue,
only to watch as Israel
has continued to occupy, steal and settle their land, and to kill and maim
thousands of people with impunity.
While
there are a handful of courageous dissenting Israeli voices, major Israeli
institutions, especially the universities, have been complicit in this
oppression by, for example, engaging in research and training partnerships with
the Israeli army. Israel’s government has actively engaged academics, artists
and other cultural figures in international “Brand Israel” campaigns
to prettify the country’s image and distract attention from the oppression of
Palestinians.
there are a handful of courageous dissenting Israeli voices, major Israeli
institutions, especially the universities, have been complicit in this
oppression by, for example, engaging in research and training partnerships with
the Israeli army. Israel’s government has actively engaged academics, artists
and other cultural figures in international “Brand Israel” campaigns
to prettify the country’s image and distract attention from the oppression of
Palestinians.
The vast
majority of Palestinians, meanwhile, have been disenfranchised by the official
peace process as their fate has been placed in the hands of venal and comprised
envoys such as Tony Blair, and US and EU governments that only seem to find
the courage to implement international law and protect human rights when it
comes to the transgressions of African or Arab states.
majority of Palestinians, meanwhile, have been disenfranchised by the official
peace process as their fate has been placed in the hands of venal and comprised
envoys such as Tony Blair, and US and EU governments that only seem to find
the courage to implement international law and protect human rights when it
comes to the transgressions of African or Arab states.
When it
comes to Israel’s abuses, governments around the world have offered nothing but
lip service; while dozens of countries face US, EU or UN sanctions for far
lesser transgressions, it has taken years for EU governments to even discuss
timid steps such as labelling goods from illegal Israeli settlements, let alone actually banning them. Yet the peace process train
trundles on – now with a new conductor in the form of John Kerry, the US secretary of state – but with no greater
prospects of ever reaching its destination. So, enough talk already.
comes to Israel’s abuses, governments around the world have offered nothing but
lip service; while dozens of countries face US, EU or UN sanctions for far
lesser transgressions, it has taken years for EU governments to even discuss
timid steps such as labelling goods from illegal Israeli settlements, let alone actually banning them. Yet the peace process train
trundles on – now with a new conductor in the form of John Kerry, the US secretary of state – but with no greater
prospects of ever reaching its destination. So, enough talk already.
The
Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) aims to change
this dynamic. It puts the initiative back in the hands of Palestinians. The
goal is to build pressure on Israel to respect the rights of all Palestinians
by ending its occupation and blockade of the West Bank and Gaza Strip;
respecting the rights of Palestinian refugees who are currently excluded from
returning to their homes just because they are not Jews; and abolishing all
forms of discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) aims to change
this dynamic. It puts the initiative back in the hands of Palestinians. The
goal is to build pressure on Israel to respect the rights of all Palestinians
by ending its occupation and blockade of the West Bank and Gaza Strip;
respecting the rights of Palestinian refugees who are currently excluded from
returning to their homes just because they are not Jews; and abolishing all
forms of discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel.
These
demands are in line with universal human rights principles and would be
unremarkable and uncontroversial in any other context, which is precisely why
support for them is growing.
demands are in line with universal human rights principles and would be
unremarkable and uncontroversial in any other context, which is precisely why
support for them is growing.
BDS
builds on a long tradition of popular resistance around the world: from within Palestine
itself to the Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama to the struggle against
apartheid in South Africa. Historically, boycotts work.
builds on a long tradition of popular resistance around the world: from within Palestine
itself to the Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama to the struggle against
apartheid in South Africa. Historically, boycotts work.
During
the 1980s opponents of sanctions against apartheid South Africa – including,
notoriously, the late Margaret Thatcher – argued instead for “constructive
engagement”. They were on the wrong side of history. Today, Palestinians
are lectured to drop BDS and return to empty talks that are the present-day
equivalent of constructive engagement.
the 1980s opponents of sanctions against apartheid South Africa – including,
notoriously, the late Margaret Thatcher – argued instead for “constructive
engagement”. They were on the wrong side of history. Today, Palestinians
are lectured to drop BDS and return to empty talks that are the present-day
equivalent of constructive engagement.
But there
can be no going back to the days when Palestinians were silenced and only the
strong were given a voice. There can be no going back to endless
“dialogue” and fuzzy and toothless talk about “peace” that
provides a cover for Israel to entrench its colonisation.
can be no going back to the days when Palestinians were silenced and only the
strong were given a voice. There can be no going back to endless
“dialogue” and fuzzy and toothless talk about “peace” that
provides a cover for Israel to entrench its colonisation.
When we
look back in a few years, Hawking’s decision to respect BDS may be seen as a
turning point – the moment when boycotting Israel as a stance for justice went
mainstream.
look back in a few years, Hawking’s decision to respect BDS may be seen as a
turning point – the moment when boycotting Israel as a stance for justice went
mainstream.
What is
clear today is that his action has forced Israelis – and the rest of the world
– to understand that the status quo has a price. Israel cannot continue to
pretend that it is a country of culture, technology and enlightenment while
millions of Palestinians live invisibly under the brutal rule of bullets,
bulldozers and armed settlers.
clear today is that his action has forced Israelis – and the rest of the world
– to understand that the status quo has a price. Israel cannot continue to
pretend that it is a country of culture, technology and enlightenment while
millions of Palestinians live invisibly under the brutal rule of bullets,
bulldozers and armed settlers.
