Israeli academics face growing boycott pressures

[webfact]

Israeli academics face growing boycott pressures
By JOSEF FEDERMAN and COLLIN BINKLEY

HAIFA, Israel (AP) — Israeli anthropologist Dan Rabinowitz is a leader in his field, heading a prestigious school of environmental studies at Tel Aviv University, authoring dozens of publications and holding visiting teaching positions over the years at leading North American universities.

But the British-educated Rabinowitz fears that his younger counterparts may not enjoy the same professional opportunities for a very personal reason: They are Israeli.

As a global boycott movement against Israeli universities gains steam, Israeli professors say they are feeling the pressure from their colleagues overseas. Although the movement ostensibly targets universities, not individuals, Israeli academics say they are often shunned at the personal level. They experience snubs at academic conferences, struggle to get recommendations and can experience difficulty publishing their work in professional journals.

"This is highly personal and personalized," said Rabinowitz.

The academic boycott is part of the broader pro-Palestinian "BDS" campaign, which advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel. Inspired by the anti-apartheid movement, BDS organizers say they are using nonviolent means to promote the Palestinian struggle for independence.

Israel says the campaign goes beyond fighting its occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and often masks a more far-reaching aim to "delegitimize" or destroy the Jewish state. But the BDS movement's decentralized organization and language calling for universal human rights have proven difficult to counter.

The BDS website says "the vast majority of Israeli intellectuals and academics have either contributed directly to the Israeli occupation and apartheid or at the very least have been complicit through their silence."

And yet Israeli universities are widely seen as liberal bastions, and their professors are some of the most vocal government critics.

Already enjoying significant support in the U.K., the academic boycott has chalked up a series of accomplishments in the United States.

In recent years, the Association for Asian American Studies, the American Studies Association, the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association and the National Women's Studies Association have approved boycott measures.

In November, a meeting of the American Anthropological Association overwhelmingly endorsed a motion supporting a boycott of Israeli universities.

Peretz Lavie, president of the Technion, Israel's premier science and technology university, said the effect of such decisions has so far been minimal.

Lavie, who chairs the Association of University Heads in Israel, said relations between Israeli and American universities remain strong at the institutional and leadership levels, and praised this month's decision by the Association of American Universities reaffirming its opposition to the boycott. The group, which represents 62 leading U.S. universities, said the boycott "violates academic freedom."

Nonetheless, Lavie said the boycott movement has become a top concern for Israeli university leaders, particularly as it gains support at the "ground level" from U.S. student unions and academic associations.

"There may be a domino effect," he said. "If we do not deal with it, it will be a major problem."

Lavie is now leading a battle against the boycott. While acknowledging that Israeli government policies are open to criticism, he said that holding universities responsible for them is unfair and asked why countries with abysmal human rights records, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, have been spared.

"We have the feeling that these movements treat Israel differently than any other country in the world," he said.

Rabinowitz counts the November vote by the anthropological association as one of the most painful chapters of his career. He said he personally tried to alter the boycott resolution twice — only to be rejected with little or no debate. He said the rejection by his colleagues was a "defining moment" for him. In a statement, the association confirmed Rabinowitz's account, noting that the meeting was "highly charged."

Ed Liebow, the association's executive director, said the organization felt "a strong commitment" to take some sort of action. "The one thing we can't do is nothing," he said. The measure goes to the association's more than 10,000 members for a vote this spring.

Although the American anthropologists have never before proposed a boycott of academic institutions, the association said it commonly takes public stands against governments accused of restricting academic freedom. It recently sent a letter to leaders of Turkey, criticizing them for allegedly curbing scholars there.

Ilana Feldman, a professor of anthropology at George Washington University and a boycott supporter, said the proposal, if passed, would not impede professors "in any way" from working with Israeli scholars.

Rabinowitz, however, said it is impossible to distinguish between a person and his institution, which becomes part of one's professional identity.

Israeli academics say such feelings are increasingly common.

Rachelle Alterman, a professor emeritus of urban planning at the Technion, said she still has strong working relationships with colleagues around the world, but the pro-boycott camp is a "rising minority" in academia. She said it is less of an issue in the hard sciences like medicine and physics, and much more palpable in more subjective social sciences. Younger academics trying to establish a reputation are especially vulnerable.

Alterman said she has begun to feel a "coldness" from some colleagues at conferences that was not there in the past. She said some colleagues refuse to attend conferences in Israel, and editors at professional journals tell her it is difficult to find people willing to review papers by Israeli academics.

"I call it the dark matter. It's there all the time, but elusive, hard to spot," she said.

In one recent case, a British colleague coolly rejected a request to assist one of her graduate students.

"I am afraid that as part of the institutional boycott being observed by some academics in relation to Israeli organisations I am unable to help with your request," the British professor wrote in an email.

Rabinowitz said the boycott efforts will backfire by undermining Israeli moderates and playing into the hands of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-line government.

"It is the best present they can give Netanyahu and the radical right in Israel," he said.
___

Binkley reported from Boston.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-02-01

[HenryB]

Maybe everything developed by Jews and Israel can be boycott especially in Medicine and Science That will teach them that we don't need them we would rather die

[Pimay1]

BDS organizers say they are using nonviolent means to promote the Palestinian struggle for independence.

Right, we've noticed that.

[Jingthing]

Maybe everything developed by Jews and Israel can be boycott especially in Medicine and Science That will teach them that we don't need them we would rather die

I assume that's sarcasm. Even injured Palestinian terrorists accept medical treatment by Jews.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Jingthing

[HenryB]

Maybe everything developed by Jews and Israel can be boycott especially in Medicine and Science That will teach them that we don't need them we would rather die

I assume that's sarcasm. Even injured Palestinian terrorists accept medical treatment by Jews.

This is not sarcasm we have to bring back the dark ages. Ban all their achievements so we only live to forty that will teach them. We do need them

[OMGImInPattaya]

It's a fact that the academies of all countries are deeply intertwined with the miltary-industrial complexes of their societies. Unfortunately in the Zionist State case, this also means involvement in and support for an almost 50 year illegal occupation of territory captured in war and held in violation of dozens on United Nations resolutions.

It's unfortunate that the world will be deprived of the knoledge and discoveries of the many world leading scientists and scholars resident at Zionist State institutions of higher learning and many of these same scholars will be deprived of research and teaching opportunities in the West.

Of course, there's an easy way to end such international isolation.

[DeaconJohn]

It's a fact that the academies of all countries are deeply intertwined with the miltary-industrial complexes of their societies. Unfortunately in the Zionist State case, this also means involvement in and support for an almost 50 year illegal occupation of territory captured in war and held in violation of dozens on United Nations resolutions.

It's unfortunate that the world will be deprived of the knoledge and discoveries of the many world leading scientists and scholars resident at Zionist State institutions of higher learning and many of these same scholars will be deprived of research and teaching opportunities in the West.

Of course, there's an easy way to end such international isolation.

Non-violent resistance is the only way to get the Israelis back within their 1967 borders.

The BDS movement is gaining strength and turning Israel into a pariah state.

Moderate Israelis will prevail in the end and isolate the radical Zionists among them.

It happened in apartheid South Africa to a despicable system and it will eventually happen in Israel.

[OMGImInPattaya]

It's a fact that the academies of all countries are deeply intertwined with the miltary-industrial complexes of their societies. Unfortunately in the Zionist State case, this also means involvement in and support for an almost 50 year illegal occupation of territory captured in war and held in violation of dozens on United Nations resolutions.

It's unfortunate that the world will be deprived of the knoledge and discoveries of the many world leading scientists and scholars resident at Zionist State institutions of higher learning and many of these same scholars will be deprived of research and teaching opportunities in the West.

Of course, there's an easy way to end such international isolation.

Non-violent resistance is the only way to get the Israelis back within their 1967 borders.

The BDS movement is gaining strength and turning Israel into a pariah state.

Moderate Israelis will prevail in the end and isolate the radical Zionists among them.

It happened in apartheid South Africa to a despicable system and it will eventually happen in Israel.

It is probably the best way...but easy for people in the West to advocate passive resistance to violent aggression and humiliation.

[Jingthing]

In Israel's academies, you will tend to find more moderate and liberal politically Israelis.

This is shame for them and it will only push greater Israel more right wing.

So it's a very stupid COUNTERPRODUCTIVE tactic.

Most will adapt, more of the sharing will be with countries not playing into the BDS BS, such as India, to the BENEFIT of those countries.

There will of course be some brain drain of Israeli academics leaving.

BDS is a real threat to Israel but Israel is used to all kinds of threats and the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere.

[DeaconJohn]

In Israel's academies, you will tend to find more moderate and liberal politically Israelis.

This is shame for them and it will only push greater Israel more right wing.

So it's a very stupid COUNTERPRODUCTIVE tactic.

Most will adapt, more of the sharing will be with countries not playing into the BDS BS, such as India, to the BENEFIT of those countries.

There will of course be some brain drain of Israeli academics leaving.

BDS is a real threat to Israel but Israel is used to all kinds of threats and the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere.

Agreed, the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere... but they're going to change.

Sooner or later.

The whole world is against them - and for a lot of very good reasons.

Edited February 1, 2016 by DeaconJohn

[chuckd]

Yet another classic case of the world cutting off its nose to spite its face.

And then we wonder where our young college students come up with such dumb ideas as free spaces, more diversity, etc.

The inmates truly are running the asylums.

[Scott]

A reply to a post which has been edited has been removed.

[Jingthing]

In Israel's academies, you will tend to find more moderate and liberal politically Israelis.

This is shame for them and it will only push greater Israel more right wing.

So it's a very stupid COUNTERPRODUCTIVE tactic.

Most will adapt, more of the sharing will be with countries not playing into the BDS BS, such as India, to the BENEFIT of those countries.

There will of course be some brain drain of Israeli academics leaving.

BDS is a real threat to Israel but Israel is used to all kinds of threats and the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere.

Agreed, the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere... but they're going to change.

Sooner or later.

The whole world is against them - and for a lot of very good reasons.

They'll get more right wing is how they'll change. Duh.

The goals of the BDS movement is to end Israel.

Leaving Gaza didn't make peace. Genocidal Hamas is building new terror tunnels RIGHT NOW. Leaving West Bank won't make peace either.

For hope of a decent peaceful solution, you have to be dealing with a force that isn't dedicated to ending your existence. Sadly that's not the Palestinian leadership, and that's the force these misguided BDS groupies are supporting.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Jingthing

[Kasset Tak]

Maybe everything developed by Jews and Israel can be boycott especially in Medicine and Science That will teach them that we don't need them we would rather die

I don't have anything against people of the Jewish fate, I have several friends both back home and in Thailand that are Jewish and I had a neighbor when growing up that was a survivor from Auschwitz.

BUT how the state of Israel is treating the Palestinians is not better then how South Africa treated black people during apartheid and if they will continue down that road we can soon compare them with Nazi Germany during WWII!

Israel treat the Palestinians as 2^nd class people and they sure as hell don't want a 2 state solution as then they would have to give up the land they occupy. So can you see peace between Israel and Palestine in the near future if the Israeli people don't start to understand that???

Israel and Netanyahu continue to call anyone criticizing Israel and how they handle the situation antisemitic and US supports Israel in UN so there will never be any pressure on Israel from there (US and EU are boycotting Russia because of Ukraine but they have no boycotts against Israel because of Palestine...). So what can the people around the world that are opposing Israels treatment of the Palestinians do to try to get Israel to take their responsibility and make peace with Palestine? BOYCOTTS on a small level!

And in the end, what would you like to buy from Israel? Merkava tanks and Tavor rifles so that you can occupy some small country by yourself?!

Edited February 1, 2016 by Kasset Tak

[Jingthing]

...

And in the end, what would you like to buy from Israel? Merkava tanks and Tavor rifles so that you can occupy some small country by yourself?!

Amazing the my best friends are Jewish line. Classic. That said before the BIG Israel demonization DUMP.

What to buy?

Hmm.

Pretty much anything.

If you've got the gelt.

http://www.buyisraelgoods.org/

Yes, Israeli military technology is also a thing as Israel is on the front line against Islamist terrorism.

Israel without a strong military would have never existed.

Rough neighborhood. See: A MAP.

Anyway, we're all using Israeli products and I.P. in our tech devices not to mention what you might find at the hospital that is tainted with Israeli juice. Juice ... hey that's a pun.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Jingthing

[Thesticle]

Israel needs to grow up and stop acting like a spoilt child. After endless discusions on how to remedy the situation and Israels clear unwillingness to participate in an honest fashion the rest of the world has got fed up. The current boycotts are a direct result of Israel throwing its toys out of the pram every time it doesnt like whats happening. People are tired of the never ending cycle of violence and Israel playing the poor me why do people hate us card. I feel sorry for jews worldwide who are percecuted as a direct result of zionists in Israel hijacking judaism. Also as a so called bastion of democracy in the middle east they are very quick to shut up and label traitors any Israely citizens that voice opinions that differ from yheir ultra right wing agenda.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/26/netanyahu-shapiro-israel-crackdown-dissent

[Chicog]

I feel sorry for jews worldwide who are percecuted as a direct result of zionists in Israel hijacking judaism.

Very well put (if not spelt )

Edited February 1, 2016 by Chicog

[GeorgesAbitbol]

The good ol' poor Israel.. last week they agreed to seize fertile land in the west bank. 150ha if i remember correctly.

But this must be to protect themselves, not to settle there...

142 countries already recognize Palestine as a state. Bibi humself expressed his fear toward boycott. He is lobbying in foreign country to make this movment illegal.

For the Israel government and lot of supporters the only card left is : antisemitism... unfortunatly it is not working very well anymore..

Criticizing the junta backed government here or the Thaksin ones don't make you racist it seems. However do this to the Israel government and you re antisemit or "terrorist" (a bit like Bush did :if you te noy with us you are against us).

This boycott is for me the most rational way to express your griefs...

[Jingthing]

Again , criticizing Israeli government policies is not antisemitism.

DEMONIZATION of Israel ... IS.

[Jingthing]

Israel needs to grow up and stop acting like a spoilt child. After endless discusions on how to remedy the situation and Israels clear unwillingness to participate in an honest fashion the rest of the world has got fed up. The current boycotts are a direct result of Israel throwing its toys out of the pram every time it doesnt like whats happening. People are tired of the never ending cycle of violence and Israel playing the poor me why do people hate us card. I feel sorry for jews worldwide who are percecuted as a direct result of zionists in Israel hijacking judaism. Also as a so called bastion of democracy in the middle east they are very quick to shut up and label traitors any Israely citizens that voice opinions that differ from yheir ultra right wing agenda.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/26/netanyahu-shapiro-israel-crackdown-dissent

They're the result of the organized BDS movement, a movement whose leaders have revealed has as their main goal -- the END of Israel. Just like Hamas and a number of Israel's other enemies. Not a two state solution. The END of Israel. That's why I assert with full confidence the BDS movement is an Israel demonizing, antisemitic movement at its core, though of course many of the naive good hearted people supporting it are not Jew haters themselves.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Jingthing

[OMGImInPattaya]

The good ol' poor Israel.. last week they agreed to seize fertile land in the west bank. 150ha if i remember correctly.

But this must be to protect themselves, not to settle there...

142 countries already recognize Palestine as a state. Bibi humself expressed his fear toward boycott. He is lobbying in foreign country to make this movment illegal.

For the Israel government and lot of supporters the only card left is : antisemitism... unfortunatly it is not working very well anymore..

Criticizing the junta backed government here or the Thaksin ones don't make you racist it seems. However do this to the Israel government and you re antisemit or "terrorist" (a bit like Bush did :if you te noy with us you are against us).

This boycott is for me the most rational way to express your griefs...

The French government has recently announced that they will soon convene a peace conference between the Zionist State and the Palestinian leadership and if, at the end of the conference, substantial progress has not been made towards a settlement, that they will go ahead and recognize a Palestinian state.

[Thesticle]

Israel needs to grow up and stop acting like a spoilt child. After endless discusions on how to remedy the situation and Israels clear unwillingness to participate in an honest fashion the rest of the world has got fed up. The current boycotts are a direct result of Israel throwing its toys out of the pram every time it doesnt like whats happening. People are tired of the never ending cycle of violence and Israel playing the poor me why do people hate us card. I feel sorry for jews worldwide who are percecuted as a direct result of zionists in Israel hijacking judaism. Also as a so called bastion of democracy in the middle east they are very quick to shut up and label traitors any Israely citizens that voice opinions that differ from yheir ultra right wing agenda.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/26/netanyahu-shapiro-israel-crackdown-dissent

They're the result of the organized BDS movement, a movement whose leaders have revealed has as their main goal -- the END of Israel. Just like Hamas and a number of Israel's other enemies. Not a two state solution. The END of Israel. That's why I assert with full confidence the BDS movement is an Israel demonizing, antisemitic movement at its core, though of course many of the naive good hearted people supporting it are not Jew haters themselves.

BDS is a way for people to voice their disatisfaction with Israels policies towards the palistinians. The truth is Israel is quite content with the status quo of persecuting palistinians and stealing their land. After many futile attempts to rectify the situation it has become clear that Israel has no intention of coming to an agreement. This is why the boycotts have occured, people are sick and tired of Israels game of claiming they are victims when it is clear to all that they have been the oppressors. To say the aim of BDS is to finish Israel is just another tactic to divert attention from the real issue that is Israels pig headed elitist rascist policies that bring us no closer to a peacefull solution.

[Steely Dan]

In Israel's academies, you will tend to find more moderate and liberal politically Israelis.

This is shame for them and it will only push greater Israel more right wing.

So it's a very stupid COUNTERPRODUCTIVE tactic.

Most will adapt, more of the sharing will be with countries not playing into the BDS BS, such as India, to the BENEFIT of those countries.

There will of course be some brain drain of Israeli academics leaving.

BDS is a real threat to Israel but Israel is used to all kinds of threats and the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere.

Agreed, the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere... but they're going to change.

Sooner or later.

The whole world is against them - and for a lot of very good reasons.

The world has far better reasons to be against Syria, Iran and North Korea, yet last year the UN had 22 resolutions concerning Israel, with one each for North Korea and Iran. None at all for Syria where 250000 died.

Meanwhile back in reality the Knesset were discussing affirmative action to find jobs for non Jewish Israelis after they leave military service. The hypocrisy of the BDS movement and their supporters is staggering.

[OMGImInPattaya]

In Israel's academies, you will tend to find more moderate and liberal politically Israelis.

This is shame for them and it will only push greater Israel more right wing.

So it's a very stupid COUNTERPRODUCTIVE tactic.

Most will adapt, more of the sharing will be with countries not playing into the BDS BS, such as India, to the BENEFIT of those countries.

There will of course be some brain drain of Israeli academics leaving.

BDS is a real threat to Israel but Israel is used to all kinds of threats and the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere.

Agreed, the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere... but they're going to change.

Sooner or later.

The whole world is against them - and for a lot of very good reasons.

The world has far better reasons to be against Syria, Iran and North Korea, yet last year the UN had 22 resolutions concerning Israel, with one each for North Korea and Iran. None at all for Syria where 250000 died.

Meanwhile back in reality the Knesset were discussing affirmative action to find jobs for non Jewish Israelis after they leave military service. The hypocrisy of the BDS movement and their supporters is staggering.

So Syria, Iran, and North Korea are the control group...in that case, I'd say the Zionist State is probably the best of the bunch; mind you, however, it's a very low bar. However, if, as I suspect, the Zionist State likes to compare itself to and considers itself a part of the democratic states of the West, then it has allot to answer for.

[Jingthing]

In Israel's academies, you will tend to find more moderate and liberal politically Israelis.

This is shame for them and it will only push greater Israel more right wing.

So it's a very stupid COUNTERPRODUCTIVE tactic.

Most will adapt, more of the sharing will be with countries not playing into the BDS BS, such as India, to the BENEFIT of those countries.

There will of course be some brain drain of Israeli academics leaving.

BDS is a real threat to Israel but Israel is used to all kinds of threats and the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere.

Agreed, the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere... but they're going to change.

Sooner or later.

The whole world is against them - and for a lot of very good reasons.

The world has far better reasons to be against Syria, Iran and North Korea, yet last year the UN had 22 resolutions concerning Israel, with one each for North Korea and Iran. None at all for Syria where 250000 died.

Meanwhile back in reality the Knesset were discussing affirmative action to find jobs for non Jewish Israelis after they leave military service. The hypocrisy of the BDS movement and their supporters is staggering.

That's what Israel demonization is all about. A bizarrely unbalanced obsession with the faults of Israel compared to many other nations in the world doing much worse. It's not normal criticism.

[Jingthing]

Israel needs to grow up and stop acting like a spoilt child. After endless discusions on how to remedy the situation and Israels clear unwillingness to participate in an honest fashion the rest of the world has got fed up. The current boycotts are a direct result of Israel throwing its toys out of the pram every time it doesnt like whats happening. People are tired of the never ending cycle of violence and Israel playing the poor me why do people hate us card. I feel sorry for jews worldwide who are percecuted as a direct result of zionists in Israel hijacking judaism. Also as a so called bastion of democracy in the middle east they are very quick to shut up and label traitors any Israely citizens that voice opinions that differ from yheir ultra right wing agenda.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/26/netanyahu-shapiro-israel-crackdown-dissent

They're the result of the organized BDS movement, a movement whose leaders have revealed has as their main goal -- the END of Israel. Just like Hamas and a number of Israel's other enemies. Not a two state solution. The END of Israel. That's why I assert with full confidence the BDS movement is an Israel demonizing, antisemitic movement at its core, though of course many of the naive good hearted people supporting it are not Jew haters themselves.

BDS is a way for people to voice their disatisfaction with Israels policies towards the palistinians. The truth is Israel is quite content with the status quo of persecuting palistinians and stealing their land. After many futile attempts to rectify the situation it has become clear that Israel has no intention of coming to an agreement. This is why the boycotts have occured, people are sick and tired of Israels game of claiming they are victims when it is clear to all that they have been the oppressors. To say the aim of BDS is to finish Israel is just another tactic to divert attention from the real issue that is Israels pig headed elitist rascist policies that bring us no closer to a peacefull solution.

So the actual goals of the BDS movement are irrelevant then. Never mind the Palestinian side is massively more racist with their no Jews at all intentions. This defies rationality. It's demonization. Obsessive demonization.

[TooPoopedToPop]

Again , criticizing Israeli government policies is not antisemitism.

DEMONIZATION of Israel ... IS.

For those who want to criticize Israeli policies without demonizing Israel, what guidelines should be followed?

[Jingthing]

Again , criticizing Israeli government policies is not antisemitism.

DEMONIZATION of Israel ... IS.

For those who want to criticize Israeli policies without demonizing Israel, what guidelines should be followed?

Supporting a movement dedicated to ending Israel wouldn't be it.

[TooPoopedToPop]

Again , criticizing Israeli government policies is not antisemitism.

DEMONIZATION of Israel ... IS.

For those who want to criticize Israeli policies without demonizing Israel, what guidelines should be followed?

Supporting a movement dedicated to ending Israel wouldn't be it.

The BDS movement isn't dedicated to ending Israel. That's absolute nonsense.

It's the radical Zionists who will end Israel as a Jewish state if they don't find a way to co-exist with the Palestinians. Land grabs, violence, and deceptive propaganda have failed completely to realize the Zionist goal of Eretz Israel. It's not going to happen... give it up and live within your 1967 borders.

[OMGImInPattaya]

In Israel's academies, you will tend to find more moderate and liberal politically Israelis.

This is shame for them and it will only push greater Israel more right wing.

So it's a very stupid COUNTERPRODUCTIVE tactic.

Most will adapt, more of the sharing will be with countries not playing into the BDS BS, such as India, to the BENEFIT of those countries.

There will of course be some brain drain of Israeli academics leaving.

BDS is a real threat to Israel but Israel is used to all kinds of threats and the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere.

Agreed, the Jews of Israel aren't going anywhere... but they're going to change.

Sooner or later.

The whole world is against them - and for a lot of very good reasons.

The world has far better reasons to be against Syria, Iran and North Korea, yet last year the UN had 22 resolutions concerning Israel, with one each for North Korea and Iran. None at all for Syria where 250000 died.

Meanwhile back in reality the Knesset were discussing affirmative action to find jobs for non Jewish Israelis after they leave military service. The hypocrisy of the BDS movement and their supporters is staggering.

That's what Israel demonization is all about. A bizarrely unbalanced obsession with the faults of Israel compared to many other nations in the world doing much worse. It's not normal criticism.

No, it's because these other states make no pretense to being democratic states, where the norms of western civil society are respected, but the Zionist State does. Therefore, when it fails to live up to its own supposed ideals, it gets criticised. The other states are censured too, but nobody expects them to do any better.

It's just too bad the rightward lurch into Judeo-facism by the polity of the Zionist Entity is leading it into more and more international isolation. It doesn't help what's left of the "peace process" that the current rightest prime minister basically aided and abetted in the assassination of his more peace-minded predecessor.