The Electronic Intifada 19 May 2008
Dear editors,
As regular readers and supporters of The Electronic Intifada and in concert with much of the positions articulated by writers and contributers to EI, we have a question related to the 1 May Adalah-NY press release “Dubai begins to comply with calls to boycott settlement financier,” published in EI’s Activism news section. The third paragraph states: “Ebrahim said Israeli citizens were not allowed to operate in Dubai, adding that ‘precautionary measures’ are taken to ensure that they do not. He added that Israeli businesses would be prevented from operating in Dubai through non-Israeli partners.”
This article was about a particular Israeli, Lev Leviev, attempting to invest in Dubai, and who is known to participate, through business and construction interests, in Israel’s continuing occupation in Palestine and oppression of Palestinians. As such, it is completely understandable and supportable to organize and enforce a boycott of this individual. But the article seems to suggest a further and much broader effort — the keeping of all Israeli citizens from operating businesses in Dubai — that suggests it would include Palestinian Muslims and Christians who are currently Israeli citizens as well as Jewish Israeli citizens despite their political points of view or business interests in Israel or elsewhere. If that is correct, one is left wanting an explanation as to why one would call for such a comprehensive boycott.
Warm regards,
Jerry Roseman and Alia Banna
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