Activism and BDS Beat 23 January 2014
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) embraces Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, Israel’s “best friend” in Europe.
Israel Ministry of Foreign AffairsOmar Barghouti, co-founder of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign, is hailing an “unprecedented” decision by Germany to prevent its funds being diverted to institutions located in Israel’s illegal West Bank colonies.
“The German government is conditioning continued grants to Israeli high-tech companies, as well as the renewal of a scientific cooperation agreement, on the inclusion of a territorial clause stating that Israeli entities located in West Bank settlements or East Jerusalem will not be eligible for funding,” Haaretz reports today.
In an email received by The Electronic Intifada, Barghouti calls the German decision an “extremely significant development in the fast spreading European boycott of complicit Israeli institutions and companies that operate” in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Haaretz concurs, terming the move “a significant escalation in European measures against the settlements.” The newspaper adds:
While the Horizon 2020 scientific cooperation agreement, which Israel signed with the European Union a few weeks ago, prohibited EU funding for academic research conducted in the settlements, Berlin has now extended the funding ban to private companies located over the Green Line. Moreover, the boycott against the settlements has now spread from EU institutions in Brussels to individual EU members.
The fears in Israel’s foreign ministry, according to Haaretz, are that “given the ‘special relationship’ between Israel and Germany and the fact that Germany is considered Israel’s best friend in Europe, any Israeli consent to Germany’s demands is liable to set a precedent for all of Europe.”
“Germany will set an example for the rest of the world,” an official told Haaretz.
Israel now fears a situation where “every decision made by the European Commission in Brussels is automatically adopted by all 28 member states,” Haaretz says.
Israeli isolation
Just days ago, Matthew Gould, the British ambassador in Tel Aviv, warned that Israel faces growing isolation in Europe.
“We were days away from putting in a big rift between British or European science and Israeli science,” Gould said, regarding the recent negotiations over Israel’s participation in Horizon 2020.
Senior Israel officials, including justice minister Tzipi Livni and finance minister Yair Lapid, have in recent weeks sounded increasingly desperate warnings about the dire effects growing BDS campaigns were likely to have on Israel.
Don’t hold back
“Those who are still stuck in campaigns to merely push for labeling settlement products need to reflect on these successive developments in Europe and perhaps question the efficacy – and ethicality – of trying to hold back this process by proposing ineffective, virtually unverifiable, and extremely insignificant measures,” Barghouti said.
“Labeling campaigns are so two years ago!”
Barghouti was referring to glacially slow EU moves to merely label Israeli goods produced in settlements rather than banning them outright.
Comments
EU Funding for Israeli companies in illegal settlements
Permalink Winski replied on
HOORAH !!!
The EU is stepping up and saying to the bigots - NO, NO MORE. HOORAH !!
Don't over celebrate...
Permalink John Clarke replied on
Don't over celebrate....Europe is still giving preferential treatment to the Zionists re trade and have failed to take any REAL action.
They should be implementing the BDS campaign across Europe!!
Germany still funds them and ARMS them through other deals.
boycott spread
Permalink Hugh Ekeberg replied on
It's important I think that the global community boycott and sanction Israel itself. The world should see through Israel's game of trying to divert the global gaze onto Iran as a tactic to avoid a solution with Palestine.
Comment by Hugh Ekeberg
Permalink Tess replied on
I entirey agree that we should be boycotting Israel, after all who built and continues to build the settlements and who is responsible for all the war crimes against the indigenous people?
Best friend in Europe
Permalink Philippa replied on
Germany is proving with this move that it is indeed Israel's best friend in Europe. Israel would do well to listen to such loyal and brave friends rather than to the false friends that are encouraging it to flush its narrowing future down the drain. Get with the programme! Start respecting international law! This can be the only message of a true friend.
" WHAT SHOULD i DO??
Permalink Peter Loeb replied on
..." Do what he tells you, she [Umm Hassan ] answered... ":But he doesn't speak,"
I said. "Oh yes he does...and it is up to you to hear his voice..." Elias Khoury
in GATE OF THE SUN (translated from Arabic by Humphrey Davies)
Nothing is DONE. We must be vigilant, always on guard. This is only one tiny
step in the right direction. What is behind it? What is coming? This is
not so much an accomplishment as an opportunity.
Some can march. Some of us, too old and disabled to march, can write, learn. Many can teach.
Kisses and hugs (such as in the photo above) are great PR. We must support
real ACTION. What is the precise language? What specific companies are
involved? How will this help us in our struggle.
The "isolation" of Israeli politicians who have betrayed Palestinians hundreds of times tells us we on the right road.
"It's up to you to hear his voice."
I know BDS wants us to "hear his voice"...to hear our voices.
It is time to ACT.
Peter Loeb, Boston, MA, USA