I agree fully. Boycotting something that is hidden in plain sight cannot and will not work. There is a lot that everyday people like us cannot do because of economical or political barriers. In my opinion, the only real thing for us to do is to bug our reps and congressmen - at least, for a high school student that is all I can do.

There really is no counterpoint to this, or at least 10 to warrant a post about it. The logicality of the boycott campaign is based purely on the tools that helped bring down Apartheid. It really is more of an awareness campaign and information because the details of the conflict is still rather furtive and hidden from the mainstream (or contrived).

But this campaign IS have its effects. Re: an article by Shiver Hever.

http://www.alternativenews.org/content/view/1605/381/

1- any product with a barcode tag is identified. Barcode starting with (left most) 729 are Israeli.
2- The purpose of a boycott is not only economic pressure but also education of the public.
3- boycott does not target consumer products only but extends to cultural, academic and sports. It also includes a call for divestment from all companies Israeli or not which benefit from and support the occupation. It also includes the call for imposing sanctions on Israel until it abides by international law and respects human rights.
4- Over a hundred Palestinian civil society organizations (trade unions, women organizations, health care professionals, farmers organizations, etc..) called and endorsed the call for boycott. Your darling PA is not the only game in town.
5- while a popular boycott cannot necessarily affect the military industrial complex, a wide boycott movement can and will produce pressure on governments to reconsider. Examples are the suspension of special status trade partner by the EU following the mass protests during the Gaza massacre.
6- The calls for boycott have been very effective in isolating South Africa during the Apartheid regime and there is no reason to think that they can't in the case of Israel.
7- As to celebrity support: "build it and they will come". Celebrities--most of them at least--are a group of opportunists that will endorse any cause they think will further their careers.
8- In the eighties, when I came to the US, the "progressives" would not talk about Palestine and would not--except for a few--declare support for the Palestinian struggle (too hot of a potato). I hate to break it to you but things are not static and will change.
8- You can say the glass is half full or half empty. The boycott movement is not anti-Israel (or anti-semitic which is the hidden implication). The boycott is to force the Israeli government to change its policies vis-a-vis the Palestinians through pressure from within and from the outside.
9- Boycott of Israeli goods especially in the occupied territories has the effect of promoting local and indigenous economy and severing the dependence on Israeli goods.
10- I would suggest throwing a pebble in a pond and sit to watch the ripples grow and spread. A boycott movement maybe small now but, just like in the case of South Africa, it will grow to become a wide, strong and popular movement.

Many so called and self described "progressives" oppose boycott. There maybe many reasons for that among which is the fear that a popular boycott will expose them for the fraud they are. Progrssive is a relative measure, keep that in mind. Liberal Zionists are Zionists first in the sense that they are committed to the zionist ideology and to its product the state of Israel. When it comes to Israel they are nationalists and therefore will oppose any move they see as harming the national interest of Israel especially if this comes from the outside beyond their own initiative and control.

How about having Hamas recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence, and stop firing rockets at Israeli civilians.

Israel is far from perfect and there are many things she does that I don't agree with, but when "progressives" or anyone else ignores their side of the story, it doesn't help anything.

Israel ban sale of pistachio nuts and US ban export from Cuba

OK. So I understand that you are ticked off at Israel, and in love with the Palestinians. That's fine with me, as long as you have truly weighed up all the facts. So, you want to boycott Israel? I'll be sorry to miss you, but if you are doing it - do it properly. Let me help you.

  Check all your medications. Make sure that you do not have tablets, drops, lotions, etc., made by Abic or Teva. It may mean that you will suffer from colds and flu this winter but, hey, that's a small price for you to pay in your campaign against Israel, isn't it?   While we are on the subject of your Israeli boycott, and the medical contributions to the world made by Israeli doctors and scientists, how about telling everyone to boycott the following:   An Israeli company has developed a simple blood test that distinguishes between mild and more severe cases of Multiple Sclerosis. So, if you know anyone suffering from MS, tell them to ignore the Israeli patent that may, more accurately, diagnose their symptoms.   An Israeli-made device helps restore the use of paralyzed hands. This device electrically stimulates the hand muscles, providing hope to millions of stroke sufferers and victims of spinal injuries. If you wish to remove this hope of a better quality of life to these people, go ahead and boycott Israel.   Young children with breathing problems will soon be sleeping more soundly, thanks to a new Israeli device called the Child Hood. This innovation replaces the inhalation mask with an improved drug delivery system that provides relief for child and parent. Please tell anxious mothers that they shouldn't use this device because of your passionate cause.   These are just a few examples of how people have benefited medically from the Israeli know-how you wish to block. Boycotts often affect research. A new research center in Israel hopes to throw light on brain disorders such as depression and Alzheimer's disease. The Joseph Sangol Neuroscience Center in the Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer Hospital, aims to bring thousands of scientists and doctors to focus on brain research.   A researcher at Israel's Ben Gurion University has succeeded in creating human monoclonal antibodies which can neutralize the highly contagious smallpox virus without inducing the dangerous side effects of the existing vaccine.  

Two Israelis received the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Doctors Ciechanover and Hershko's research and discovery of one of the human cells most important cyclical processes will lead the way to DNA repair, control of newly produced proteins, and immune defense systems.   The Movement Disorder Surgery program at Israel's Hadassah Medical Center has successfully eliminated the physical manifestations of Parkinson's disease in a select group of patients with a deep brain stimulation technique. For women who undergo hysterectomies each year for the treatment of uterine fibroids, the development in Israel of the Ex Ablate 2000 System is a welcome breakthrough, offering a noninvasive alternative to surgery.   Israel is developing a nose drop that will provide a five year flu vaccine. These are just a few of the projects that you can help stop with your Israeli boycott.   But let's not get too obsessed with my ducal research.  There are other ways you can make a personal sacrifice with your anti-Israel boycott. Most of Windows operating systems were developed by Microsoft-Israel. So, set a personal example. Throw away your computer! Computers should have a sign attached saying Israel Inside. The Pentium NMX Chip technology was designed at Intel in Israel. Both the Pentium 4 microprocessor and the Centrum processor were entirely designed, developed, and produced in Israel.   Voice mail technology was developed in Israel. The technology for the AOL Instant Messenger ICQ was developed in 1996 in Israel by four young Israeli whiz kids.   Both Microsoft and Cisco built their only R. & D. facilities outside the US in Israel. So, due to your complete boycott of anything Israeli, you now have poor health and no computer. But your bad news does not end there. Get rid of your cellular phone. Cell phone technology was also developed in Israel by Motorola which has its biggest development center in Israel. Most of the latest technology in your mobile phone was developed by Israeli scientists.  

Feeling unsettled? You should be. Part of your personal security rests with Israeli inventiveness, borne out of our urgent necessity to protect and defend our lives from the terrorists you support. A phone can remotely activate a bomb, or be used for tactical communications by terrorists, bank robbers, or hostage-takers. It is vital that official security and law enforcement authorities have access to cellular jamming and detection solutions. Enter Israel's Net line Communications Technologies with their security expertise to help the fight against terror.   A joint, nonprofit, venture between Israel and Maryland resulted in a 5 day Business Development and Planning Conference March of 2006. Elected Israeli companies will partner with Maryland firms to provide innovation to the US need for homeland security.   I also want you to know that Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world. Israel produces more scientific papers per capita - 109 per 10,000 - than any other nation. Israel has the highest number of startup companies per rata. In absolute terms, Israel has the highest number, except the US. Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies outside of Silicon Valley. Israel is ranked #2 in the world for venture capital funds, behind the USA. Israel has more museums per capita. Israel has the second highest publication of new books per capita.   Relative to population, Israel is the largest immigrant-absorbing nation on earth. These immigrants come in search of democracy, religious freedom or expression, economic opportunity, and quality of life.   Believe it or not, Israel is the only country in the world which had a net gain in the number of trees in 2005. Even Warren Buffet of Berkshire-Hathaway fame has invested billions with Israeli Companies.   So, you can vilify and demonize the State of Israel. You can continue your short-sighted boycott, if you wish. But you must consider the consequences, and the truth.   Think of the massive contribution that Israel is giving to the world, including the Palestinians - and to you - in science, medicine, communications, security. Pro rata for population Israelis are making a greater contribution than any other nation on earth 

So I suppose the war with Nazi Germany was a mistake? Their scientists advanced science and technology (and a lot of them were brought here to the US after the war). I guess history will judge the US and the Allies very harshly for all the scienctific advances the world has forfeited by WWII.

tsk, tsk, and all this time we've been calling them the greatest generation. Perhaps Nazi scientists would've given us a cure for cancer by now. Bummer.

Mr. Katzen,

How many Palestinians are welcomed in these museums, how many are given access to these medical breakthroughs, and how many have enough income to even own computers?  Your Israeli marvels are shared very selectively.  Only some immigrants are welcomed-those who share your religion.  Native-born Palestinians are viewed as second-class humans.  All the nifty technology in the world will not atone for Israel's occupation of another people.

Instead of focusing on pressuring Israel, how about a focus on helping the Palestinians, perhaps, by buying their products?  Then there would be no question about your motives since your actions would be to directly help someone rather than to pressure or punish.  This action would also provide the Palestinians with an opportunity to improve themselves in peaceful ways by improving and expanding their products.
One might also buy products made by Israeli Arabs to help them improve their condition.

That's a good suggestion Martin.  It would probably help a lot. But it would still be necessary to find a way to pressure Israel to allow flow of products in and out of Palestine.  Does somebody have a suggestion for that? 

Until then, it looks like Mr. Katzen has made a good list of potential boycott items for the boycotters to work on. 

Unfortunately, the "flow" of goods into Gaza is actually a "trickle" of goods.  The flow if information out of Gaza isn't nearly as slow as the flow of goods.  The dire situation there is a perfect breeding ground for desperate people to be forced into desperate activity like bombing.  If Israel really wants to resolve it's border and live in peace, it would handle the borders with Palestine in a much different way.

Boycotting consumer goods made in Israel is not likely to have the effect we'd like it to have--I agree that most people wouldn't really know which products they had that were made in Israel without looking closely at the manufacturing tags.  I have several pairs of boxer briefs made there, but I usually don't think to look all that closely at the tags unless I'm REALLY bored.  I don't have the time to get outraged over little details like that.

No, if we're to boycott Israel, we should deny them tourism dollars.  That would have a much greater effect, I think; if nobody visits there, you'd see their service industries (restaurants, hotels, tourist destinations of all kinds) begin to suffer significantly. 

My heart is heavy and my blood boils when I think about the killing and destruction in Gaza.  How can you compare the ineffective home made rockets coming out of Gaza to the state of the art missiles Israel uses to kill thousands of Gaza civilians in the hopes that along with the women, children, and old people in the buildings they destroy, some Hamas leaders will also be assassinated?
A consumer boycott will not stop the billions of taxpayer dollars that our government gives to Israel, nor the billions in arms trade that make up the biggest part of the Israel economy.  If the people of the US want to influence Israel's treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, the territories Israel captured using US military aid, we need to get our representatives to tie humane treatment of Palestinians to US aid to Israel.  Our government could also back the prosecution of Israeli leaders responsible for atrocities of the Gaza invasion for war crimes.  Before threatening to bomb Iran for suspected development of nuclear capability, President Obama needs to acknowledge the elephant standing in the middle of the living room, Israel's nuclear arsenal that the US helped them acquire which is driving the nuclear arms movement in the middle East.

What this forgot to mention is the othet two components of the trinity: divestment and sanctions. The call for boycott is also a call for divestment of companies benefitting and/or supporting the Israeli occupation and the Israeli violations of human rights and international law. It is also a call on governments and particularly the US to impose sanctions on Israel.
We have been given here a synposis of how advanced Israel is, yet despite this and its standard of living comparable to many european countries, Israel is the largest recepient of US "aid" to the tune of $3-5 billion a year with no strings attached.

Good grief. For all the comments praising Israel for it's grand medical advances and civilized sensibilities - thank you - we always need reminders that people are still human and have good sides. (Aref, I know you're angry, but I hope that you recognize that some of this good about Israel is true.) However, this doesn't mean we can't condemn Israel or its military and civillian supporters of the violence committed on Palestinians. Saving one life today does not mean I can get away with taking another life tomorrow. Likewise, when "punishing" one for their crimes today - we can't forget the positives they've contributed. No one is absolutely evil, no one is absolutely good - the same goes for nations/groups.

Now the defensive posture by Israeli apologists (such as those who comment here in these threads) illustrates either (1) blindness/denial of one's own faults, or (2) a conscious and deliberate attempt to white-wash wrong-doings. By all means, remind us how great Israel is - because it's true, but you can't use that as an argument to justify what is going on in Gaza and West Bank.

This duality of good and evil is also true for Palestinians/Gazans. You cannot wipe out Gaza because of the acts of a few terrorists. You cannot brush off innocent/civillian casualties as "just accidents" or blame it on themselves. These people aren't "evil." Because they have a piece of paper that says Israel should not exist - does not mean they're not capable of love and creation - or even peace. Because a small number of lost souls have given up their lives to blow up a bus or cafe in Israel, does not mean that all the others who are being bombed in Gaza are also lost!

As for boycotting, I don't know how I feel about it yet. If the target of the boycotte could specifically be the corporations that are benefitting from this war - great. But corporations, as entities, are inherently profit driven (err... greedy) and any costs they suffered would put innocents in economic danger. It means a few janitors and other low level employees - some even oblivious to what their company is doing - will lose their jobs and livelyhoods. The poor of Israel will suffer before the rich elite will who support or even incite this war. It's just another form of violence. It will be easier for those low lvl employees to blame outsiders for the boycotte that cost them their job than to look inward and wonder why we've chosen to do this to them - especially with a continually rich elite influencing them. ("We have to cut jobs because the Gazans, the terrorists - in their manipulating ways - have gotten other countries to boycotte us." etc.. etc..)

So - if we could target the war-profiteering corporations themselves, great! But corporations will put profits first and innocents will suffer and the cycle of violence will continue.

Education and nurturing empathy, especially among youth, is the route I would endorse.

I agree with those who give credit to Israel and the Jewish people for the major contributions they have made to western civilization.  As we saw in Nazi Germany, scientific, technological, and philosophical advancement does not prevent moral abominations.When will the human occupants of this planet learn that punishment is not an effective way to change people's behavior?  It creates the opposite effect, making victims of people and creating a growing snowball of violence, enmity, and revenge.Just as Israeli violence against Palestinians motivates more Palestinian violence against Israelis, economic sanctions against Israelis, many of whom oppose the occupation and oppression of the captured territories is unlikely to lead to an atmosphere where peace is created.I don't know how or if it is possible to end the worldwide cycle of violence that threatens to bankrupt our governments and possibly destroy (the myth of) civilization.  The best thing I have seen so far is for leaders of governments to TELL THE TRUTH about what is happening and change the atmosphere of lies, rhetoric, and secrecy that supports government and other terrorist violence.Unfortunately, when leaders like former president Carter and presidential contender Dennis Kucenich told the truth in public they were marginalized.  I wonder if President Obama could survive telling the truth and practicing the government transparency he promised in his election campaign.  I'm hoping he will give it a try.

Clearly, many innocent Palestinians have been killed. Clearly, many innocent Israels have been killed. I doubt any of the "Israel apologists" [sic] would deny both of those facts. But let's not beat around the bush about Palestinian complicitness in Hamas' crimes - they voted a terrorist group "into office." And indeed, Israel is complicit in some terrible things against the Palestinians as well. However, Israel is still noble for many other reasons, not least its magnificent and unending contributions to the world. We probably would be in a sort of technological dark age - it would definitely not resemble the age of technology we're in now at least - without Israel. If you're looking to lay blame for the death of innocent Palestinians, look no further than first at their "government," Hamas, which "governs" them with fear and terror and doesn't have the interest of the people in mind in the slightest. If they would stop trying to indiscriminately kill Israeli civilians, they would suddenly find no more of their own civilians being killed as forced into the way by the traitors Hamas.

It's disappointing that my donation to change.org has gone toward supporting this kind of thinking as well, that of "how can we boycott Israel?" What an ignorant, misguided plea. How about a boycott of change.org?

Jared, you're welcome to boycott change.org if you want, but it means your point of view gets lost from the thread.  That's a little like refusing to talk to Hamas because you don't like what they say.  It doesn't help you get to resolution.

AB G,
I am not from the Middle East.  I have visited twice, and both times was utterly appalled at the separate and unequal treatment of Palestinians by Israelis.  Separate and much more onerous security requirements, inability to get building permits while Israelis build settlements wherever they please, fewer educational and employment opportunities.  In short, Palestinians are being dehumanized in the hopes they'll just go away.  Sound familiar?  Apartheid, no matter what language.  Ask the group of Israeli soldiers who have refused to serve in the occupation for moral reasons.  Ask the Israelis who demonstrate for equal rights. 
As for the "gifts" to civilization, they were all paid for by US taxdollars.  Israel is not capable of supporting itself without us, and that makes it a welfare state oppressing another people.  Why you aren't ashamed is beyond me.

Oh yes, the biggest reason apartheid is the accurate word?  THE WALL.  Moral people do not wall out others while taking their land in the process.  Requiring people to go through irregularly-monitored checkpoints so they often can't get to work or school is just more dehumanization.  Just imagine that wall in any other democratic country.  It would never be allowed to happen today.  Israel has been given a pass to behave abominably, because they've browbeaten the world into treating them as special.  No country is above the laws of humanity.

James,Are you saying that a Palestinian person who straps on a bomb and attacks Israelis is a criminal while an Israeli who sends missiles, or fires tank shells into densely populated Palestinian cities, or prevents medical supplies from reaching ill and gravely wounded Gaza occupants  is not?  If killing civilian non-combatants is criminal, then both sides need to control their criminals.  Look at the numbers.  And you call my thinking silly in three consecutive redundant posts?  Wake up!  Your inconsistent prejudiced partisan kind of thinking is prolonging the killing.  If both sides wait for the other side to do right, the conflict will grow worse as more people will be drawn to violence after losing their loved ones to the other side's violence.  The military strategies have been tried for decades and do not work.  I'm ready for a different approach.

Dear WebmasterEarlier I opted to get email notification of responses to the thread I posted on.  As my mailbox fills up with these notifications I would like to opt out of email notification and just check the thread myself.  How do I do that?Thanks.

How about speaking up against Hamas' human rights abuses and war crimes by firing rockets indiscrimately into civilian areas and terrorizing innocent Israelis. Or their use of human shields and cynical "Pallywood" productions where they put on acts for the media and inflate the number of dead or wounded, it is sickening. Why aren't these "progressives" denouncing Hamas? Instead, it is always Israel's fault, blame Israel for everything. I ask you, what would you do if Canadians were lobbing missiles into your community and calling for your destruction? Would you sit there and take it while the international community stays silent? Please.

I don't know what I'd do if Canadians were lobbing missiles or sending suicide bombers into my community.  I have never been in that position.  It must feel terrible.  Whatever I think I'd do now would probably change if I was really in that situation.Maybe I'd inquire about my role in creating a situation where the Canadians were taking such desperate measures with such terrible consequences.  If there was something I could change in my behavior without compromising my integrity, I hope I'd try that first.Maybe I'd build a wall around Canada, kill a hundred Canadians for every American that died, blockade the country, assassinate their leaders, destroy their homes, industries, churches and farms, take their land away and refuse to talk with their elected leaders if I thought that was the only to protect myself.  Perhaps I would drive the Canadians off their land and force them to flee to England and France. This strategy does not have a good track record when it has been used.  From my current perspective I don't think it would stop the missile attacks.About your request that I speak up against Hamas'  human rights abuses, I'll respectfully refuse.  If you want to write about it, I will probably read it and inquire about  what is true or not in what you are saying and ask myself why are you saying it.I am against all human rights abuses and killing of civilians.  As a citizen of the United States I think it is my duty to speak out against the war crimes that my government sponsors and supports.  As the son and grandson of zionists, I want to see Israel live up to the highest standards of human conduct and the ideals and visions of some of the original zionists and live in peace with their semitic neighbors. I don't claim to be righter or better than anyone.  I don't know what I'd do if I were in the predicament of the Israelis or the Palestinians.  I am subject to the same human weaknesses and strengths that we all share.  I'm getting tired of the polemical adversarial tone of this discussion.  I believe that open hearted dialogue, not self righteous argument is the path to a solution.

Israel has always defended or tried to defend their citizens from Muslim terrorists. Anyway, a boycott only affects the average working people with little or no effect on the authorities.

There's one single reason that proves you wrong: when the boycott campaign against South Africa's Apartheid started, there was no single reason why it was obvious it would work. It took over 20 years, but it WORKED all right. Less than four years after the Palestinian BDS Call, it can claim achievements that took far more time in the South African case. This is because the struggle for peace takes place under the new media order, in which cold war players can no longer control what we get to know. Maybe you would like a comfortable path to "peace in the middle east". There's no such thing for a people threatened by ever increasing ethnic cleansing. Boycott is a means, not an end, and it will keep on growing until international solidarity effectively challenges Northern countries despicable support of Apartheid against Palestinian people. Good hearted blogs won't.

I have a great idea. Instead of a boycotting Israel, a democracy which respects women rights, gay rights, minority rights and has the most humane army in the world. How about boycotting Saudi Arabian products, an anti-democratic country where women and gays have little to no rights and which uses their oil money to fund radical Wahabbiast Islam madrassahs from Pakistan to Virginia. The same maddrassahs that recruit young men to become suicidal/homicidal terrorist murderers and gives these young men a poisinous mindet to hate the West.

So my idea: Stop using Middle Eastern oil! Stop buying gaz guzzling cars and join the green revolution!