British
Boycott of Israel?
By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
Ra'anana ----June 20....... The British academic boycott against
Israel is making headlines worldwide. Not so much for it's substance,
but rather for its truly perverted, absurd and tragic anti-Semitic
sense of humor.
Over
51 Nobel Prize laureates have signed a petition presented by
Israel Professor Aaron Ciechanover, which directly confronts
the British plan to boycott Israel academia. The petition protesting
the British boycott against Israel will have more signatures
added as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel and the Israel
Foreign Ministry aid the process.
"We,
Noble Prize laureates, condemn the UCU's shameful decision to
boycott contact and exchange of information with Israeli educators
and academic institutions," stated the petition.
The
petition condemns Britain's University and College Union's proposed
academic boycott against Israel. The petition also confronts
a boycott against buying Israel goods proposed by the British
National Union of Journalists and UNISON, the largest trade
union in the UK.
If
the British truly take their boycott against Israel seriously,
it could wreak havoc on England's economy.
Most of the Windows operating systems on British computers were
developed by Microsoft - Israel. So, the British would need
to throw away their computers! The Israel News Agency
believes that British computers should now 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.
"Not
only do such boycotts encourage the extremists," criticizes
the British petition, "but they also praise and glorify
prejudices."
Writing
in the June 17 issue of the New York Times, respected
columnist Tom Friedman, labeled the British boycott action against
Israel universities as anti-Semitism.
Friedmans
views were written in the context of his participation in the
annual conferral of doctoral and honorary doctoral degrees at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. In that ceremony,
held on June 3, Friedman was one of eight distinguished figures
to receive an honorary Ph.D.
Among
the 305 students who received the regular Ph.D.s, wrote
Friedman, were a number of Arab students. One of those female
students was wearing an Islamic veil, something she could do
at the Hebrew University in Israel but not in France, he noted.
Arab
families cheered unabashedly when their sons and daughters received
their Hebrew U. Ph.D. diplomas, just like the Jewish parents,
wrote Friedman.
Yet,
while this was happening, he noted, the University and College
Union in Britain was calling on its members to consider a boycott
of Israel universities, accusing them of being complicit in
Israels occupation of the Palestinian territories.
How
crazy is this, Friedman wrote. Israels premier
university is giving Ph.D.s to Arab students, two of whom
were from East Jerusalem while some far-left British academics
are calling for a boycott of Israel universities. .
If
these academics really cared about Palestinians they would call
for other steps, such as enabling more Palestinian students
to study on full scholarships in Britain or sending British
visiting professors to Palestinians universities. Thats
what people who actually care about Palestinians would do. But
just singling out Israel universities for a boycott, in the
face of all the other madness in the Middle East thats
what anti-Semites would do, concluded Friedman.
In
a related statement regarding the boycott issue, Hebrew University
President Prof. Menachem Magidor said that there is no
place for an academic boycott. The Hebrew University is an example
of a pluralistic institution that accepts students exclusively
on the basis of academic excellence, without any distinctions
of religion or race.
Hundreds
of Arab students study at the Hebrew University, ranging from
undergraduates to advanced students. The University also has
ties in many areas with Palestinian researchers and with academics
from neighboring and other states, and it will continue to do
so, Magidor said.
"Iran,
Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas have proudly declared
that they are striving for Islamic global dominance. This
is not about Israels treatment of Palestinians - which
is extremely good considering the humanitarian aid that
Israel delivers while being bombed from Gaza with Kassams
rockets. It is not about any Israeli occupation. It is all
about Islam and their mission to occupy the free world.
The Jew hating British do not see this, nor do they want
to." |
Alan
M. Dershowitz, a Brooklyn, New York native and Harvard Law School
professor who has been called Americas most peripatetic
civil liberties lawyer and one of its most distinguished
defenders of individual rights, comments on the British
boycott against Israel.
"The
utter hypocrisy of the British National Union of Journalists,
which recently voted to boycott only Israel, has now become
evident in the face of the silence over the recent move by Venezuelan
Dictator Hugo Chavez to suppress dissent by the media in his
leftist regime. General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan too has
now imposed massive press censorship. In many other of the hard
left favored countries - Cuba, China, Iran, North Korea and
Zimbabwe - suppression of the press is routine and imprisonment
of journalist is common. But there is not a peep about these
countries from the British National Union of Journalists who
seem to admire tyranny and condemn democracy and openness."
"
Only Israel, which has among the freest presses of the world,
is being targeted for sanctions. Even Arab and Muslim journalists
have more freedom of the press in Israel than in any Arab or
Muslim nation. While Palestinian terrorist groups murder, kidnap
and threaten journalists, the British Union exempts the Palestinian
authority, run by the censorious Hamas from its journalistic
sanctions. The reason is obvious. The British Union cares less
about journalists or freedom of the press than it does about
blindly condemning the Jewish state."
Dershowitz
adds: "The same can be said about the British University
and College Union which has voted to move forward with the boycott
against only Israel academics. Israel has more academic freedom
- for Jews and Muslims alike - than any Arab or Muslim nation
and then the vast majority of countries in the world. Israeli
scientists have developed, on a per capita basis, more life-saving
medical technologies than any nation in the world. Yet the British
Union has singled out Israel alone for boycott. Again, this
has nothing to do with protecting academic freedom or scientific
inquiry. It has everything to do with anti-Israel bigotry. Now
academics around the world are fighting back against this British
bigotry. Led by more than a dozen Nobel Prize winners, thousands
of American academics have signed a petition declaring themselves
to be honorary Israelis for purposes of any academic boycott.
They have pledged to refuse to participate in any events from
which Israeli academics are boycotted. Any academic who wishes
to join this moral response to an immoral boycott can email
ScholarsforPeace@aol.com.
OK.
So we in Israel understand that the British are ticked off at
Israel, and in love with the Palestinians. That's fine with
us in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Hafia, as long as you have truly
weighed all the facts.
So, you really want to boycott Israel?
I'll be sorry to miss you, but if you are doing it - please
do it properly. Check all your medications. Make sure that you
do not have tablets, drops lotions, etc., made by Abic or Teva
in Israel. 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 jolly good British Israel
boycott, and the medical contributions to the world made by
Israel doctors and scientists, how about telling your fellow
British citizens to boycott the following.
An Israel 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
Israel patent that may, more accurately, diagnose their symptoms.
An Israel - 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 Israel 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 Israel 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 Centre 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
defence systems.
The Movement Disorder Surgery program at Israel 's Hadassah
Medical Centre 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 non-invasive
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 the British boycott of Israel. But let's not get too obsessed
with 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 research and development
facilities outside the US in Israel .
So, due to your complete British boycott of anything which comes
from the Holy Land of Israel, you can now have poor health and
no computers.
But your bad news does not end there. You must 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 scientists in Israel.
Feeling unsettled? You should be. Part of your personal security
rests with Israel 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 Islamic terrorism.
A joint, non-profit, venture between Israel and Maryland will
result in a 5 day Business Development and Planning Conference
next March. Elected companies from Israel will partner with
Maryland firms to provide innovation to the US need for homeland
security.
British citizens should be aware that Israel has the highest
ratio of university degrees to the population in the world.
Israel produces more scientific and academic papers per capita
- 109 per 10,000 - than any other nation.
Israel has the highest number of start-up companies per rata.
In absolute terms, the highest number, except the US., Israel
has a ratio of patents filed.
Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies outside
of Silicon Valley. Israel is ranked number two 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 last year.
Even Warren Buffet of Berkshire-Hathaway fame has just invested
millions with companies in Israel.
So, some British can vilify and demonize the State of Israel.
You can continue your silly British boycott, if you wish. But
we wish you would 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, Israel is making a greater contribution
than any other nation on earth.
While
the British academic union's boycott policy forges ahead, the
covert campaign to secretly carry out acts of discrimination
against Jews in UK universities is also gathering pace.
The
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today called on leaders of labor
unions from around the world to speak out against a move by
UNISON, Britain's largest public services union with 1.3 million
employees, to support a cultural and economic boycott of Israel.
ADL
called the boycott resolution, approved today at the union's
National Delegate Conference, a "biased and bigoted"
attempt to unfairly punish Israel while ignoring Palestinian
terrorism, rejectionism and civil strife.
Iran,
Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas have proudly declared that
they are striving for Islamic global dominance. This is not
about Israels treatment of Palestinians - which is extremely
good considering the humanitarian aid that Israel delivers while
being bombed from Gaza with Kassams rockets. It is not about
any Israeli occupation. It is all about Islam and their mission
to occupy the free world. The Jew hating British do not see
this, nor do they want to.
So go ahead, spit at the next Jew you meet. If he or she is
from Israel be sure not to get too close to the horns coming
out of the back of their heads. Take an example from your fellow
Brit - Borat. Be a real Brit. Take the British boycott against
Israel seriously and turn off your computer. Throw away your
mobile phones.
Afterall, you can replace all of these truly silly items with
technology from Palestine. That's if you call rocks, guns, suicide
bomber vests, Katusha and Kassam rockets technology?
With
The Daily Sport of Great (not so great) Britain.