American academic boycott of Israel draws congressional fire

[King_David]

The heads of the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus have strongly condemned an American organization of professors for their newly endorsed boycott of Israeli academic institutions, saying the move smacks of double standards.

The American Studies Association members voted last week in favor of an academic boycott of Israeli colleges and universities, in protest of Israeli policies towards the Palestinians. Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin slammed the organization as a "radical leftist group", but expressed concern that the embargo could be adopted by other academic institutions.

"I am deeply disappointed with the decision by the American Studies Association to launch an academic boycott of Israel. I simply fail to see how cutting off ties to Israeli universities furthers the interests of peace and coexistence," said Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY).

"I would note that Israel is the first country to be boycotted by this academic organization, which has chosen to stay silent on the slaughter in Syria, the continued imprisonment of democracy activists in Iran or the scores of other dictatorships around the world. Yet once again we see this unfair double standards applied to Israel."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4468177,00.html

[rdharma]

1. Being branded a "radical leftist group" by a Likudnik like Elkin........

....... should be considered a badge of honor.

[King_David]

3. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY).

[rdharma]

4. Your point? nt

[King_David]

5. Democratic Party

The party of Obama .. The hate on Israel is an extremist view... This Forum supports the Democratic Party .

[rdharma]

7. Right wing Likud views aren't the Democratic Party!

Engel and AIPAC aren't the Democratic Party!

[King_David]

8. Which Democratic Party rep

Is the Democratic party? and do you agree with their views on Israel the Jewish state?

[rdharma]

10. I think you are more in agreement with the Republican party.

Look at the recent vote on Iran sanctions.

[King_David]

12. Not really, My views Sync with Obama's, it is yours that do not,

Obama said : "The state of Israel does not exist because of the Holocaust, but with the survival of a strong Jewish state of Israel, such a holocaust will never happen again."

[rdharma]

14. Sure! Thankfully PRESIDENT Obama's views are NOT in sync with yours!

At least you didn't give yourself away by saying "Democrat party"!

You would NEVER have threatened to veto Iran sanctions. Puhlease!

[King_David]

15. Your a soothsayer too as well as being insulting and rude.

Your on the wrong website , this one supports the values of the Democratic Party.

Is the only way to 'debate' by insulting the other person ? Lame

And try be civil.....cool?

[rdharma]

19. Sorry you mistook my skepticism as rudeness.

I place a high value on HONESTY and politeness.

[King_David]

23. Yes that is clear . nt

[rdharma]

24. Thank-you, my friend, for your acknowledgment. nt

[Scootaloo]

6. David doesn't comprehend that it's possible to disagree with Democrats

He thinks he can silence people by yanking his hair and screaming about how Democrats support Israel, and if you don't, then you're not a democrat and have no place on DU.

Simply put, Dave doesn't understand Democrats.

[King_David]

9. Anybody with a anti Zionist view

Is not and does not belong in the party.

Please volunteer for any campaign and see what happens...

[rdharma]

11. Sorry, but you aren't in charge of the Democratic party!

Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one.

[King_David]

13. I am not in charge

But thankfully I have absolutely no issue whatsoever with the Democratic Party policy with respect to Israel.

No Issue at all , I support this Party of marriage equality and Israel policy.


Republican ? WTF


But I will tell you the language of Israel being an Apartheid state or boycott calls is not democratic party policy but IS found all over extremist websites such as Stormfront and David Duke.

[azurnoir]

16. Here is the ASA's statement on it's boycott

The resolution approved by a plurality of ASA members cites as a rationale the lack of “effective or substantive academic freedom for Palestinian students and scholars under conditions of Israeli occupation” and calls for the association to boycott Israeli higher education institutions, which are described as being “a party to Israeli state policies that violate human rights and negatively impact the working conditions of Palestinian scholars and students.”

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/inside_higher_ed/2013/12/israel_academic_boycott_american_studies_association_joins_the_fight.html

[King_David]

17. Boycotting Jewish Academics And Jewish businesses

Is not a Novel idea to 2013....

[azurnoir]

18. except Jewish academc's and business's are not being boycotted Israeli ones are

name Jewish academics and business's outside of Israel that are being boycotted

[Scootaloo]

20. And yet, here we are, with no problems

Know who I think might have a problem as a Democrat?

Someone who regularly endorses right-wing fundamentalist homophobes like Kenneth Meshoe and John Hagee while claiming the authority to strip people of their Jewish identity on the basis that he "represents an organization."

[King_David]

22. Hagee ?

Link it up please...

[Scootaloo]

25. Hmm, can't find it...

Might have been some other Im Tirzu poster. Ah well, there's always Meshoe

But... what, you don't support John Hagee?

Oh, but he's a Zionist too, David. In fact he's such a good, wonderful Zionist, that B'nai B'rith awarded him with their "Humanitarian of the year" award - the first non-Jew to ever receive it. And of course the Zionist Organization of America awarded him their Israel Award and Service Award.

Are you saying that you know better than these organizations?

[oberliner]

27. "B'nai B'rith awarded him with their "Humanitarian of the year" award - the first non-Jew..."

Are you just relying on Wikipedia for your information or what?

It would be the San Antonio B’nai B’rith Council that gave him that award.

Incidentally, the 2013 B'nai B'rith International 2013 Distinguished Humanitarian Award went to Bud Selig.

[Scootaloo]

28. Well, holy fucking shit, that just changes EVERYTHING!

[oberliner]

29. American Friends of Meir Panim

American Friends of Meir Panim (AMFP) was established to promote, support and further the programs and activities of other organizations which are committed to providing both immediate and long-term relief to the impoverished - young and old alike - via its dynamic range of food and social service programs, all aimed at helping the needy with dignity and respect.

http://www.meirpanim.org/page_e.php?name=About_us

Probably the substantial financial donations to this and other similar charities are what did it.

[rdharma]

26. That remark is gonna' leave a scar!

[King_David]

30. Too funny

You should do comedy, a real knee slapper .

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

31. We all know that being a Democrat

means being in lock step with party dogma, and that the idea of dissenting voices isn't allowable.

[Jefferson23]

2. lol@ double standards. snip* This isn’t the first time. Nor the second, or tenth or twentieth time.

Forty-one times during the last forty years, the United States has said no, one way or another, to the Palestinian struggle for human rights.

Forty-one times, in votes at the UN Security Council, the United States has been the only country to use its veto to override the votes of every other member.

Forty-one times, the US has been the one country to protect Israel no matter how many settlements it builds, orchards it destroys, or acres it takes. The one country to say no to democracy, fairness and justice for Palestinians and yes to more pain and destruction for both Palestinians and Israelis.

Now, as soon as this September, the United States will vote one more time.

It’s up to us to make this the last time. Join me in telling U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ambassador Rice that it’s time for them to vote for justice. They must not veto for the 42nd time.

http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/campaigns/no-more-us-vetoes-at-the-un

Jewish Voice for Peace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Voice_for_Peace

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

32. The USA has a great history at fostering

democracy in its satelite countries.

Just look at Latin/South America and how the USA helped shape Democracy there.

[Jefferson23]

33. US foreign policy has been a train wreck for a long, long time.

And it shows, too.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

34. Yes.

I'm glad that I didn't need the sarcasm bug.