German Unions Follow U.S. Labor to Oppose Boycott Against Israel

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.jewishlaborcommittee.org/2007/09/german_unions_follow_us_labor.html

German Unions Follow U.S. Labor to Oppose Boycott Against Israel

Friday, September 7, 2007 - The president of the Jewish Labor Committee today applauded yesterday’s decision by Germany’s largest labor federation to oppose a growing boycott campaign against Israel. JLC President Stuart Appelbaum, who is also the president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, said the move by the 6.5 million-member Confederation of German Trade Unions is a “powerful statement against the Israel-bashing which has become common in the European labor movement.” In July, the leaders of virtually every major U.S. union signed on to a JLC statement blasting British union support for the boycott effort.

“The backers of the boycott campaign have pulled out the stops to brand Israel as the embodiment of evil in the Middle East,” said Appelbaum. “Though they claim they are concerned with the problems facing Palestinians, their efforts only bolster the extremists who refuse to accept Israel’s right to exist.”

In its statement opposing the boycott campaign, the DGB said “Israel’s right to exist is non-negotiable, ” adding that “Anyone who challenges the foundations of the Jewish state can always reckon with our decisive resistance”

DGB President Michael Sommer recently told a German newspaper that calls for boycott measures are reminiscent of the Nazi slogan, “Don’t Shop at Jewish Stores!”

“When U.S. labor leaders stood up against the Israel-bashers in July they sent a powerful message of solidarity to the people of Israel and everyone else who believes in peace, “ Appelbaum said. “Now, with the added backing of Germany’s labor movement, the tide may be starting to turn against the boycott campaign.”

[glowing]

1. Interesting.... Its a wonder what everyone was thinking in those moments

in history when they made the Jewish state to begin with? If I understand the situation, it would be like the world deciding Texas was going to now be a sovereign nation and it was going to be a statehood that was primarily made up of devout buddhists or something... And anyone left in Texas would lose right to their lands, homes, and way of life.... Maybe I am completely retarded on the whole subject of Israel becomig a country? I certainly wasn't alive back then.

On the other hand, it is what it is and time to move on now. Peace is the only option. Using these measures of boycotts and embargo's keeps a country from functioning, and, in my opinion, is a measure that keeps most people in the country depressed and resentful... It fuels hatred and sparks wars. What would happen if the whole world ganged up on Americans and didn't trade with us and shunned us, created no-fly zones, had us boxed up with foreign navies and were always threatening our country as a whole, and enforced having foreign inspectors in our govt to see our "books" and military installments... and if they didn't like what they saw, decided to send foreign soldiers in to our country and create a martial law atmosphere over our lives? Now that the dollar is virtually worthless, our govt is corrupt, and we have outsourced most of our resources... it could happen.