Your argument about human rights is disingenuous.

Its not a "human right" for four million people, the vast majority of whom have never lived in the country, to "return" to it. Its the same old political conniving wrapped in high minded rhetoric.

"the rights of all the inhabitants of the land to justice, peace, equality, and democratic rights"

Of course no one can argue that they aren't worthy goals but how can they be achieved for ALL (including Jews)? Only through negotiation and compromise. BDS seeks to avoid negotiation by demonizing one side, and attempting to forcefully impose a solution of its own device.

It is Belligerent Demonization and Sophistry.

Omar, thank you for setting the record straight on this issue.

Prior to your article, I had taken the view that what appeared to be misguided human rights activism directed against Israel, had in fact drawn attention away from the many despotic dictators in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Sudan, Somalia, Most of Africa and South America.

As Archbishop Tutu says, “I condemn any form of violence - but surely we must recognize that people caged in, starved and stripped of their essential material and political rights must resist their Pharaoh?”

He is right of course; any oppressed peoples have the right to resist. Clearly this is not your view, you subscribe to human rights for Palestinians but not the other 20 or so nations living under far worse conditions.

As you look around these oppressed nations this week, what are you saying to yourself?

Oh! ‘ello, what’s going on ‘ere then? Get to the back of the queue for freedom, the Palestinians come first.

Your article is just excuse, mitigation and distraction for being so one eyed, you missed all the action elsewhere on human rights in the last 40 years, shame on you. Some might wonder where such dangerous cretins like you where whilst Col. Gaddafi was head of the UN Human Rights Commission?

Those peoples rising against their tormentors are not exposing cruel dictators; we have always known who they were. They are however, exposing the so called Human Rights movement for its capacity to make a bad situation even worse and on a larger scale.

The best thing for those who claim they are Palestinian supporters is to urge them to recognise the right of Israel to exist, extend a sincere hand of peace, and decide upon their state. This will bring peace in the region, healthy Palestinian identity and statehood.

If the Palestinians had accepted the two state solution 60 years ago, they would, with Israel's support, have been been the Arab gem of the Middle East.

So-called supporters of the Palestinians ...

The Arab states in which Palestinians are treated as detritus.

Arab states who have used the Palestinian cause for their own ends, bringing down tragedy on the Palestinians themselves.

Arafat who no only involved them in murderous activities, bringing down upon them Jordan's wrath and Black September, and Israeli defence, but also siphoned off billions intended for the Palestinian people.

Incompetent Palestinian leaders, resulting in the Palestinian civil war in which more people were killed in the first ten months, than in conflicts with Israel.

Incompetent Palestinian leaders who waste millions on attacking Israel, rather then improve the lot of their peoples. Palestinian leaders who seem unable to show much for the billions poured into the area.

The murderous Hamas, who refuse to recognise Israel and who willing sacrifice the lives of their own people for political propaganda and advantage.

Those so-called supporters - many miles away - who fabricate lies about both Israel and the Palestinians, which doesn't help anyone. So-called supporters whose propaganda so reeks of paternalism, that they moor Palestinians in an eternal self-conscious victimhood, unable to make decisions; a paternalism that is nothing less than racism.

Every group of "supporters" of the Palestinians has had their own agenda, in which the real Palestinan cause seems quite low in priority. One wonders what the current lot of "pro-Palestinian" groups are really aiming for.

Barghouti is a fraud. He is a grad student at Tel Aviv University.

The so called human rights protectors,don't protect 21 century vales!

They should support the following values.
1will promote the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants;
2will be based on the precepts of liberty, justice and peace taught by the Hebrew Prophets;
3will uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens, without distinction of race, creed or sex;
4 will guarantee full freedom of conscience, worship, education and culture;
5 will safeguard the sanctity and inviolability of the shrines and Holy Places of all religions

Those are the defending Israel values and practice based on the independence declaration:

Despite non stop wars, terror attacks, boycodes and dehumanization Israel has to phase for more than 65 years,Israel follows those guidlines.

The so called human rights protectors don't protect 21 century vales!

They support movements that fight against all the values they pretend to defend.

They are silent when Islamists are denying:
Women equality, human rights, religious freedom, democracy
However they are practicing:
Kill people that condemd Islamist values, hate teaching in schools and children garden, genocide preaching in Mosques and TV, indiscriminately targeting civilians, chasing Christians,lavery in Sudan and Golf states

And don’t blame:
1:Muslim brotherhood speech saying:
Hitler didn’t finish the jog, The Muslims will finish the job
2:Hamas charter:
The day of judgment will not come until Moslems fight killing the Jews.
The stones and trees will say
O MOSLEM, THERE IS A JEW BEHIND ME, KILL HIM
3:Hiding among civilians prevents armies with western values the ability to fight. We impose a new non conventional equation in wars
Said by Hamas leader Khalid Mash'al on Al-Jazeera.

Talking about setting records straight:

Wouldn't it be more honest for Omar to follow in the footsteps of his terrorist cousin, and not swagger his way to the feeding troughs of the bleeding heart foundations with story telling from 1001 nights?

Playing the 'poor pali' card goes only so far before reality will bite. Mr Barghouti is as genuine a 'Palistinian' refugee as Usama Bin Laden was a Taliban 'freedom' fighter. Born in Omar to a well-established Arab family dynasty, educated in Egypt and the USA, Omar DECIDED to move to Israel to set himself up as perpetual student in Tel Aviv. What a career for a refugee!

And the bleeding hearts in Sydney's inner West Bank fall over their feet to put in a shekel for the 'good cause'. This gentleman is as straight and honest as this whole BDS scheme. Perhaps concerned Australians should spend
time on websites like http://www.palwatch.org to gain an insight into who they are in fact supporting.

Once you know about ME history and what Islamists regard as 'sacred spaces', then you know what this campaign is part of: regaining 'sacred space' which Islamic raiders invaded and took from the indigenous people in the 7th century. With marginal breaks in the 11th century, Islam held onto the land of the Israelites until 1917, which then - in part - was set aside by the League of Nations and UN to form the State of Israel.

Ironically, Israel is the safest place for the refugees from war-torn Islamic countries and has taken in millions of displaced Jews, Arabs and Black Africans. Compare this to 450,000 Arabs estimated to have fled or were displaced when Arab armies attacked Israel in 1947/48. All the surrounding Arab states couldn't bring it over their hearts in 60 years to take in those brothers and sisters 'languishing' in Gaza and the West Bank?

And let us not forget the souvereign state Mr Barghouti and his brothers are fighting for has long been established.

It is the eastern part of Palestine, now called Jordan.