Dear Oz,

Can you be more specific about the options that you found?

You seem to attribute the survival of our incompetent politicians to the Israel-lobby. That is theoretically possible, but according to Occam's razor, the more simple and likely explanation is that the pollies of the other major party are not brighter.

I am more than open to hear about innovative ideas on how to sanction the Israeli government without placing the burden on ordinary Israeli citizens who are not at fault and are likely to be victims of that government themselves.

Dear Yuyutsu ,
Thank you for waiting . I hope you have .
Sorry to say , I think that the option of a boycott of Israel has got to be inevitable , so long as Israel behaves as it has become accustomed .
For me , it is unrealistic to attempt to divorce and insulate the known behaviour of the Israeli government from the Israeli citizens (the victims of the proposed boycott) who knowingly elected that precise government . I could not say that if we were discussing eg. Libia .
The "take it or leave it" ultimatum you pose - ie. "shut up or Israel will nuke you" leaves me cold , & loosens Israel's hold on my attitude .
I support a boycott of Israel at the present moment .

Dear Oz,

I think we are in perfect agreement. Some boycott of Israel is inevitable, but I would like it to be mild-to-moderate in a way that will minimize the pain of ordinary Israelis, ESPECIALLY those who did not vote for the current government, and there are a lot of those and they despise the actions of the current Israeli government not less than yourself (and myself).

The "Take it or leave it" option was taken out of context:
We both would like to see Israel reformed, but that specific message was addressed to David G., who seems (since no reply was given) to reject the very existence of Israel EVEN if it reformed, even if it behaved like an angel or like Mother Theresa. As far as David G. is concerned, it seems (unless he cares to respond and refute it), that all Israelis should die in the Sahara desert (I have my theory on how that feat of making the desert bloom could happen once, but it will not happen again).

If Israel is given the option "Reform or suffer hardships", there is a good chance that it will reform, but if it is told instead to shove itself to the Sahara desert and die there, or else it will be nuked by Iran or otherwise destroyed, then it is only the most reasonable response to reply "If you kill me, then you go along too and the whole world who doesn't care for our lives may join us just as well". Even the Israeli peace-camp would agree with that.

I am sad that the UN resolution to condemn Israel's settlements did not pass.

I support a very GRADUAL AND CONDITIONAL boycott of Israel that will tip the internal balance there in the direction of peace and sanity. I do not support an impossible and overwhelming ultimatum that will only serve to bring all Israelis to huddle together in desperation despite their obvious differences.

Dear Yuyutsu ,
Your devotion to sweet reason , & your goodwill is lasting the distance , but I think your argument is wearing too thin .
How to sell the idea to the open minded (even to the seriously pro-Israel open minded)that, faced with your proposal , Israel would in its present mood publicly give up , change its spots & stop settlements.
I think that the Israeli government (And the Israeli public) has been effectively programmed & conditioned to see its foreign policy as a game of Chicken.
Drawing another line in the sand (it's been done before) would fetch a smile or two from Israel & its supporters but , I can see nothing more to expect than a continued game of Chicken .
Why should Israel come to heel ? Where is the NEED ?
I think that what is needed is an offer that Israel cant refuse .

Dear Oz,

"Drawing another line in the sand"

Indeed, this time the line should be drawn in concrete and we just missed the golden opportunity for that. The international community through the UN and its security council should declare uneqivocally that settlement in the occupied territories is NOT ON. Israel will just have to oblige.

A simple sanction to begin with, that will not hurt ordinary Israelis, is for any Israeli politician who contributes to settlements past the date of the formal and binding resolution, to be declared persona-non-grata and not be allowed to visit anywhere in the world (or if s/he does, be placed on trial for war-crimes).

(where is the need, you ask? well Israeli politicians, like any other Israeli, have the need to go out of their small country from time to time to breath some fresh air)

But alas, America has betrayed its best friend, Israel, at its time of need and placed a veto on the most sensible and balanced UN resolution which the whole world other than them agrees to. America does not want peace in the Middle-East, nor does it care for Israel or its integrity. The least they could do was to stop giving tax-exempt status to donations of American Jews towards settlements and revoke the American citizenship of those who settle in the west-bank, but instead they only care for their own ambitions, topped by their desire for armageddon.

Dear Yutyusu ,
I can't improve on your idea , except to push for full-blown & very widespread sanctions which directly bight the ordinary Israeli citizens , whom their government is supposed to be looking after .
Such sanctions would , of course , be indignantly scoffed at & otherwise ignored for quite a long time . But I think that powder-puff sanctions would be greeted with just as much indignation as would more severs sanctions , but would be laughed at louder - AND would simply draw things out .
There is no reason to think that present day Israelis & supporters are any more amenable to outside interference (or any less inclined to save face),than were Rhodesia or South Africa .
A more fundamental problem is how to get ANY sanction against Israel off the ground ?
You explanation tells us why the US would not agree to sanctioning Israel (also , US politicians would not target their counterparts in a friendly country).
Neither Julia Gillard nor Kevin Rudd (not a statesman between them) have the altruism or the honesty to suggest ANY sanction of Israel , as that would upset their hard line Israel-&-US-supporting supporters , & place in jeopardy their own personal interests (careers , now & after politics).
What Israel is doing is , in my opinion , definitely not sustainable (they are flying with absolutely no margin at all) , & that can't last forever .Do those people have a plan ?
God ! Do we have to look to PEOPLE POWER for a solution ?