It would appear from this hysterical outpouring of hasbara that the BDS movement is having some success! This type of peaceful protest (Boycott Divestments Sanctions) contributed to the end of apartheid in South Africa and informed opinion suggests that it is a powerful response to the apartheid, ethnic cleansing and brutality of Israel in their country and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

It seems necessary again to refute the anti-Semitic slurs in the article by pointing out that criticism of Israel because of its barbaric actions is not a criticism of Jews. I am a member of an excellent Jewish organisation which successfully reveals the excesses of Israel's policies and practices.

"Little country" Israel with the 4th largest defense force in the world, with $3,000,000,000 aid a year from the USA, and with its arsenal of nuclear weapons, may soon have to change its arrogant response to world opinion and start treating its 1.5 m "Arab citizens" and its neighbours with respect. It may soon have to stop bombing the hell out of people in the name of "security". I have just watched the film on Utube about Israel's Operation Cast Lead showing the destruction of Gaza and the dropping of phosphorous bombs on civilians including children. Until this sort of behaviour stops I will continue to boycott anything that comes out of Israel, encourage family, friends and others to do the same, and demonstrate outside the businesses of Israeli Companies such as Seacret cosmetics.

Could we please leave "right wingers" out of this, we have absolutely no stake in this issue, I've never heard of "Skinheads" attending the BDS protests and the people who do attend are styled after the Marxist thugs of 1920's Germany rather than the SA. (yes we really do have neo Antifa and neo Spartacists in our community and in far greater numbers than any Neo Fascist elements)

It's got nothing to do with hating jews, the hyperbole of Ariel is ridiculous.

It's got to do with boycotting businesses built in the west bank on Palestinian land and the BDS is supported by tens of millions all around the world including many jews.

Dear Marilyn,

<<It's got to do with boycotting businesses built in the west bank on Palestinian land and the BDS is supported by tens of millions all around the world including many jews.>>

And myself.

But as mentioned above, Strauss does NOT operate from the west bank, and to the best of my knowledge, neither Max Brenner.

---
(unless you take the view of my learned colleague, David G., who believes that the whole of Israel is in the west bank, and he does have a technical point for except for the Golan heights, themselves subject to BDS, Israel lies on the west bank of the Jordan river)

>>It's got to do with boycotting businesses built in the west bank on Palestinian land<<

Has anybody told BDS that the business they're actually planning to boycott is built in the Westfield at Paramatta? The proposed boycott has no chance of influencing Israeli government policy and no chance of bringing down a huge company like Strauss: it's just pissing into the wind while Palestinians and Israelis continue to kill one another. God I hate hippies.

Cheers,

Tony

>>It's got to do with boycotting businesses built in the west bank on Palestinian land<<

BDS applies to all companies who profit from the occupation and support a Zionist approach to Israel/Palestine.