So now the Green Party has joined the anti-Israel bandwagon. This from David Toube in this weeks Jewish Chronicle:
The real motive of the boycotters
22/02/2008
By David Toube
Perhaps it is global warming, but hasn’t the Boycott Israel season started unnaturally early this year? A few weeks after rejecting a boycott resolution, the students’ union of the London School of Economics has managed to push through a motion which calls on the university and the National Union of Students to divest from Israel. Then, last weekend, the Green Party followed suit with its own strikingly similar motion. Both resolutions follow the familiar model established by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. Indeed, the Green Party motion specifically commits the party to support that movement.
The BDS initiative takes the form of a call for an international boycott to advance three broad goals: ending [Israel’s] occupation and colonisation of all Arab lands and dismantling the wall; recognising the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
Collectively, these claims amount to what a Marxist would describe as “transitional demands”. The primary strategy is to build a consensus around calls for concessions which they know Israel can never make, wrapped up in the language of equality and human rights. The reference to the “occupation and colonisation of all Arab lands” is a barely disguised demand for the disestablishment of the state of Israel: as is the requirement that Palestinian refugees “return to their homes and properties”. The secondary purpose of the campaign, in line with the strategy set out at the Durban Conference in 2001, is to characterise Israel as an illegitimate “apartheid” state.
The Green Party membership was offered an alternative “anti-occupation” motion; one that backs constructive initiatives aimed at creating a lasting peace between a secure and independent Palestine and Israel. That motion called upon the Green Party to “support local and international NGOs who are building cooperation and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians”, “comprehensive community empowerment programmes to support non-violent approaches aiming to end the Israeli occupation and build a future founded on the principles of nonviolence, equality, justice, and peaceful coexistence”, and efforts “to solve the ongoing conflict through dialogue and mutual conciliation between the two peoples and through mutual consideration and respect of each others’ national and legitimate aspirations”. The Green Party threw that opportunity away.
Conflict, not consensus, is the life blood of the BDS movement. The greatest danger to any strategy that depends upon making transitional demands that can never be met is that the parties decide instead to compromise. What they fear most is that Israelis and Palestinians will find a peaceful way to secure co-existence in their own states. That simple truth was most clearly illustrated by the urgency with which the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) sought to scupper the OneVoice initiative last October. OneVoice consists of two groups: one in Israel, and one in Palestine. Both groups have signed up to a statement which calls upon their leaders to move, quickly, towards a negotiated settlement in the Middle East between the two states. OneVoice planned simultaneous concerts in Tel Aviv, Jericho, and all over the world. They had collected the signatures of 600,000 Israelis and Palestinians. Bryan Adams was signed up to perform. Well, if you’ve ever been to the Middle East, you know they have terrible taste in music.
PACBI responded by calling for a boycott of the concert. The Jericho event was subsequently subject to threats of violence, and called off. Can you imagine a political movement so threatened by the prospect of young adults listening to music, and calling for a negotiated peace, that it could not allow such an event to take place?
Make no mistake. The main goal of the BDS movement is not the advancement of Palestinian civil rights. Rather, it seeks to silence those Palestinians who desire a negotiated settlement and, perversely, to strengthen the voices, not only of Palestinian, but also Israeli rejectionists. It is, in essence, a scorched-earth policy against the political middle ground.
Back at the London School of Economics, those students opposed to the BDS campaign made a shrewd decision. Faced with the depressing and demoralising choice of facing down boycott call after boycott call, they decided to abandon trench warfare around the issue and instead put their efforts into raising £1,000 for an Israeli charity called Save a Child’s Heart, which performs heart surgery on children from Palestine and from many other countries.
In short, they decided to put their efforts into the struggle to keep hope alive, and to reject, clearly, the BDS movement’s hellish vision of eternal conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. What better reproach could there be to the boycotters?
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Fidel Castro
London, UK - February 20th, 2008
Regular readers of this blog will remember this post from December.
Well the writing was on the wall, wasn't it. I'm pleased I was able to visit Cuba when Castro was in control just a couple of years ago. Cuba presents itself as a fun place to live and visit. Despite the many privations its residents have to endure, the locals always seemed to have a smile on their face.
Prince Charles and Camilla
London, UK
Prince Charles and Camilla were in Leicester Square tonight for the Royal Premiere of The Other Boleyn Girl starring Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana and Natalie Portman. My co-presenter, Thomas Magill and I managed to speak to a few of the stars, including broadcaster Alan Yentob.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Bank Job
London, UK
No not another dull story about Northern Rock but the Premiere of The Bank Job. Here's the "fan-cam" footage from Leicester Square Television:
Later on, I'll be presenting from the Red Carpet as it's the Premiere of The Other Boleyn Girl. A member of the Royal Family is expected to attend!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
UK Government to nationalise Northern Rock
London, UK
Just heard that Northern Rock is to be nationalised. Apparently, the Treasury has dismissed the latest proposals from Richard Branson's Virgin Group and from a management team of the Northern Rock itself. This leaves one "viable" option. Nationalisation.
It'll be the first time this has happened to a UK business since the socialist days of the 1970's. It has been reported that the Chancellor and the Prime Minister have been concerned about the burden on taxpayers. Yeah right!
3 ways to win at Quizzies
London, UK
This is possibly the most self-indulgent post I've written in a while.
Last night I was invited along to a quiz, organized by and held at a very well known tennis club. I did warn my host that I'm a bit competitive and hated losing.
I felt confident about our teams prospects of winning the entire event when I looked at the " mini-marathon" list of questions. These are the ones which you usually fill in during these first half of the evening, before the drinks break and in-between the rounds. One of these questions listed four countries - Japan , Sweden, South Africa and New Zealand. The question was on what side of the road do they drive. All on the left except Sweden, of course! Naturally, had this question been asked in or before 1967, then all four answers would have been "on the left" as Sweden changed over that year.
So on to the quiz proper. Round One - Geography (my favourite). I answered nine out of ten correctly which placed our team in the lead. A lead we held on to comfortably until the end. Although this was a team effort with some brilliant answers coming in from my new friends, I have to say, I was in a rich vein of form. I mean, do you know who wrote (from the literature round) " The Good, The Bad and The Bubbly?" or what sporting team are the Black Stars?
Out of the seven rounds, I seemed to dominate, without pissing off my team-mates too much, certainly five. I did, however, upset the table next door. They didn't seem to understand the difference between Washington and Washington D.C. The question was about which states Obama took in the primaries last week. (Tables swapped answer papers - personally I prefer an independent team of adjudicators)
In the end we won by 4 points and deservedly went up to the Quizmaster ( a well-known actor) to collect our bottles of champagne.
So, in brief, here are the 3 ways in which to be a success at quizzes
1. Invite me, who's excellent at general knowledge
2. Ensure I'm plied with a suitable glass of wine
3. Back down when I'm convinced about a correct answer
Corporate Presenter Caption Competition
The photo was taken by "Margate Don" at the Margate v Staines match yesterday afternoon and shows the Margate goalkeeper, Scott Chalmer-Stevens, collecting a cross with an amusing outcome.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Russell Brand on LSQ TV
For those of you who missed it the first time around, Russell appears towards the end.................
Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived
London, UK
Remember that little rhyme from your school days?
This week, I'll be presenting for LSQ TV, the Premiere of The Other Boleyn Girl.
A year ago today
London, UK
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Valentine's Day
London, UK
Love and romance ought to be present every day of the year, IMHO.
Ripping restaurant-goers off and charging exhorbitant amounts of money for a single red rose on one single day is bizarre.
And I'm no cynic, so there!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Rambo at Leicester Square
London, UK
My co-presenter at Leicester Square TV, Claire Bueno seems to have had a great time in the Square. And what about Sly Stallone, "Caio Bella"??
Check it out here
The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson.................
London, UK
..........Opens on Friday in the UK. You may have already seen the footage of the Premiere but here's the "fan-cam" footage:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Barack Obama on JCom Radio?
Only available on the Internet at http://www.jcomradio.net
LSQ TV at the BAFTA's
London, UK
It was the girls turn this weekend! Watch Claire and Catherine's footage at the Royal Opera House.
I managed to get along and see "There will be Blood" starring Daniel Day-Lewis who was named Best Actor on Sunday
See the "fan-cam" footage on my other site.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
British Museum Blog Post
London, UK
My father enquiring about some old fossil at the British Museum earlier today!
Will Smith - what a bloke!
London, UK
How about this story about Will Smith recently posted at the Leicester Square Television blog?
Jeff Pulver on JCom Radio
London, UK
Along with Howard and Beverley Gross, my special guest on PressPlay at JCom Radio will be the amazing Jeff Pulver. Read all about him here.
A quiet week
London, UK
As my father is staying with me this week, posting has been a bit light. The coming week wont be so busy either. Half-term week in many schools in the UK. But, I've created the beast called Corporate Presenter and it needs to be fed! There's also this
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Super Tuesday with Alan Caruba
London, UK
Sunday, February 03, 2008
As modern Israel approaches it's 60th birthday
It's getting colder
London, UK
"When the days get longer , the cold gets stronger", or so the saying goes. February can be an awful month for transport disruption, severe cold, and increased senior citizen mortality. London and the South-East has, so far, escaped the worst of the weather but I expect that won't be for long. Winter, I'm certain will have a sting in it's tail.
Needless to say, we haven't heard much from the "climate change" freaks as snow piles up in Alpine ski-resorts. No doubt they'll say that this cold snap in the UK and elsewhere is nothing more than a blip on their graph as we head towards climate catastrophe.
Alan Caruba (who joins me on JCom Radio this Tuesday evening) highlights another angle to climate change. Some think that we are heading for an ice-age (read here)
I'll be discussing this, on my show, together with other matters, including Super Tuesday with Alan. Tune in to JCom Radio, which is only available on the Internet, this Tuesday, February 5th at 8pm (GMT)
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Friday, February 01, 2008
Societe Generale - the real truth
FRIENDS of rogue trader Jerome Kerviel last night blamed his $7 billion losses on unbearable levels of stress brought on by a punishing 30 hour week.
Kerviel was known to start work as early as nine in the morning and still be at his desk at five or even five-thirty, often with just an hour and a half for lunch.
One colleague said: "He was, how you say, un workaholique. I have a family and a mistress so I would leave the office at around 2pm at the latest, if I wasn't on strike.
"But Jerome was tied to that desk. One day I came back to the office at 3pm because I had forgotten my stupid little hat, and there he was, fast asleep on the photocopier.
"At first I assumed he had been having sex with it, but then I remembered he'd been working for almost six hours."
As the losses mounted, Kerviel tried to conceal his bad trades by covering them with an intense red wine sauce, later switching to delicate pastry horns. At one point he managed to dispose of dozens of transactions by hiding them inside vol-au-vent cases and staging a fake reception.
Last night a spokesman for Sócíété Générálé denied that Kerviel was overworked, insisting he lost the money after betting that the French were about to stop being rude, lazy, arrogant bastards.
