FOXMAN OPPOSES ‘DEFAMATION OF DEMOCRACY IN ISRAEL’

July 13, 2011 at 09:41 (Boycott Israel, Corrupt Politics, Divestment, fascism, Israel, Palestine)

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I thought I needed new glasses when I read the following headine this morning;

ADL: Boycott law impinges upon Israelis’ democratic rights

Is the ADL finally changing its policies and opposing what is actually wrong? Let’s hope…

The article in question follows….

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ADL president visiting in Israel says while the league opposes boycott of Israel, law allows government to ‘legally stifle calls to action’, is disservice to Israel’s democratic nature.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) expressed serious concern over the recently passed boycott law on Tuesday, calling it an unnecessary impingement of Israelis’ basic democratic right to freedom of speech.

The league’s President, Abraham H. Foxman, who is currently in Israel, issued a statement Tuesday saying that while the ADL “has a long history of vigorous opposition to any and all boycotts of Israel”, the recently passed law runs counter to the league’s belief in the importance of democratic ideals.

Foxman went on to commend Israel for its “vibrant democracy”, adding that the six-hour-long debate in Knesset Monday before the bill was passed was testimony to this. However, he said, the boycott law is a disservice to Israel’s democratic nature, allowing the government to “legally stifle calls to action – however abhorrent and detrimental they might be”.

He then called on the Supreme Court to take up a review of the law “and resolve the concerns it raises”.

According to the recently passed law, a person or an organization calling for the boycott of Israel, including the settlements, can be sued by the boycott’s targets without having to prove that they sustained damage.

The court will then decide how much compensation is to be paid. The second part of the law says a person or a company that declare a boycott of Israel or the settlements will not be able to bid in government tenders.

Source

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There are a few other reports dealing with the new Boycott Law that are worth reading… click on the links:

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Israel’s boycott law: The quiet sound of going fascist

Israel’s McCarthy coalition is on a dangerous power trip

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U.S. on Israeli boycott law: Freedom to protest is a basic democratic right

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American Jews rally against boycott law  * Killing chance for peace

* Bottom line is…. NEVER SAY NEVER!  NEVER GIVE UP HOPE!!

Democracy might even come to ‘the only Democracy in the Middle East’ one day.