A blow to Israel’s image

Source: Flickr / Joshua Paquin

To the shock of many, the only democracy in the Middle East got a little less democratic last week. The passing of the so-called “boycott law” is a dark stain on Israeli democracy. Essentially, it allows for Israelis to be sued by other Israelis for organising, calling for, or partaking in a boycott of their products, mostly those in West Bank settlements, for political reasons. Without a doubt, it is a serious and unacceptable limit on freedom of association and freedom of expression.

Very few Israelis support the BDS movement, and neither do I, for obvious reasons: those who lead it seek Israel’s destruction as a Jewish state.

The target of the law, though, is not BDS. Instead it goes after those who choose not to buy from, and thereby support, Israel’s West Bank settlements and occupation, as is their democratic right.

Free speech is about ideas being brought into the public sphere and debated; some ideas are embraced, and others are sidelined. The sidelined ideas are still valid, though, and anyone must be able to hold those views without fear.

The boycott law undermines that as it attempts to curb expression by turning a boycott into a “civil wrong”, thereby disallowing a perfectly legitimate political action. This law is indisputably, shamefully and despicably undemocratic.

But while this is only one incident from this Knesset that is cause for alarm, and hardly the only law in Israel that threatens Israel’s democratic credentials, it has caused remarkable shock waves in Israel and in Jewish communities.

Most major newspapers in Israel condemned the law, with the Jerusalem Post editorialising that while they do not agree with those who boycott, their actions are legitimate and should not be stopped by laws like this.

A poll in Yediot Achronot put at an alarmingly high 56 per cent the number of Israelis who thought the bill should never have passed.

It is clear to Israelis how dangerous this is, with one Facebook event to protest the law labelled “while we still can”, even as it alludes Israel’s governing coalition politicians.

Incredibly, even Jewish organisations in America seemingly always in agreement with Israeli government policy, like the Anti-Defamation League and the Zionist Organization of America, came out against the bill, while the American Jewish Committee “expressed [its] deep misgivings”. These organisations all said they look forward to the law being challenged in the Supreme Court by organisations like the Association of Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and Adalah, both of which have signalled they will lead legal efforts to repeal it.

Particularly concerning for American organisations, and it’s no different here in Australia, is the way in which they go about countering the BDS movement locally. A key part of the rebuttal to the movement is that Israel is a rich, vibrant democracy, a true first-class ally.

The law, these organisations say, will diminish that perception and make their efforts to counter the de-legitimisation of Israel in their communities more difficult. Having to put an asterisk next to the statement that Israel is a democracy isn’t the best look.

Indeed, I’ve always been partial to the story of a man who, living by a river, hears a radio report that the river is expected to flood his town. He isn’t worried though, because he’s a religious man and he knows God will save him.

As the flood begins, another man in a boat offers to save him. He resists and stays, insisting that God will be the one to save him. Still the waters rise and the man climbs on to his roof. A helicopter comes past along with an offer to be winched to safety, only for the offer to be rejected, the man says, because God loves him and will save him.

The man drowns and, in heaven, demands of God to know why he was not saved. God replies: “I sent you a radio report, a boat and a helicopter. What the hell are you doing here?”

Today, Israel’s future is at stake: the same Yediot poll put at 45 per cent the number of Israelis concerned about the future of Israeli democracy. Put together the discontent of Israelis on the street with laws its Knesset passes like this, and a Diaspora just as concerned, and we must hope for a change in path.

We have to hope that Israel and the Jewish people have seen God send the radio report and the boat, and will have no need for a helicopter.

This was originally published by the Australian Jewish News.