http://www.thecommentator.com/article/4016/israel_boycotters_la_trahison_des_clercs
Steve Apfel is director of the School of Management Accounting, Johannesburg. He is the author of the book,’Hadrian’s Echo: The whys and wherefores of Israel’s critics’ (2012) and a contributor to, “War by other means.” (Israel Affairs, Special Issue. July 2012)
A piano recital at a campus hall in Johannesburg was invaded for no better reason than the artist was born in Israel. A boycott mob burst onto the stage and blew football hooligan horns, forcing Yossie Reshef to flee and patrons to go home shocked. At a theme park outside Johannesburg a jamboree to mark Israel Independence Day turned chaotic when boycotters threw stink bombs, clashed with security, and contrived a bomb scare.
Clearly, not merely the events were violated but freedoms and principles. And, lest we forget, Jews fell on both sides of the evil; they were the victims and also among the perpetrators.
The human rights violated are simple – security, gathering, equality and so forth. But they open no window into the mind and soul of a boycotter, except for one. Rights allow another peep at the perfidy tucked into the depths of that kabbalistic mission (Part 1 of this series) The boycott campaign, we were told, “is a global movement which works in peaceful ways..”
So here is the principle to be plucked from the rights Jews were denied at the campus and theme park. Boycotters know it well, but let’s have it down in black and white so it’s there when we need it. “Any statement that suits the public face of the boycott campaign is true.”
Generally, principles are the tricky ones, and only to be coaxed out by some careful spade work and artful delving. A pair of questions will make the initial indent:
A) After the outrages on Jewish events did any boycott figure condemn the mob behaviour publicly?
B) Did any boycott figure stand up and say that Jews have the same rights as everybody else — the rights boycotters insist on for themselves?
They may look simple questions, yet are only approachable through a swampland infested by a hundred coiled vipers. Academics, never the easiest of people to pin down, are also involved. And waiting for a clear cut response could be in vain if academics are steeped in a cultish broth. Thankfully, facts ease the burden, a little, and are helped further along by first hand experience and even a confession or two.
