Opinion: #BDS = Anti-Semitic?

The Irish parliament has recently put into motion, a bill that bans all Israeli goods and services, including Irish companies dealing with Israel, imposing heavy fines on those who engage business-wise with the Arpartied State. The #BDS (Boycott, Sanction, Divest) movement has been active and strong for years in Ireland. Israel has been violating international law, ignoring UN resolutions, and since 2017, have ratchet-up illegal settlements – kidnapping Palestinian children, murdering journalists and blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza. By any standard, Israel is committing blatant war crimes against humanity in the most foul ways, while naming those who stand up to them, anti-Semites.

This is simply wrong.

One major reason why Israel is getting away with murder, is Netanyahu's right wing fascist government is seamlessly aligned with the current Trump administration. The US opening their embassy in Jerusalem in 2017, essentially tells the world community: “Where with Israel. And we as a country are exceptional, fighting for peace and democracy.” And as many understand, this is utter propaganda to justify regime change and perpetual war. That said, is calling the #BDS movement anti-Semitic an accurate characterization of its goals and values?

In a word, no.

There are Jewish communities around the planet who support #BDS, because they do not want to be affiliated with a fascist Israeli party, that is currently performing a slow form of systematic genocide of the Palestinian people. Pointing out crimes against humanity is not anti-Semitic, but consciously a must, in the light of the on-going massacre of an entire race.

Just over 40 years ago, the planet began to boycott South Africa as an Apartheid State. Over time it worked, and the indigenous people of South Africa came out from under this oppression, and began to rule the nation. Cultural heroes such as Nelson Mandela came into view, revealing that peace will conquer oppression, if given half a chance. The same should go for Israel.

There is only so many times that these right wing fascists can scream antisemitism before it lacks all meaning.

#BDS is not against the JEW, it is against an apartheid regime in the process of destroying an entire race of people: Palestinians.

Boycott, Sanction and Divest the current Israeli regime, and leave the the world's Jews out of it.

They're not the same.