Israel has faced many enemies in the past and faces even more today. Muslim terrorist armies such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the malevolent individuals within the Palestinian Authority are in the closest proximity.
The rapidly advancing ISIS and Caliphate forces and the expansion of Tehran and its goal of eliminating the Jewish State and all unbelievers has been moving towards active hostilities in their proxy wars. But the BDS activity has been perhaps as damaging as the violence because it attempts to harm Israel by causing financial harm to the nation of 8.2 million shekkels.
Boycotts are being staged in nations which have large Christian majorities and many are adopted by church denominations. Academic and professional groups adopt resolutions that use boycotts to support pro- Palestinian positions. The Palestinian Authority and other Muslim activists promote their position with a sophisticated social media campaign that utilizes outright lies, fraud and a willing media which follows any story that puts Israel in the worst light. The mainstream media has abandoned any semblance of balance, due diligence and fact checking to get attention from a gullible public.
The most distressing participants in this betrayal are the churches, colleges and even clergy. To be sure, a Christian element of compassion for downtrodden Palestinian refugees and residents of Gaza is admirable. However, fact-checking and research quickly will disclose the foundation for the circumstances of their condition.
Last year’s Gaza war was an outright instance of aggression by Hamas using sophisticated tunnels to enter Israel. They used Iran-supplied and locally manufactured rockets fired from civilian villages, school and hospitals and placing combatants within villages.
Using human shields who were told to stay put as martyrs was openly admitted to by several spokesmen. In addition, BDS harms Israel’s Muslim and Christian Arab citizens because the companies that are selected for boycotts hire and employ them and their wages are much higher than any earned in the neighboring Muslim countries. Check the issues regarding Soda Stream and how this Israeli business has been a major factor in the economic lives of many non-Jewish citizens.
The partition into Israel and Jordan resulted in evacuations of Jews and Muslims both. The Muslim refugees became pawns in a merciless game of anti-Israel politics. Arab nations refused entry and kept up only meager support for these unfortunates. Israel welcomed back those would share the duties and laws of Israel citizenship. Today the coalition government of Hamas and Mahmoud Abbas’ followers continues to conduct daily terrorist attacks in Israel. Last summer saw the use of cars, knives and kidnapping as weapons against victims as young as infants and as old as rabbis saying Morning Prayer.
Can Christians participate even passively in boycotts? Are we obliged to speak out against these anti-Semitic acts? The Holocaust of the 1940s was aided by the passivity of most churches in Germany and Europe. The writing of Pastor Bonhoeffer witness beyond his hero’s grave to what a true follower is obliged to do.
Here are some direct and personal steps a Christian can follow to combat this modern day anti-Semitic aggression.
If your denomination is discussing Israel, Palestinian nationhood, the two-State solution or any issue that would involve BDS you can present a well-researched position paper documenting facts about these issues. Use dependable sources, and follow Biblical the rule of two independent and authoritative sources. Measure all against Scripture (the Berean process). Ask to participate in the discussion as an advocate for Israel and present your findings in a firm and confident manner. Call in others who share this viewpoint as additional witnesses and make your position known. The Biblical evidence for Israel, its borders as declared to Abraham, its primacy in Scripture from Abraham to Revelation, cannot be denied, changed or substituted. Should your position be rejected and the church vote to continue, you should declare your intention to withdraw from the church and d so publicly until that decision is nullified.
Academic groups are a similar case. Here you have an edge: finances. Colleges and universities draw much of their support from alumni gifts, bequests and planned giving. Usually student or alumni factions are involved in BDS movements. Today, many faculties in leading positions have taken a ’60’s and ’70’s radical series of positions. They have been able to influence students into positions that have carry out their agendas and these vulnerable individuals have fallen victim to many lies and intentional personal agendas of atheist, agnostic and anti-Semitic professors whose misuse their authority.
When a movement to boycott Israel makes news contact your college administration, the President or Chancellor and make know in writing your intention to postpone any intended annual gift, donation, planned giving or trust process etc., until the proposed BDS is cancelled. Also state that you are contacting other alumni via social media that they will do the same. Realistically money talks, most faculties are in very privileged positions and are out of touch when it is fundraising time. Seeing their jobs, research or tenure affected by their anti-Israel activities will move them more closely to objectivity. So far several US universities have voted down BDS moves for reasons that have “No money” written all over them.
Professional associations follow a similar track. Most depend on memberships and gifts, grants etc. BDS generates very bad PR. They get news coverage and a rising alternative media can focus attention on the group that MSNBC, NBC, CNN will not. Add social media and firestorm of criticism will ensue. Social media cannot be underestimated as a message carrier and influence when used properly. Affiliate audiences, peripheral audiences of similar groups can mobilize comments and actions that any administrators will not be able to manage. Social media page administration is a very time consuming duty and virality can put things beyond the energy required to put out the “fire.” Presenting your position within protocols of the group, presenting evidence and acting promptly on your intent with withdraw support will make serious impression with savvy administrators and membership committees.
We have seen how the recent Orange situation had very immediate effects on how France deals with BDS threats. Direct, firm and unified actions led to apologies and a personal visit to mend fences from the Company’s CEO. Israel’s stature as the “Start-Up Nation” and its stature as a high-tech R&D leader had its effect right where it could hurt companies the hardest: being shut out of Israel’s intellectually rich resources.
BDS is unbiblical, un-Christian and we are obliged to not be passive. We must witness and do this to prevent any anti-Semitic moves by our churches, colleges or corporations.
Tom Brennan has worked in quite a few professions. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he’s worked as a museum curator, archivist and graphics curator, library administrator, small business owner, animal care worker, sheriff’s deputy, rancher and farmer and author and researcher and NewsBlogger. He plans to volunteer for Sar-El next year and see Israel from the ground up. When he’s not digging into news, he works with Arabian horses and other breeds in Boise, Idaho.
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