Vision to Reality: The Reut Blog

Since Operation Cast Lead there have been a series of international calls for boycotts of Israel. This is part of a strategy aimed at delegitimizing Israel.

Economic Boycott: The London Times describes two different attempts in the UK by Unions to boycott Israel – by the Trade Union Conference and the Fire Brigades Union.

Military Boycott: Ha’aretz reports that Britain recently revoked several licenses granted to U.K. companies to sell weapons parts to Israel (even though the move was largely seen as symbolic as Britain supplies less than 1 percent of Israel’s military imports.) In addition, Norway decided to sell its shares in Elbit Systems Ltd., an Israeli company that provides surveillance equipment for the security barrier.

Academic Boycott: YNET meanwhile reports that the Spanish Housing Ministry disqualified Ariel University from competing in the finals of the international competition between university architecture departments to design and build a self-sufficient house using solar power.

While there still seems to be a gap between the positions of the Governments and more ‘bottom up’ sectors, there is no doubt that the movement towards boycotting Israel is gathering force. Moreover, in this context, the South African precedent of boycotting pariah regimes seems to be an oft used reference when discussing Israel.