[A-List] Israeli goods boycott

[Keaney Michael]

Anger over campaign to boycott Israeli produce 

CHRIS HOLME
The Herald, 11 March 2002

      A CONTROVERSIAL campaign urging a
      consumer boycott of Israeli goods will be
      launched in Scotland this week.

      The call to outlaw citrus fruit, dates, wine,
      clothing and other goods, comes from the
      multi-faith Scottish Palestinian Forum (SPF) in
      the wake of fears by Jewish groups that
      anti-semitism is growing in the UK.

      The forum claims support from John McAllion
      and other MSPs, and will launch the boycott at
      the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday.

      Last week, Jonathan Sachs, Britain's chief
      rabbi, warned of a virus of anti-semitism in
      Britain, and said there was a difference
      between legitimate criticism of the Israeli
      government and comments which crossed the
      boundary into hate and demonisation.

      His comments have been echoed in Scotland,
      where The Herald has reported the concerns of
      the Jewish Representative Council after a
      number of incidents across the country.

      The Very Rev Professor Robert Davidson, SPF
      chairman who is also president of the Council of
      Christians and Jews in Britain, yesterday
      insisted: "This is not in any sense an
      anti-semitic move.

      "There is a sharp distinction to be drawn here
      between anti-semitism and legitimate criticism
      of the Israeli government's policies."

      However, Kenneth Collins, chairman of the
      Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, said
      yesterday: "As this is not a matter within the
      powers of the Scottish parliament, it would
      appear that those calling for a boycott are only
      expressing their long-held opposition to the very
      existence of the state of Israel."

      The campaign, he said, was one way to make a
      stand for human rights.

      Further links between the University of Abertay,
      Dundee, and the Islamic academic world may
      result from a visit this weekend by a Muslim
      World League delegation.

      The delegation was welcomed by Professor
      Bernard King, the university principal, to the
      newly established Al-Maltoum Institute for Arabic
      and Islamic Studies.

Full article at:
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/archive/11-3-19102-0-34-10.html

Michael Keaney
Mercuria Business School
Martinlaaksontie 36
01620 Vantaa
Finland

michael.keaney at mbs.fi