This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
"Nobody was more appalled by the boycott of Ariel (Performing Arts Center) theater than me, but to make it illegal? I don't think so."
Many US Jewish groups sharply criticized the new law, including:
-- Americans for Peace Now calling it a "flagrant attack on freedom of speech;"
-- J Street saying it's a "clear and unabashed violation of the fundamental democratic precept of freedom of speech;" and
-- the New Israel Fund saying:
"Don't Boycott Democracy. The 'boycott bill' criminalizing free speech is only one of many anti-democratic measures that have been introduced in the Knesset," the most extremist body in Israel's history.
Israeli peace bloc Gush Shalom founder Uri Avnery called the bill "an assault on the freedom of expression and political association, an attempt to gag the opposition."
Its web site said it was "the first Israeli body (in the 1990s) to lead a boycott of settlement products...." Calling the measure "unconstitutional and anti-democratic," it petitioned Israel's High Court to strike it down. Moreover, Avnery (a former Knesset member) called it "a black stain on the statutes of the State of Israel. It is my sincere hope that the court will overturn it, and save what is left of Israeli democracy."
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
