tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640441812647446166.post4211471613673266574..comments2024-03-28T04:26:49.354+00:00Comments on Tony Greenstein's Blog: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Executive Scabs on the Boycott MovementTony Greensteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300640929161205370noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640441812647446166.post-46200289414530994552010-04-13T19:19:07.203+01:002010-04-13T19:19:07.203+01:00I enclose comments I received from 2 PSC Executive...I enclose comments I received from 2 PSC Executive members: You can judge for yourself!<br /><br />From: gill swain<br /><br />Sent: Mon, April 12, 2010 4:01:24 <br /><br />This is libellous. I am thinking of suing.<br /><br />To which I responded:<br /><br />which bit in particular is libellous? You are aware, I assume, that if an allegation is true that is an absolute defence to a defamation claim?<br /><br />From: Ben Soffa <br />To: Tony G <br /><br />As anyone who actually reads the lines you cite will see, it is prefaced with "TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said...". If it was a statement from the PSC, it would read "The Palestine Solidarity Campaign said...". It does not, and therefore is not a statement of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Suggesting otherwise is absurd.<br /><br />Ben<br /><br />To which I responded<br /><br />PSC has deliberately associated itself with the TUC press release, which uncritically mentions it launching a joint campaign together. It begins: <br />'The TUC and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) are today (Thursday) calling on consumers not to buy goods from illegal Israeli settlements.' and then goes on in the 5th paragraph to state:<br />'This is not a call for a general boycott of Israeli goods and services which would hit ordinary Palestinian and Israeli workers. Nor should workers in Britain put their own jobs at risk by refusing to deal with goods from the settlement goods. Instead, we're calling for targeted, consumer-led sanctions to send a clear message against the settlements.'<br /> <br />Is it seriously being suggested that PSC knew nothing of the press release? In which case why did they link to it? PSC and the TUC have been working together on this. Did PSC make any objections to the paragraph attacking a general boycott, even though they must know that a boycott of settlements can only ever be partial given the extent of relabelling? Have PSC not got any weight or clout? The most obvious point they could have made was that the TUC had no position on a general boycott.<br /> <br />Indeed at the same conference the only motion passed, the FBU one specifically stated:<br />'Congress further calls on the General Council to encourage affiliation to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and to develop an effective Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions campaign by working closely with the PSC to: <br />1) raise greater awareness on the issues<br />2) promote a targeted consumer-led boycott<br />3) encourage trade unionists to boycott Israeli goods, especially agricultural products that have been produced in the illegal settlements<br /> <br />The fact is that PSC, cannot but have known the details of the statement that they themselves linked to, raised no objections to this paragraph, despite it being extremely damaging to a Boycott campaign. I have no doubt that if PSC had objected to the paragraph in question it would have been removed, given that it is NOT TUC policy to oppose a boycott of Israel, despite Barber's personal opinions. <br /><br />A Boycott of Settlement Produce as part of an overall Boycott campaign is welcome. A Boycott campaign which is counterposed to an overall Boycott campaign of Israeli institutions etc. is counterproductive and damaging. Indeed there are some Zionists who raise no great objections as long as Boycott is limited to settlements. Eg Engage has never made any serious protest about Boycotting the college in Ariel.<br /> <br />Tony Greenstein<br /><br />________________________________________Tony Greensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14300640929161205370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640441812647446166.post-80851480283321591272010-04-13T09:41:51.912+01:002010-04-13T09:41:51.912+01:00brilliant post.absolutely bob on.
This link shows...brilliant post.absolutely bob on.<br /><br />This link shows the fascistic nature of Histradut, and why the idea it is 'different animal' nowadays is bunkem.Michael Moranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16480865556221247687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640441812647446166.post-1117124837096090222010-04-12T23:40:54.063+01:002010-04-12T23:40:54.063+01:00Imagine how ineffective the South Africa boycott w...Imagine how ineffective the South Africa boycott would have been if such caveats were in place.Mr Andy Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15291005585731263640noreply@blogger.com