Misguided, because they target the average, innocent Israeli citizen -- who may well support peace and a two-state solution -- rather than the Israeli government policies that are ostensibly the target of the campaigns. Counterproductive, because they provoke a "circle the wagons" response. Such a response is understandable, since much of the pressure for such campaigns comes from historically virulently anti-Israel sources that are often not interested in Israeli security concerns or Palestinian behavior. This in turn creates very real and understandable worries about global anti-Semitism and the perception that the campaigns are not truly (or only) about Israeli policies but rather reflect a deep-seated hatred for and rejection of Israel.

As a result, such campaigns have the opposite of the intended result: they cause many Israelis and supporters of Israel -- people whose voices are vitally needed to oppose the policies that such campaigns target -- to feel compelled to defend Israel, regardless of the policies in question.

A more constructive approach would be to shift the focus from Israel to the West Bank and the Golan Heights. It should be recalled that the West Bank has never been annexed by Israel and is not considered part of Israel, even by the Israeli government or Israeli courts. Even many American Jewish organizations whose mission is to support the sitting government of Israel distinguish in their activities and funding between Israel and the occupied territories. Likewise, while Israel has annexed the Golan Heights, it is clearly understood by all informed parties that the future of this area will necessarily be subject to Israel-Syria peace negotiations (which in previous rounds reached a far-advanced stage). Focusing activism on these areas will underscore the fact that activism is not anti-Israel, but rather is opposed to specific Israeli policies and practices, many of which are related to Israeli behavior in these geographic areas.

(June 2010)