I have come as close as is humanly possible to feeling sorry for someone in the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which is aimed solely at Israel.
A week ago Frank Barat, who is behind the kangaroo court Russell Tribunal on Palestine, where BDS movement activists meet once a year to put Israel, and companies that do business with Israel, on trial for various “charges” and then finds them all “guilty” without hearing from the “defendants”, interviewed Norman Finkelstein, one of Israel’s biggest critics, about BDS.
Barat sat there for half an hour looking like a rabbit caught in headlights as Finkelstein tore apart every one of Barat’s flimsy arguments before, finally, hearing Finkelstein describe the BDS movement as “a cult” and “dishonest”.
Barat then shakes hands with Finkelstein and thanks him. At that point, if you were Barat, you’d have never let the interview see the light of day, but someone uploaded it to youtube. After realising the positive feedback it was receiving from the pro-Israel blogsphere, the clip was deleted but not before the guys at Huffington Post Monitor had downloaded it.
So here it is again. It has already been re-posted and discussed at places like CiFWatch, Harry’s Place and the JC (via Jonathan Hoffman). Hopefully, as many people as possible will watch it, if anything as further proof that those in the BDS movement are not very bright, and also because of the way Finkelstein lays bare the dishonesty of the movement.
Finkelstein describes the BDS movement as “a cult” because everyone in the movement just nods their heads in approval when told how successful they are, eventhough, as Finkelstein admits, he can count their successes on the fingers of his two hands, if that.
He accuses the BDS movement of only choosing those bits of “international law” that suits it. It doesn’t recognise Israel’s right to exist, which is also, he says, part of “international law”.
He also calls the BDS movement “dishonest” because of their refusal to admit that their real aim is the destruction of Israel.
However, he says, they know they can’t admit this because the wider general public would never agree to the destruction of another country, which would be the effect of six or seven million (even this figure Finkelstein views as artificially inflated) Palestinians “returning” to Israel; the latter being one of the requirements of the BDS movement. But for such dishonesty, Finkelstein says, the BDS movement doesn’t deserve to reach the mainstream.
As for Barat’s claim that the call for BDS against Israel originated from Palestinian civil society Finkelstein says the Palestinian organisations named are nothing more than one-man NGOs and that the BDS movement cannot galvanise more than a few hundred Palestinians to protest against Israel or even stop the Palestinians themselves buying produce from “the settlements”.
First is the full 30-minute unedited clip and below the 5 minute highlights:
RichardMillett's Blog 
Norman Finkelstein also says:
1. ‘West Bank, including East Jeruselum, & The Gaza Strip are occupied Palestinian territories’
2. ‘Settlements are illegal under article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention’
Border
3. ‘There is no dispute on the Right of Return’
He’s been saying BDS is a cult for ages – just watch some of his lectures – you might learn something.
I know what he says and that is all a valid discussion and all open to negotiation but, as he says, all within the framework of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, which the BDS movement won’t admit for some strange reason. I disagree with him on “the Settlements and “the right of return”. I am sorry I missed his comments on BDS being “a cult”, but better late than never. So when will BDS come out and say their aim is to destroy Israel?
‘all within the framework of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state’
He makes no mention of a Jewish state, in fact he uses this new concept as yet another blocking move by the Israelis
He implies it otherwise what does he mean by there would be no Israel?
Hello RICHARD
Thank you for this article
New Video
***********
BDS and Nazis : What’s the difference?
Jean, thanks so much for this. It illustrates what many of us are trying to verbalise. I shall use it widely.
Dear Richard,
What a funny piece, once again. Full of erroneous facts.
Person who posted video on youtube is myself actually (Frank Barat). People inside the BDS movement were actually pretty happy about video as it exposed Finkelstein’s odd type of solidarity with the Palestinians.
Finkelstein himself asked me to remove video, because “it did some harm” (mainly to his reputation).
Fact that you guys are now relying on a pro-Palestinian such as Finkelstein to ‘celebrate’ is showing very clearly how desperate you are.
Best
Frank
Hi Frank, I hope all’s well. I am not celebrating at all just writing up what happened as a point of interest as I always do. I am not sure where the “erroneous facts” are in this piece though.
Also, Frank, if you wanted to expose Finkelstein why remove the clip at his request? This doesn’t make sense.
Frank,
What thoughts did you have on the fact that Finkelstein speaking his mind “did harm” to his reputation? Does the uniformity of opinion within the anti-Israel movement concern you at all?
‘People inside the BDS movement were actually pretty happy about video as it exposed Finkelstein’s odd type of solidarity with the Palestinians’
If they were so happy, why take down the video?
‘Finkelstein himself asked me to remove video, because “it did some harm” (mainly to his reputation)’
Harm to the BDS movement, more like, which is why you had to take it down! As Finkelstein said: ‘You aren’t fooling anybody’.
Says Barat:
‘Finkelstein himself asked me to remove video, because “it did some harm” (mainly to his reputation)’
Barat is such a liar. Here he explicitly says that he thinks the ‘harm’ is to the BDS cause:
‘Norman Finkelstein contacted me (a common friend was also involved in discussion) and asked me to delete video from youtube account because “video did some harm” (his words). I agreed to do so because I think that, at the end of the day, video ended up creating a fuss/controversy but not much else and my intention was never to divert some people minds from what is really important: daily solidarity with the Palestinian People.’
There is a demonstration being organised in support of the activists who are being slaughtered by their government in Syria, will you be going or will that offend your Hezbollah paymasters? Or because it is Muslims killing Muslims it is not worthy of your lofty pronouncements and boycotts?
Frank – in a nutshell why the BDS movement is anti-Semitic and should be considered the natural heirs to the Nazis.
‘Emil Fackenheim has outlined three stages of anti-Semitism: “You cannot live among us as Jews,” leading to forced conversions; “You cannot live among us,” leading to mass deportations; and “You cannot live,” leading to genocide. Amnon Rubinstein has added a fourth stage: “You cannot live in a state of your own,” which leads to boycott, divestment, sanctions, biased reporting, pro forma support of the Palestinians, and calls for the delegitimation, territorial reduction, and in some cases even the disappearance of Israel as we know it.’
Your comments please.
So Fink is opposed to nonviolent means to ethnically cleans the Jews? That’s a frequent comment of other holocaust deniers.
A welcome addition to the BDS debate from our old mate the Magnes Zionist, I urge everyone to spend a few minutes reading this
http://www.jeremiahhaber.com/2012/02/pro-israel-and-pro-bds.html
This piece is exactly what Finkelstein we referring to when he called BDS a lying cult.
Hi Frank
You still here ? I’d figured you were provided a one way ticket to Siberia, a revolver, or worse still one of Greensteins terminal monologues in order to get you properly reprogrammed .
That sure was a hell of an interview . You can spin out the damage limitation in true Stalinist fashion as much as you want . You were simply toasted by Finklestein . The look on your face throughout was priceless .
Finklestein expressed an opinion that we have understood all along . Your wretched cause is riddled with antisemites who use the cover of anti Zionism to facilitate those views .
Your priority is the dismantlement of Israel before all else .
Poster boy Finklestein identified you as nothing more than a cult . You have no mandate in Palestine . No grass roots support and no political power either here or in Palestine .
Better get back to weeding out your Holocaust deniers and antisemite membership , that’s if Atzmon and Booth etc allow you to .
So, another Finkler, defecting after he has been party to causing a sh-t heep so deep he is afraid of being smothered in dung. Tthe man is not only boring but he is an egotistical coward – bleeting louder than any other sheep in the pen then turn on his friends when it finally dawns on him, as we have known from the outset, that BDS + Hamas = GENOCIDE. Wow, is he so thick that he couldn’t work out before he wrote and spoke so derogatorily about Israel that this “right of return” is a ruse to flood Israel with Arabs so that it’s democracy would simply become part of the caliphate they are working toward? Mind you I am not sure that most BDSers understand that they too are infidels and will fall into our group under the caliphate. More fool them! I guess they will be wiping it all aside by saying what could we expect from a Jew anyway!
‘BDS a lying cult.’..is there a possibility that last word has been mis-spelt?
Who are these fellas? Do they have any importance? Meanwhile what is situ about the assasinations and bombings? Is there any doubt that Israel is behind the assasinations? Will Israel respond to Thai bombing (I hope they don’t as it seems to me they committed the first wrong here)?
Atilla
Methinks youre destined to always remain a night watchman
Neither bat or bowl .
Actually, he’s a good cricketer.
Something no-one in the BDS movement has ever managed to explain to me – how does pressuring Israel get Abbas back to the bargaining table? Seems to me that if one were pro-peace one would go after the intransigent party.
Of course the answer is obvious – the Blame Distortion and Slander group is pro-hate, not pro-Palestinian and definitely not pro-peace. . They can try and hide it in their mock academic discussions, but the resemblance to a mini Nuremberg cheerleading rally is too close.
I can bowl a bit!! Rich you might find following judgment interesting – http://www.supremecourt.gov.uk/docs/UKSC_2010_0145_Judgment.pdf – relates to a FOI request on a BBC report about their journalism in the middle-east (which the court held could be withheld)
@L. King – Abbas is now the Leader of the Hamas-Fatah alliance so this entire notion of the so called peace process is dead in the water. Hamas is a banned terrorist organisation across the EU including the UK and also the USA and so this alliance makes any peace negotiations impossible. How does anyone expect Israel to negotiate its extinction together with the genocide of the entire Jewish nation. I asked Bob Blackman MP for Harrow East in the UK Parliament last Wednesday what the Government’s view was re the peace process in view of this new Hamas-Fatah alliance and he said quite clearly that the UK Government would only recognize this partnership as partners in a peace process on the following conditions:
1. Hamas must rip up its charter and recognize Israel
2. Hamas must stop bombing Israel
3. Hamas must illuminate Islamic Jihad
4. Hamas must detach from Iran
So it cannot be clearer than that – no peace process that the UK government can agree to until those 4 issues are dealt with. Any chance of it happening – I guess when pigs can fly!
Wow, things are really looking up! First of all the notorious Jacqueline Rose gets a ‘boker tov’ to antisemitism from Piers Paul Read http://hurryupharry.org/2012/02/10/jacqueline-rose-faces-the-reality-of-antisemitism/
Now the egegious Norman Finkelstein seems to be waking up as well!
All we need now is for Gilad Atzmon to fall out of love with suicide and the vociferous minority of Jew-hating Jews will follow the flight of the Oozlum bird…
They’re falling like hot cakes, unable to take the heat when the Jew haters turn their sights on them! It must be difficult to be so unprepared for this – poor Rose, things are getting a little thorny for her!
Sorry, egregious…
Read the take on this in the Australians for Palestine web site
http://www.australiansforpalestine.net/58722
The interview with Norman Finkelstein that circulated all over the web on Wednesday, in which he calls the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel a “cult” and compares it to Maoism is, I think, a milestone of sorts. Or, more accurately, the symptom of a milestone – a sign that the ground is shifting on Israel/Palestine issues.
Normal Finkelstein has made a career out of being the son of holocaust survivors who doesn’t shy away from picking a fight with Israel’s backers, and who unabashedly defends the rights of Palestinians. At times his controversial positions have set his career back, as when he was denied tenure at DePaul University. However, on balance he has certainly
benefited, as a less combative scholar would today likely be simply one of thousands of obscure political science professors.
Everything about the interview is classic Finkelstein: his demeanor, his tendency to raise his voice, his adversarial, passionate approach,
everything, that is, except for the things he’s saying. In a bizarre turn of events, he comes off as a Zionist bully, or for that matter, any other angry right wing pundit. He accuses activists for Palestinian civil rights of having a secret agenda, that of destroying Israel. He seems obsessed with some overarching concept of the Law as final arbiter in
all matters, as though in this case we weren’t talking about a variety of
laws, many of which at times contradict each other, and as though there
isn’t a history of the law being written, enforced, and misinterpreted by
political actors at the expense of the weak. His complaint that solidarity
movement activists want to cherry pick which laws they respect is reminiscent of the claims made by white religious leaders that Dr. Martin
Luther King so famously refuted in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
Moreover, Finkelstein conveniently ignores the fact that international law recognizes refugees as having a right to return to their homeland. When the law is inconvenient, Finkelstein employs another classic conservative tactic, insisting that the public simply won’t accept the demands of the activists, that they need to be more pragmatic. Again, see “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” for an eloquent refutation of such logic.
Finkelstein even resorts to the desperate tactic of denial. When the interviewer puts forth his contention that the BDS movement is growing in popularity, Finkelstein rejects the idea out of hand, comparing the movement to some Maoist group he apparently was affiliated with at some point in his more idealistic youth.
I recently witnessed BDS’s growing clout at a meeting I attended with a woman working with an Israeli artist helping set up a series of salons in New York to explore and question the Birthright Israel programs, and the idea of a “birthright” in general. The project sounds very interesting, but the woman was visibly frustrated at their inability to find people willing to work with them in the city. They are partially funded by the Israeli Consulate, and as a result have had the proverbial door shut on them by activists, artists, and professors, Arab and Jew alike. This would have been incomprehensible five years ago, when I first heard of the BDS movement at the annual Bil’in conference and it was, at that point, divisive even among conference attendees.
Here is where things stand now. There is a paradigm shift in the works in how the Israel/Palestine conflict is understood and approached. There is an increasing consensus among Israel’s critics to see the issue as one of civil rights, rather than a conflict between two nations. Indeed, some BDS activists harbor a desire to see the end of the Jewish state, and others believe this is the inevitable outcome of a civil rights movement, whether they desire it or not. But many others, I would argue most Palestinians among them, simply don’t care about this abstract One State v. Two State argument. They just don’t think civil rights – indeed human rights – can be trumped by someone’s nationalist claims.
Finkelstein’s sudden hostility to the solidarity movement is a symptom of this paradigm shift. It is easy to rail against Israel when the existence of a Jewish nation-state seems guaranteed in perpetuity. But that guarantee seems to have eroded a bit. For some this will be scary. But then change always is. It was scary in South Africa. It was scary in the Jim Crow American South. For others it is liberating, and you can count among these an increasing number of Israelis who see coexistence – real coexistence, not the tenuous kind that reigns in Jaffa, among other places – as a more attractive guarantee to their security than the ethnocratic state. As the ground continues to shift, some of those who are afraid will flinch, and retreat to safer, more moderate arguments. Finkelstein flinched.
I thought it was a very interesting discussion, especially the full version. In my opinion, Norman Finkelstein made a powerful case, with which of course I do not agree. It answered a lot of questions for me about why everyone is so concerned in the UK about this BDS thing, but in Israel I doubt one person in a score has ever heard of it. Anyway, after hearing what its supporter has to say about the potency of the movement, I remain quite at ease.
I may be wrong, but I didn’t understand that Finkelstein was morally opposed to the destruction of the State of Israel, he just considered this to be a difficult or impossible position to sell to the public (it was never clear whether this was the UK public or the Israeli public) at this point in time. His anger was never at those who wanted to annihilate us, but at those who didn’t have the honestly to admit that this was their intent. I guess I’ll have to agree with duffer2205’s comment and say that if we had to rely on the Finklestein’s of this world to prove our case, G-d help us.
Finally, there has been something sad to my mind about the Jews who give their lives to the causes of others and their eventual disillusionment. Menahem Begin describes in White Nights his meeting with a life-long Communist and revolutionary who had been placed in a concentration camp in Siberia by Stalin his leader. I recently read a historical account of a Nazi camp at the same time where a German doctor who had one an Iron Cross for bravery as an officer in the First World War was executed after his final request to be shot as a soldier and not hanged like a dog was refused.
I’m sure that Finkelstein will not meet a similar fate, but I heard the same melancholy in his voice as he recalled having given his life to the Palestinian cause and when he said “I have earned my right to speak my mind…” In a free country where everyone has the right to speak their mind, what could he be referring to? How many times has he spoken out against Israel and its people at the bidding behalf of our enemies that he now feels that he has “earned the right” to be heard by them? One can’t help feeling compassion.
Richard, thanks for truly excellent and very thought-provoking page.
Says Barat:
‘Finkelstein himself asked me to remove video, because “it did some harm” (mainly to his reputation)’
Barat is such a liar. Here he explicitly says that he thinks the ‘harm’ is to the BDS cause:
‘Norman Finkelstein contacted me (a common friend was also involved in discussion) and asked me to delete video from youtube account because “video did some harm” (his words). I agreed to do so because I think that, at the end of the day, video ended up creating a fuss/controversy but not much else and my intention was never to divert some people minds from what is really important: daily solidarity with the Palestinian People.’
Hi Frank
I have been thinking a lot about you (don’t be flattered I can assure you it wasn’t particularly complimentary). The question I have for you, and I hope you will answer it as honestly as you can, is this. Why do you have such a visceral hatred of Israel and Israelis? When I see you and your ilk demonstrating against Israeli businesses and cultural events, I am reminded of another era when people with the same hatred demanded boycotts of Jewish businesses and called for the exclusion of Jews from society; we all know how that ended up. I see the same extreme loathing and hysteria etched on the faces of your people as you see in photos of Nazi storm troopers standing outside shops with Juden scrawled on them. Please enlighten me, and tell me what the difference is between you and them as from where I am standing, I cannot see any. It is so depressing that only seven decades after the Shoah we are witnessing the same extremism towards and demonisation of Jews being exhibited on the streets of the UK.
The Nazis wished to destroy the individual Jew you wish to destroy the nation of Jews why? They also started by calling for economic and cultural boycotts and demonised the Jews to such an extent that they made their extermination acceptable much as you are doing with Israel. I am just trying to understand your motivation and your thinking, I do not say logic, because that is something that you patently do not have. You don’t call for the destruction of any other nation, why only the Jewish one? And destruction of the Jewish nation as Norman Finklestein rightly said is what you are really calling for. What I am trying to understand why you wish to obliterate my family and friends who are perfectly nice, decent, hardworking, kind people what did they ever do you? I ask again, what is the root of your deep seated, primeval hatred of Israel?
I look forward to your comments.
@Emma
I too would like to understand this. I have spent my entire life trying to get to grips with what happened to the Jews in Europe last century and today I think I am getting close to an answer. People like Frank and his co BDSers are no different to those who started out in Germany blaming the Jews for all sorts that patently had less to do with the Jews than with the accusers’ own prejudices and inadequacies. However, whatever their reasons, they seem to achieve a lot in demonizing and ultimately having Jews murdered, even if they themselves don’t supply the gas or fit out the homicide bombs. They say that it is Israel they are targeting, but what comprises Israel if not people and ultimately it is those people they are targeting, people who happen to be Jewish. Something called Israel does not exist outside of its component population, so in saying they want to destroy Israel they really do mean to destroy the Jews that comprise Israel. Ultimately Frank and even Finkelstein who has helped them on their way even though he has finally realized his errors, are calling for death to Jews. It is no more graphically illustrated in that the BDS supports Hamas and Hamas calls for Genocide of all Jews. So just as Israel is comprised of Jews, the BDS is comprised of Jew haters who will stop at nothing to achieve their aim.
Another thought Frank.
You call for daily solidarity with the Palestinian people but I do not hear the same call for daily solidarity with the Syrian and Libyan people. Why not?
Emma – Could it be that there are no Jews involved? Could it be that it actually has little to do with a people they call Palestinian and more to do with their own prejudices? I would say!
Sharon – as the saying goes, those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it. I have read extensively about the Shoah and the build up to it. The Nazis could not have done what they did without the cooperation of the people they occupied and they were able to do it because of the endemic anti-Semitism that they built on. Demonising and degrading the Jews was how they got people to co-operate. The same as what the BDS movement is doing. It is a lesson that anti-Semitism is a virus that simply mutates and that is what we are seeing these evil BDS people are proving.
Emma – its just simple Jew hatred and nobody is able to explain how anyone can hate so intrinsically that it distorts any vision they might have of right and wrong. Its beyond my comprehension. I have met people who hate Jews when they have never actually met a Jew, so it is no surprise that again the BDS, like its predecessors in history, are able to gather those around them that are largely out of work and slightly on the edge of society, not able to find a real place of comfort for themselves, so they buy into the propaganda. I have seen them on the streets, youngster without any real knowledge of Israel, history, geography, the Bible, Islam, or even heard of the Middles East before being sucked in and groomed by handlers. If we approach these youngsters they are removed from the conversation in case we might say something that will light their brains to the brainwashing they undergo. Yes, Finkelstein is right – just like a cult, and nobody intervenes, as they did not with Manson.
Nice post.
I thought Finkelstein was broadly right in that video.
I’d add two thoughts:
1) The things Finkelstein has said about the so-called ‘Holocaust industry’ over the years are horrible.
2) He’s right that BDS people live in a bubble/cult and would benefit from stepping outside and taking a look at the real, big world from time to time. The same is true of most activists, including some on our side.
OyVaGoy – no, the same is not true with most activists. Activists can be knowledgeable, open-minded and clear about why they are activists and that includes most I know on “our side”.
Sure, and every person would say that activists in their particular movement are the exception.
Hi Emma
It’s highly unlikely that Barat will respond to your original question . His comment is purely on a hit and run basis . These people seem to come off a production line and espousing Marxist agit prop and the means of disseminating it is something that is drilled into them from the start . Those like Greenstein and his gopher Bruce Levy will either moderate a hostile comment by editing it so that it takes on a different meaning , mock it if the grammar is poor or just not allow . This is all classic Marxist tactics in the use of propaganda as a weapon . The fact that it renders them fascist reactionaries escapes their notice .
I agree with your comment regarding the singling out and vicious targeting of all things Israel . A number of us were privy to this for 18 months as they systematically targetted Ahava spraying it with paint etc .Attempting to persuade shoppers not to enter was as you say no different from the tactics used by the Nazis in pre war Germany .
However this is not surprising considering the many antisemites and Holocaust deniers that maintain themselves within organisations like the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and are able to do so under the guise of anti Zionism .
Unfortunately for them, political web sites such as Richards , Harrys Place etc have done an amazing job in exposing these traits to the point they have had to examine their membership and attempt to purge themselves of the culprits . However the malaise runs too deep . At a recent AGM , a vote was taken to reject the appeal of a loud and proud Holocaust denier . Just a shade under 20% supported the appeal .
The fault lines have been exposed . Antisemitism is rife within the cult . Finklestein has added his voice in order to expose these people for what they are .
A cult riddled with antisemites whose primary objective is the eradication of Israel before all else including what is in the Palestinian peoples best interests .
An excellent article by David Solway on why anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. Wish Frank Barat would read it but as you say they are not interested in rational argument only in furthering their hate filled agenda. Incidentally, don’t all these people who demonstrate outside Ahava and take part in flotillas have jobs to do or are they being supported by terrorist money?
Emma
It’s impossible to say . Several bds were found guilty of committing aggravated trespass having chained themselves to blocks of concrete inside Ahava . At least one claimed to be on benefits and was unable to pay court costs in full . I’m not sure if he has entered into a repayment schedule .
@Emma – no they are supported on our taxes and when they get arrested again our taxes pay for their defense!
Sorry forgot to post the link http://pjmedia.com/blog/plain-and-simple-anti-zionism-is-anti-semitism/
It’s obviously bothered Tony Greenstein over at politburo headquarters . His blog – longer version of War and Peace is interminably boring but useful if you wake up in the middle of the night as one para in sent me back to sleep .
I honestly don’t know why he bangs on so much . He never gets more than 3 comments anyway .
The jist is bds is upset with uncle Norman and wont be inviting him round for tea again Oh Dear , quelle surprise .
I don’t know why he doesn’t just say
I divorce thee three times .Much easier than all that boring blogging . Anyway it’s the end of an affair . Isn’t that a film ?
More to the point I’m worried about Frank Borat ( he must get a lot of that ) . More like Frank Spencer .
Has he been relocated to Psc Shrewsbury ? We should be told .
I have left some comments on Frank Barat’s FB page. The link to his FB can be found on David Hirsch’s Engage blog.
I have now posted a comment on Barat’s FB page requesting that he returns to this blog and answers the allegations that have been posed. Just for the record, it seems that if you are on FB, you can post comments on his blog. Most of mine, have not, so far, been deleted.
It is now time for Frank Barat to come public and give us a detailed account of his conversations with Fink post interview. Let the truth prevail.
The point that Frank Barat is making is that it was Fink, and not The BDSM, that wanted the vid removed. If that is really the case, did Frank try and persuade Fink, not to demand that it be removed? Of course, the vid is viral, so it practically makes no difference. But, Frank should let us know whether he truly believes in freedom of expression.
If you google .. Frank Barat Facebook, the first link that pops up will take you to his page.
Maybe we should leave Frank in peace. He’s had a bad week.
Check out the interview that Frank does with Fink about Emma Goldmann. It also goes badly wrong for Frank. It seems that Fink finks that Frank is a fool.
Anthony
I wouldnt get too fired up about it . In the greater Scheme of things it’s not really that big a deal . Fink discovers his inner Zionist . Bds scurrying around in damage limitation mode .
The reality for bds is beyond their own little world and I guess ours too , nobody has a clue about them .
Once in a while I hold my nose and take a look at the effluent swilling from the MPAC sewer .
The one interesting thing Ashgai or whatever he’s called mentions is that without political empowerment a cause is doomed to failure .
These numpties have none except a few deranged far left back benchers .
Finklestein states that grass root support in west bank and Palestine numbers less than 500 and you can count on one hand the number of NGOs that are anything other than one trick one man band.
As Richard says , time to leave Borat to his discomfort even if it’s good to kick a bad man when he’s down .
Does anyone know this Barat personally? Could he be a new Sacha Baron Cohen character?
Borat, Bruno…now Barat…
If you go to Tony Greenstein’s it seems he has called him Frank Borat by mistake. Must be Freudian.
Harvey,
Just for the record, Barat was a co-ordinator of the Russeel Commission, which as you know goes around the world demonizing Israel.
And as for The Fink… I reckon that’s his rationality got the better of him.
The irony of The Cult is that it’s members prayed to The Fink.
Frank sees himself as being far too sophisticated to be Borat, although once the French accent is removed, the similarities are more than obvious.
But for those who follow these sort of shenanigans Fink/Frank has been been the funniest .It is priceless. The interview was better than spoof Ali G. And Frank then puts it out on You Tube. It was just too perfect.
It was all a cunning plan though 😉
I never realized BDSM was a cult. I just thought it was a bit kinky.
Blacklisted Dictator
It is indeed priceless . I took a gander at the various FOSIS face book walls prior to Finklesteins Imperial lecture . The sisters in particular were in a hysterical state when it appeared it was a sell out although ironically it turned out the only sell out was Finklestein himself . Talk about a let down . One minute the event was being hailed as the return of the Messiah , the next day he’s a Zionist and working for Mossad .
As for me , I initially thought it had to be an elaborate hoax but the Fink voice is a give away . No one does girly whine quite like Fink .
Shiva for Frank starts Sunday , four nights prayers begin at 8pm sharp .
In Finklestein’s defence, he does have a bit of a Harrison Ford going on there.
On the excellent link that Shirl from Oz provided, Finklestein is accused of having “bullied” Barat:
“….he comes off as a Zionist bully,” I have also been called a “bully” several times for winning arguments too convincingly. I guess it’s the last resort to be used when you have absolutely nothing left to say.
Harvey is 100% correct in saying that neither of these characters have any significance whatsoever, any more than Tony Greenstein or the dreaded Bridlington blogger. I think it’s the equivalent of the impact of a class of 11-year-old kids playing cowboys and Indians on American history.
More dogs howling at the moon. Norman howls the nicest.
“no significance whatsoever”??
Well, I think that they are clowns. But they are dangerous clowns and although they shouldn’t be taken too seriously, the damage that they do should not be underestimated.
Yes, it is fine to treat them with contempt but that does not mean that they are harmless.
And if Harvey thinks that they have no “significance whatsoever” then I have to conclude that he really doesn’t understand what we are dealing with.
Arsenal just gone 2 down .
Can things get any better I ask myself .
Agreed it was great but Spurs couldn’t beat Stevenage, not good.
Some more buddies of the Fink:
http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/97030/atzmon-wandering-who-anti-semitism-israel?page=0%2C0
BDS supporters actually believe that terrifying shop girls selling chocolate and bath salts will bring Israel down. Someone once said, “How lucky Israel is that her enemies are Arabs”. We could add to this how lucky her enemies are BDS.
Excellent article on Ynet News about BDS. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4192178,00.html
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Finklestein should be ashamed of himself! Israel is a parliamentary democracy where ALL are able to vote,serve in parliament, the IDF,police,etc. The world needs Israel. There are even Muslim ambassadors serving Israel in foreign embassies!
At least he recognises one thing:BDS is about destroying Israel. They are wasting their time. Sanctions against South Africa actually boosted the South African economy!
I am the proponent of a one state solution:Israel, a land for the Jews and anyone else who wants to live there………………Simples!
Um Israel Chai
I met a guy today, the offspring of a survivor who remarried an Austrian and brought her son up to not be a Jew. He seems a left wing hippy sort who, as soon as he heard that I am an activist, asked what I think of the Palestinians. Which ones I asked, the Jewish ones who became Israelis, the Muslim/Christian ones who live in Kuwait/UAE/Egypt etc where they cannot have citizenship or own property, the Arabs from the Mandate of Palestine who stayed in Israel to become fully fledge Israeli citizens with all the rights enjoyed by any citizen in a democracy or those that live in a place called Jordan that is Palestine where they are second class residents without citizenship or civil rights, ruled by a minority in an Apartheid state? He ended the conversation and left! QED!!!