Stupid law in a crazy country
 | By Joe Millis
July 15, 2011 | Share |
Ben-Dror Yemini, of Maariv, is a writer I like. He defies the usual left-right split between the columnists of Israel's main dailies. He writes a lot of sense even when I might disagree with him. Here's his take on the boycott law, applauded by the zealots and criticised by those who really have Israel's best interests as a Jewish and democratic state at heart.
http://www.nrg.co.il/app/index.php?do=blog&encr_id=f2b4c1b55be76d1e6d7b7...
אבל זה לא אומר שאין חקיקה מטופשת. כזו, למשל, היא הצעת החוק לנקיטת סנקציות נגד מי שקורא לחרם על מוצרי ההתנחלויות. אפשר וצריך להתנגד לקריאות הללו. אבל נדמה שסתימת פיות פוליטית היא האיוולת בהתגלמותה. הקוראים לחרם יהפכו למרטירים, וישראל תהפוך למדינה מטורפת.This doesn't mean that there isn't stupid legislation. An example of this is the proposal to take sanctions against those who call for a boycott of settlement produce. It is possible and necessary to reject such calls. It seems that shutting people up politically is stupidity personified. Those calling for a boycott will be turned into martyrs and Israel will become a crazy state.
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Advis3r
15 July, 2011 - 11:31
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Let's see its acknowledged that to use boycott to force someone to do something they do not want to do is undemocratic but it is stupid to fine the people who call for the boycott in the first place.
At the risk of sounding repetitve nobody is shutting anyone up or even stopping you calling for a boycott the same way as nobody is stopping you using someone else's copyright but bear in mind since Israel protects both the owners of businesses and copyright you may face a civil penalty for doing so.