It seems the government will introduce a bill this week to prevent local councils from adopting policies supportive of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) approach to Israel. The BDS movement occupies an uncomfortable spot in global politics, and whilst no-one would be surprised to find that Israel itself aims to delegitimise BDS activity, some on the left (e.g. Noam Chomsky) also question aspects of the BDS movement. BDS’s enemies of course seek to portray it as anti-Semitic—an automatic response to anything or anybody who criticises Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians. But as a form of protest, BDS is a perfectly legitimate and lawful expression long used in the international community to seek changes in the behaviour of other nation states. Currently Russia is the target of one of the most extensive BDS movements. Iran has been for donkey’s years. Venezuela has also been targeted. I wonder if a local council chose to adopt a policy of supporting a BDS position in regards to Russia, the omnipresent Secretary of State for ’Levelling Up,’ Michael Gove would be in the least bit concerned? Western hypocrisy will be on full display when this bill is debated. And I dare say that hypocrisy will be shared on both sides of the House. I cannot see Labour opposing a bill consonant with its previous adoption of the flawed IHRA definition of anti-Semitism (ironically adopted when Corbyn was leader). The debate—if and when a debate is to be had—should focus on the rights of people, individually or collectively to peacefully express their disdain for something they oppose. Interfering with such rights has become a hallmark of this government, and for fear of looking weak I predict our very own Director of Political Persecutions (Oh no, not him again!) will blithely go along with it.
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