We were gratified that the anti-Israel Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement failed in its bid to bring the Park Slope Food Co-op, located in Park Slope, Brooklyn into its ranks. Last week, co-op members voted overwhelmingly against a motion calling for a referendum on whether to join BDS and refuse to carry Israeli goods.

BDS seeks to organize boycotts against Israel as a means to force changes in Israeli policy regarding the West bank and Gaza. The Park Slope Co-op is a 39-year-old market known for its organic produce and its left of center membership. The vote on the referendum motion was 1,005 against and 653 in favor.

The co-op would seem to be fertile ground for BDS importuning, so the defeat of the proposed boycott defeat could be significant. However, The New York Times reported that Liz Roberts, a member of the pro-boycott group, vowed to go forward: “[D]espite our loss in tonight’s vote, we have succeeded in one of our goals: BDS has entered into the consciousness of thousands of co-op members and has even made it into mainstream conversations.” And therein lies the rub.

Several of New York City’s leading politicians, including those connected to the Park Slope area, went public with their opposition to the boycott. But most waited until the eve of the vote to do so. Had an analogous plan been floated directed at other groups, we suspect that expressions of dismay and rebuke would have been faster in coming and more robust. This is especially important now that it appears BDS efforts in New York City neighborhoods are a work in progress.

Ginia Bellafante writes in the NY Times about the Park Slope co-op wars we told you about a week ago (In-Fighting at Brooklyn Food Co-op over Israel Boycott). She points out the obvious: “Calling for a boycott of Israeli-made foods at the Park Slope Food Co-op turns out to be a lot like calling for a boycott of Speedos in Minsk. In addition to Sodastream seltzer makers and replacement cartridges, there are currently only a handful of foods in the whole establishment produced in Israel. One of them, an olive spread made by a company called Peaceworks, uses olives grown in Palestinian  villages and glass jars made in Egypt. The company diverts 5 percent of its profits to peace-promoting causes.”

And, predictably, the use of a health food-related organization for political reasons has enraged the Hummus Party. I kid you not.

“‘The BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, a campaign first initiated on 9 July 2005 by 171 Palestinian non-governmental organizations in support of the Palestinian cause for Boycott, Divestment  and International Sanctions against Israel) people have been having their events in the co-op itself,’ Marion Stein, a 15-year member, told me, ‘and that’s something that we in the Hummus group find very upsetting.’”

Essentially, objections to using a food co-op to attack Israel was a running theme among the objectors, like Matt Lewkowicz, a young composer, who said: “The whole thing is ridiculous, I have plenty of outlets for my political opinions. The co-op isn’t one of them. I just want really good dried fruit.”

First, heartfelt thanks to Kyle Smith of the NY Post for this gem of a New York Jewish story. He writes about the Park Slope Food Co-op near Prospect Park in Brooklyn which usually confines its activities to reports on safe and organic foods and commuting on bicycles; and then there’s the announcement of a meeting to “consider a proposal to join the BDS movement.”

According to Wikipedia, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) refers to a campaign first initiated on 9 July 2005 by 171 Palestinian non-governmental organizations in support of the Palestinian cause for Boycott, Divestment  and International Sanctions against Israel.

And the Park Slope food co-op BDS website wants in on all that great action: “BDS is a nonviolent tactic recently adopted by the decades-long Palestinian movement to end Israel’s violent and illegal occupation of their lands, gain equal rights, and achieve peace, freedom and economic stability.”

Isn’t that special. I have no idea which Israeli products an organic, ostensibly locally-grown-produce-only type place, would boycott. Perhaps after a meal of nothing but a green, leafy salad, they just have to go for a low cost Pesek Zman… So now it’s back to snickers for the folks on the hill.

But seriously, are they for real? They write: “We think that joining the BDS movement will help send a message to Israel that it must honor international law and human rights.”

I can just see it now – Prime Minister Netanyahu’s red phone is ringing, it’s 3 in the morning, Israel’s ambassador to the US is on the line – Sir, we’re losing the food co-op near Prospect Park. If the co-op boycotts us, we’re doomed. – Fine, fine, just tell those settlers to pack up the suitcases and get on the trucks, they’ll understand…

Naturally, this whole boycott and sanctions thing is not at all about the realities of the Middle East, concerning which the sum total of most Americans’ knowledge can be written on the pinky fingernail of a small child. This is about the Jews of Park Slope being embarrassed about their other country and how colonialist it makes them look at mixers. Because they clearly write:

“It will also make the PSFC a more welcoming place for all people who want justice realized in Palestine. And taken in a larger context, we believe that BDS is one of multiple ways to participate in the global struggle against all forms of oppression.”

Naturally, we’re against oppression everywhere, but we’ll go after the Jews first.

Luckily, just as paper cannot refuse ink (been proven), the Internet cannot refuse new websites. Which explains the Stop BDS at the Park Slope Food Coop site, that just a couple days ago cited Glenn Beck, the original cite by the Brooklyn Paper regarding the proposed BDS:

“What is happening with the food co-op where they are seriously considering a boycott of Israel?” he said, likening the suggested ban to a subtle version of drawing swastikas. “When you use words like ‘I’m just anti-Israel’ or ‘I’m just anti-Zionist’ — that’s anti-Semitic.”

And that, my friends, may be the most embarrassing thing about this entire incident – that the day has come when I agree with Glenn Beck. I am not happy.

Incidentally, the meeting on whether or not to BDS the Jews takes place on Monday, 2/27. Be there, if you can.

Comptroller

William Thompson

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Betsy Gottbaum

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Marty Markowitz

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Helen Marshall

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Kathy Ellsworth

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Harry Reiss