Israel’s Tourism Triumph

Edwin Black
May 29, 2019
Paper No. 1186

Despite the best efforts of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), Israeli tourism has flourished beyond any expectation. Two tunnels in Jerusalem that testify to Israel’s incontrovertible connection to the land and its history have proven to hold great interest for tourists from abroad.

The Barring of Eurovision from Jerusalem Is a Win for the BDS Movement

Dr. Shay Attias
May 14, 2019
Paper No. 1172

The €28.5 million Eurovision song contest, which draws 200 million viewers from 42 countries, might seem to be just a huge pop spectacle, but it is a good deal more. In addition to serving as an entertainment vehicle, it is a powerful mechanism of soft power – a tool that is critically important to the modern State of Israel and particularly to the city of Jerusalem. Europe’s refusal to allow the contest to be held in Jerusalem, in contravention of Eurovision’s own rules, constitutes a victory for the BDS movement.

BDS Prosecution Efforts at UCLA and UCI

Edwin Black
February 5, 2019
Paper No. 1082

The University of California system has gone out of its way to protect BDS activists by shielding them from prosecution. However, recent efforts by StandWithUs and the Brandeis Center to prosecute event disruptors seem to have had a deterrent effect on BDS activity on California campuses – at least for the time being.

Canary Mission Is Effective Against BDS

Edwin Black
January 2, 2019
Paper No. 1054

Canary Mission monitors, spotlights, and reports cases of online hate speech – a vital service, as hate speech often precedes hateful acts of violence. It remains to be seen whether this undertaking will be embraced by the people it is designed to defend and protect.

Danish BDS-Supporting Bank Behind Vast Money-Laundering Scheme

Denmark’s largest bank, Danske Bank, has admitted that its Estonian banking subsidiary has been involved in what is probably the largest dirty money-laundering scandal in Europe’s history. In recent years, this deeply corrupt bank has boycotted several Israeli companies on “ethical grounds.” Israel should use the Danske Bank case as a key example of fraudulent anti-Israeli moralists. Revelations from further investigations into the bank’s misbehavior will likely result in many additional disclosures in years to come.

The Anti-Israel Effort Intensifies in Politics and On Campus

Anti-Semitism continues to be aggressively promoted in the guise of anti-Israelism in two highly influential arenas: politics, particularly in Britain; and on campus. In the US, the BDS movement is doing all it can to ostracize Jewish students.

The Boycott Mirage

A collapse in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks will not lead to an international boycott of Israel. Jerusalem's robust trade relations with many countries will not freeze over an impasse in negotiations.

Winning the BDS Battle

To defeat BDS, the government should let Israeli society and pro-Israel groups abroad take the lead, and focus the debate on Israel's legitimacy.