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With all due respect to Gila Svirksy, the world would be absolutely right to boycott ALL Israeli products, not only those made in the settlements. A country that doles out cruel and unjust collective punishment day in and day out deserves to be treated in kind. Unfortunately, not buying Israeli wines or sofas will hurt no one. Israel’s REAL exports are computer chips, weapons, drones, and other products for killing and maiming, sold to governments around the world, no questions asked, and THESE should have pressure put on them by their citizens to stop buying from Israel. The boycott of the academics is, of course, symbolic - but it works because it stings like heck in a country whose citizens arrogantly think that they are smarter than all those around them.

Every Friday Gila Svirsky is to be found dressed in black jeans and T-shirt at one of Israel’s major road junctions, in a silent vigil, carrying a placard that says simply: ‘Stop the occupation.’

Those in her group - Women in Black - have been abused, sometimes violently, since they began their protests almost 20 years ago. Her activism against the occupation touches all areas of her life. She does not drink wine or buy food or other goods produced by Jewish settlers on land under Israeli occupation.

‘I went to buy a sofa recently,’ she says. ‘I didn’t think about it at first. But then when I had my credit card out, I thought, maybe there is possibility that it was made in the Territories. So I thought, I better ask. And the salesman said: “Oh! It was made in this wonderful settlement called Barkan.” I said: “No sale”. He looked really shocked.’

Svirsky believes in boycotting the Israeli occupation. But she cannot support proposed boycotts of Israeli academics by Britain’s University and College Teachers’ Union, or of Israeli goods by the National Union of Journalists.

‘I have my own position on this, but I think the proposed boycott by the teachers’ union is useless and counterproductive and only has the impact of alienating Israelis and Jews more generally. I believe the whole thing shifts the attention away from the real point of focus - the occupation - towards the idea that Israel is an outlaw nation. I agree that my country has done some terrible things - but a boycott that is useful is a boycott of the occupation itself.’ (Read the story here!)

Gila Svirksy needs to read this again!

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