When I was a reservist for the Israeli military, I avoided serving on the West Bank by using a simple ruse. Reservists who did not served the requisite number of days in their units were sent to do guard duty on settlements. I didn't want to risk my life for settlers. Some soldiers chose to become conscientious objectors and were locked up in the stockade. I didn't want to go to jail. Instead, each year, some time in January or February, I'd call up my unit CO, who was a friend, and asked him to get me on the roster for a couple of weeks earlier in the year. Chalking up a few weeks in my home unit kept me off the West Bank list.
Since moving to the States, I have been careful not to buy Israeli settler products. And so, I was delighted when Jewish Voice for Peace declared its support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) program. This is a non-violent way for people around the world to express their values by refusing to purchase settler products. Particularly for Jews, this is a great way for us to support Israeli activists in forging relationships with Palestinians. This is another building block in creating the future just, Israeli-Palestinian civil society.
For a clear exposition of the BDS strategy, watch this video with JVP director, Rebecca Vilkomerson:
I didn't realize until a recent posting on the JVP-Chicago Bulletin Board that you were writing a blog. I support the content of the latest postings I read, about BDS and more. Glad to see that stand. --Neal, if you remember me from a few years back and our discussions.
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