The Student Room Group

Anger as boycott of Israeli goods to becomes a criminal offense

Local councils, public bodies and even some university student unions are to be banned by law from boycotting “unethical” companies, as part of a controversial crackdown being announced by the Government.

Under the plan all publicly funded institutions will lose the freedom to refuse to buy goods and services from companies involved in the arms trade, fossil fuels, tobacco products or Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Any public bodies that continue to pursue boycotts will face “severe penalties”, ministers said.

Read More: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/israel-boycott-local-councils-public-bodies-and-student-unions-to-be-banned-from-shunning-israeli-a6874006.html

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I bet this will make that anti-Israel, terrorist loving blowhard George Galloway go nuclear.
I don't see the point in the legislation other than to piss people off.

Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 8 years ago)
but Uzis are the best SMGs
(1) It is absolutely fair to hold local authorities, universities etc to the law; that is, you can't discriminate based on national origin. It seems that people are quite wiling to countenance discrimination if it's against Jews (I say Jews because, notably, the only state they protest against is the world's only Jewish state)

(2) It is fair for the government to say that it is not for local authorities to make their own foreign policy. Foreign policy is an area reasonably within the purview of the executive, it's ludicrous for jumped up local councillors to make their "nuclear free zones" in Slough or to declare they are sanctioning a country.
The Conservative Party again showing that ethics are sold off to the highest bidder.
Original post by CheetahCurtis
I don't understand, so people are being forced to buy Israeli goods?


They are not
no mention of this becoming a criminal offense

and isn't this limited to government institutions
Original post by CheetahCurtis
I don't understand, so people are being forced to buy Israeli goods?


It's not only Israeli goods but a general policy of punishing boycotters.

No longer will public institutions be able to say: "No, we won't purchase from X because they are actively engaged and complicit in actions we consider unethical".


So some day, if we finally get around to boycotting Starbucks and Google because they don't pay their full tax, a council who has coffee arrangements or uses any Google product will no longer be allowed to refuse them on the grounds of their company's unethical policies.
(edited 8 years ago)
Public institutions should not be taking the law into their own hands based on the personal beliefs of individuals who make those decisions. As this conflicts with the governments (theoretical) mandate.

That being said, i do not think local councils or student unions should be affected, as they are locally elected bodies. Such intitutions should have autononomy. If a stutet cafe wanted to source free range meat (or even halal for that matter) because its what the student body wants, they should be able to, as should private companies and individuals.
Original post by GoldenFang
(1) It is absolutely fair to hold local authorities, universities etc to the law; that is, you can't discriminate based on national origin. It seems that people are quite wiling to countenance discrimination if it's against Jews (I say Jews because, notably, the only state they protest against is the world's only Jewish state)

(2) It is fair for the government to say that it is not for local authorities to make their own foreign policy. Foreign policy is an area reasonably within the purview of the executive, it's ludicrous for jumped up local councillors to make their "nuclear free zones" in Slough or to declare they are sanctioning a country.


I'm not fully sure you understand the point of the boycott. The goods are not discriminated against based on national origin, most of these organistations (I would have thought all) do not boycott Israeli products, but those Israeli products produced illegally on Palestinian soil. Also you are seriously mistaken that this is discrimination against all Jewish people. Just because Israel is the only Jewish state, boycotting the use of products grown illegally by Israel on Palestinian soil does not in any way discriminate against Judaism.

I'm sure you are very passionate about this, but that doesn't automatically make you right. If you were saying boycotting is wrong, the only way forward is diplomacy, I would be more inclined to agree with you, but as it is, you just come off as someone with a loud voice, but no idea!
Reply 11
me and my family have boycotted them for a long time since i was little, i dont need a law to tell me what i can and cant buy.
This is so stupid. It is to essentially force people to buy Israeli goods.
Reply 13
Original post by mkap
me and my family have boycotted them for a long time since i was little, i dont need a law to tell me what i can and cant buy.


Just as well this law does not impact individuals or private bodies then.

Posted from TSR Mobile
More evidence :smile:
Just goes to show how much power zionists really have in most countries.
Reply 15
I wonder how this will be enforced. Can't public bodies simply not buy goods from the illegal settlements or fossil fuel companies without stating their true reasons?

There's no distinction between making the decision to buy from the settlements, and making the decision not to. Both are ethical actions and both have consequences. Given that the EU and indeed Britain label products from the Israeli settlements, implicit in this is the recognition that there is something wrong with buying from these settlements.

"To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize."

This policy is going to be announced in Israel, so it's obviously about Israel and suppressing criticism of Israel, regardless of what this scheming government claims. Well, this will simply make individuals more determined to boycott goods from Israel's illegal settlements.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by ellie0497
This is so stupid. It is to essentially force people to buy Israeli goods.


Please explain to me how it forces individuals to purchase Israeli goods
Original post by Mathemagicien
Please explain to me how it forces individuals to purchase Israeli goods


If it is illegal to boycott those goods it means we should purchase them.
Shitty move by the government. In fairness, they have no idea what they're doing so are bound to make undemocratic decisions like this.
Original post by ellie0497
This is so stupid. It is to essentially force people to buy Israeli goods.


This law is to ban public bodies (ie not individuals or private companies) from boycotting on the basis of nationality. Not just Israel. So you're not being forced to do anything.

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