The Finkelstein interview shines light on the BDS movement. The discredited Finkelstein is no lover of Israel or the Zionist movement. However, in this very revealing interview which is currently causing a storm in his radical constituency, he has asked that the video be taken off of youtube because of the harm it is creating to the movement. But the cat is now out of the bag.
httpv://vimeo.com/36854424
Thanks to New Jewish Media
Norman Finkelstein – known for his outspoken criticism of Israel and advocacy of Palestinian rights spoke frankly about the BDS and Palestinian Solidarity movements. He described these movements as cultish and dishonest and essentially agreed with our long standing criticisms of these movements – that support for the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment movement is basically a call for the destruction of the State of Israel.
We have to be honest, and I loathe the disingenuousness. They [BDS Movement] don’t want Israel. They think they’re being very clever, they call it their three tier – we want the end of the occupation, we want the right of return and we want equal rights for Arabs in Israel. And they think they’re very clever because they know the result of implementing all three is what? What’s the result? You know and I know, what’s the result? There’s no Israel… there’s no Israel, full stop…
The interview with Norman Finkelstein that circulated all over the web on Wednesday, in which he calls the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel a “cult” and compares it to Maoism
However the interview with Norman Finklestein had been taken off YouTube. Frank Barat, who interviews him in the video, posted on Facebook:
Final comment on removal of Finkelstein BDS video.
Norman Finkelstein contacted me (a common friend was also involved in discussion) and asked me to delete video from youtube account because “video did some harm” (his words). I agreed to do so because I think that, at the end of the day, video ended up creating a fuss/controversy but not much else and my intention was never to divert some people minds from what is really important: daily solidarity with the Palestinian People.
CK on the Jewlicious website said
This is a truly remarkable set of statements. Strategically, it’s about the worst thing that could have happened to the BDS movement – to be spanked so thoroughly by one of the leading Palestinian activists in the West. Finkelstein is forcing BDS advocates to clearly state their position on the existence of the State of Israel. If they agree to accept the right of the State of Israel to exist, the movement will splinter. If they don’t they will lose public support. Either way, they’re screwed. Many people are critical of Israel, but how many want to destroy the State? Justice for Palestinians is one thing; eliminating a legally constituted state is quite another
