Finkelstein on BDS and Palestinian Strategy

By Max Ajl On February 22, 2012

Apparently Finkelstein asked initially that it be taken down, as he realized that it was destructive. It was, but a number of Zionist sites re-uploaded it, so it’s entered circulation.

SAS

How is this destructive?

Anonymous

It is sectarian and divisive, gratuitously insulting to allies within
the movement, and attacks strawmen (one-staters want to “destroy
Israel”? Actually they wish to transform it). For those reasons it
offered a tremendous victory in the war of position to the Zionists.
See:
https://www.google.com/#q=Finkelstein+BDS&hl=en&prmd=imvnsu&source=lnms&tbm=nws&psj=1&ei=y4JFT_W0BoiV0QHJyK3qAw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=5&ved=0CBUQ_AUoBA&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=e497b0ef37f63d8f&biw=1344&bih=632

I am in favor of the biggest coalition possible but what Students for Justice in Palestine can bring in Finkelstein now?

I wrote a piece responding to his arguments a few weeks before this video emerged:

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2012/ajl240112.html

and the comments section of these posts are also worthwhile:

http://jewssansfrontieres.blogspot.com/2012/02/norman-finkelstein-on-bds-and-two-state.html

http://jewssansfrontieres.blogspot.com/2012/02/this-time-he-went-too-far-virginia.html

http://leninology.blogspot.com/2012/02/finkelstein-on-bds.html

Anonymous

“Stop being so clever, because you’re only clever within your cult.” When you talk about what a massive demographic-political change will do to a society you are not a member of, the use of the buzzword “transform” is less than reassuring to the public. It would be bullshit to say that there’s a guarantee this transformation will be a positive one both for Palestinians and Israelis. Certainly the history of such ambitious changes in the 20th century should at least give us pause. Pretending an unlimited and immediate right of return is a sure thing and that his concerns aren’t well grounded in the concrete circumstances of the situation is completely disingenuous…or you’re an idiot.
Birdman

This is a really lazy response, and you don’t address anywhere his point about international law or his articulation of the downright brutal truth that BDS couldn’t get 10 homeless people to show up to a protest if they offered hot meals. It is a cult, and this insistence on calling criticism “divisive” is childish and in my opinion the truly destructive element in a debate that is so far removed from concrete reality that it is essentially play-acting.

http://www.facebook.com/mmuldoorsback John E Miller

Finkelstein puttin the smack down, as per usual.
http://twitter.com/crypticvalentin Vas

“cult”, “Maoists”, “ghetto”, what happened to this guy?..

Finkelstein on BDS and Palestinian Strategy

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Finkelstein on BDS and Palestinian Strategy

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