Second German intelligence report says anti-Israel boycott is antisemitic
The classification of BDS as antisemitic could impact the legal situation of scores of anti-Israel organizations in Germany.
By BENJAMIN WEINTHALUpdated: JUNE 10, 2018 00:18ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS with a ‘boycott Israel’ sign.(photo credit: REUTERS)
A German intelligence agency announced for the second time in 30 days that the boycott, divestment, sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting the Jewish state is an example of contemporary antisemitism.The Jerusalem Post reviewed a domestic intelligence agency published in Rhineland-Palatinate last week that stated, “An actual example of antisemitic agitation from right-wing extremism is the party The Third Way via its Internet call spreading a boycott of Israel.“The Third Way’s slogan ‘Boycott Products from Israel’ and the peculiar language of the article betrays significant parallels to the anti-Jewish agitation of the National Socialists,” the intelligence report said.The report quoted an article in which The Third Way declared: “Israel-Boycott: What everyone can do against the Zionist Genocide” and said in the party’s writing, “The State of Israel is defamed... among other things, as a ‘Zionistic abscess in the Middle East’ and as a ‘Zionistic robber state’ whose policies are ‘criminal genocide measures of the Zionists in the Middle East.”’The intelligence officials said the fascist party also termed Israel’s government the “Zionist Terror-Regime” and a “devilish genocide system.”The intelligence agency copied graphics from the Third Way that show what purports to be an Israeli flag with a Star of David and “Terror state Israel” replacing the flag’s blue stripes and dripping blood covering the flag. A second graphic included in the report reads, “Boycott products from Israel: 729=Made in Israel.” The number 792 is the product code to identify Israeli goods.The second classification of BDS as antisemitic could impact the legal and fund-raising functions of scores of BDS organizations in Germany. For example, The Bank for Social Economy is under fire for maintaining a bank account for the hardcore BDS group Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East.The BDS organization Palestine Committee in Baden-Württemberg has an account with the partially-owned government bank Landesbank Baden-Württemberg.The Post reported on May 31 that the intelligence agency for the German state of Baden-Württemberg referred to the BDS movement in its newly released May intelligence report as a “new variation of antisemitism.” The agency is believed to be the first domestic intelligence agency to assess BDS as antisemitic and a threat to Germany democratic, constitutional order. Each of Germany’s 16 states has a local intelligence agency that is the rough equivalent of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).The Third Way uses the Pay- Pal online payment service to raise funds for its activities. The Post asked PayPal if it investigated The Third Way and whether the account is in violation of PayPal policies and German law.
A PayPal representative told the Post: “Due to customer confidentiality, we cannot comment on the details of any specific PayPal account. However, we would like to stress that PayPal has zero tolerance for the use of our secure payments platform to facilitate illegal activities. We make every effort to comply with laws and regulations around the world. Compliance with these laws is something we take very seriously. We carefully review questionable activities reported to us, and discontinue our relationship with account holders found to violate our policies.”The Rhineland-Palatinate intelligence report did not limit its documentation of antisemitism to right-wing extremists. The report also covered Islamic- animated antisemitism and left-wing antisemitism, saying, “The practice of left-wing antisemitism shows itself predominantly in anti-Zionist and antisemitic positions.”The report noted that left-wing extremists “defame Israel as an ‘imperialistic power” and “Israel’s policies are criticized in sweeping and non-factual ways.”The intelligence officials wrote that left-wing antisemitism expresses itself as the denial of Israel’s existence and left-wing extremists say the Palestinians are the “victims of the victims.”
