SANITY PREVAILS IN BRITAIN

As the Oxford Students Union wisely rejects a boycott of Israel:

The Oxford University Students’ Union (OUSU) rejected on Wednesday a motion calling for sanctions against Israel.

The OUSU motion calling for the Oxford student union to boycott Israeli institutions, goods and produce lost by a vote of 69-10, with 15 abstentions.

The motion would have seen the union joining the international boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement in protest of what was described as “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and its hindrance of attempts to create a Palestinian state.”

Interior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) welcomed the decision to reject the motion, saying, “We welcome the decision of the Student Union, a decision that had it been accepted would certainly have stained both the institution and the students.”

“I hope that other countries, organizations and institutions understand that waving the flag of progress in one hand and waving the flag of boycotts in the other means waving of two flags that cannot exist side by side,” said Yishai.

They'd also be missing out on some great food products and such if they went along with the horrible boycott movement. I honestly don't see what good it's doing their image either. Now would they just let go of the whole nonsense and get back to studying stuff like algebra instead? It'd do a world of good for them then.

More over here:

The motion called for the OUSU and National Union of Students to join the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign, known as the BDS movement, against the Jewish state.

"We [the OUSU and the NUS] have a moral responsibility to fight injustice,” and demand that Israel “end its occupation of all Arab lands,” read the motion which was proposed by Emily Cousens, a student at Wadham College.

It was originally seconded by Wolfson College student Yulin Zhang, however he pulled out “after reflecting on the issue and not being comfortable with it.”

I don't know if he's a Chinese student, but he did the right thing to avoid making himself part of the decision.

The decision was hailed by the Union of Jewish Students who called on students to constructively engage with Israel, its ideas and people, rather than chose to boycott.

“It’s encouraging to see that this vote reflects a student body who are willing to discuss the complexities that exist within Israel and do not see boycotting it as a viable option or avenue to discuss the conflict,” UJS campaigns director Judith Flacks said.

I agree there.