11-01-2009, 07:35 PM
Myra Bronstein Wrote:Just about now, many a proud Zionist is gearing up for major point-scoring: don't I know that many of these very hi-tech toys come from Israeli research parks, world leaders in infotech? True enough, but not all of them. Several days into Israel's Gaza assault, Richard Ramsey, managing director of a British telecom specialising in voice-over-internet services, sent an email to the Israeli tech firm MobileMax: "As a result of the Israeli government action in the last few days we will no longer be in a position to consider doing business with yourself or any other Israeli company."
Ramsey says his decision wasn't political; he just didn't want to lose customers. "We can't afford to lose any of our clients," he explains, "so it was purely commercially defensive."
It was this kind of cold business calculation that led many companies to pull out of South Africa two decades ago. And it's precisely the kind of calculation that is our most realistic hope of bringing justice, so long denied, to Palestine.
That's interesting Myra, but I don't know if that would work without a critical mass of support within the business leadership.
Moreover, South Africa's apartheid was officially condemned by western Governments around the world, with the notable exception of Israel, I think. It was also condemned in the mainstream media around the world. Will that happen in this case? Business would be happier with a little support from national institutions, imo.
It's a shame our governments and media have no morals but it was a good idea.
I can think of one measure which would make Israel sit up and take notice: America could cut off aid to Israel completely. A shame the US Congress is without morals but I think it also could have been a good idea.