UK Journalists' Union Votes to Boycott Israel

The britigh media has to do something to attract attention. The country has done a fantastic job of becoming generally indignificant and next to this story, their biggest storty as of late in the current crown juvenile deliquentis no longer with the latest teeny-bopper in his life.

It all started with a king who was loosing his mrbles bac in the 1700s and it's been down hill for them sence. WE are NOT angry; it's more that we feel sorry for them.

Posted by: Albert Sherman at Apr 17, 2007 4:42:52 PM

Why do Israelis hate the Western left?

· Because Arabs can murder, rape, starve, maim, torture, deport, excommunicate, honor-kill, abuse, extort, rocket, shell, assassinate, suicide bomb, humiliate, jail without due process, occupy, and enslave other Arabs without eliciting peep one from the evolved, hypersensitive consciences of the Western left - unless the silence is broken in order to find Israel and its U.S. ally responsible.

How to Speak Leftist: Blame the West

Repeat until winded: Arabs have been subjugated and colonized for centuries. The interventionist and occupation policies of the IDF and its Western sponsors promote infighting among Arab allies, in order to divide and continue to conquer.

· Because Palestinians can meat-cleaver, rocket, machine-gun, bludgeon or bomb Israeli civilians to death, without the Western left making a sound.

Posted by: Henri bollster at Apr 17, 2007 4:47:49 PM

>The most effective way of overturning this motion and boycott is from within the NUJ itself.>
It would seem that the most effective way of resisting this boycott is for Israel to boycott the British journalists, by refusing to issue visas to them.

Posted by: cloud48 at Apr 17, 2007 4:52:34 PM

When the Palestinians murder the kidnapped BBC broadcaster, will the Union boycott the Gaza Palestinians. Any bets?

Posted by: Moe Horenfeldt at Apr 17, 2007 4:55:23 PM

The vote by the NUJ to implement an economic boycott of Israel using inaccurate and inflammatory language is deplorable. However, I'm mystified that Honest Reporting isn't requesting action by its readership to counteract this development. A similar proposal was adopted by the United Presbyterian Church USA and a hefty and continuous response was organized against their irresponsible action. Why nothing to the developments by NUJ? Why be silent when Palestinians have captured and held hostage a British journalist in
Gaza? I don't understand your passive strategy. Develop a better one NOw.

Posted by: Jerry Fenning at Apr 17, 2007 4:55:43 PM

This story is less than surprising when one understands what passes for journalism in the UK -- truth, objectivity and civility seem to be regarded as archaic. disposable concepts. Like politicians, we seem to get the journalists we (demand and) deserve.

Posted by: Michael J. Landa at Apr 17, 2007 4:59:54 PM

I live in SA. Israel is not an apartheid state, a comparison with SA is inappropriate. The UK and USA have clamored for SA to abandon apartheid, which is ok, however,the result is that the standards severely dropped on all levels and poverty is just as bad if not more than before. SA has turned away from Israel and this bodes badly. I say this simply to encourage Israel not to take heed of UK's and USA's advice unless it suits and benefits Israel. Bereshit 12:3 is a warning to the nations. Chazak and trust the G-d of Israel.

Posted by: Reinhold Linder at Apr 17, 2007 5:02:15 PM

Tell the NUJ that although we have flown BA on our several visits to the UK, the next one (planned for October, 2007) will be either ElAl or AA.

Posted by: Dr. John D Tabak at Apr 17, 2007 5:03:26 PM

No doubt these journalists will boycott any Israeli cure for cancer or Parkinson's disease when it becomes available to help them or their loved ones. Perhaps a substitute will be offered by Gazan scientists (if they take time enough away from bomb building). Gary Katz, Long Grove, IL

Posted by: Gary Katz at Apr 17, 2007 5:04:57 PM

Israel's Press Office should now take a better look at who it grants its permit and allowed to come into the country and produce propaganda or "make" news.

I would prefer that every single one of the those so-called journalist who voted for the boycott be evicted if they are here or barred entry as personae non-grata if they ever do try to enter.

I feel that BBC has forfeited its place as an objective party. En-bloc, all BBC offices be closed; their journalists and staff be evicted and declared persona non-grata.

A law should be passed for fining any journalst/media entity that misuses their status and report as news what is op-ed or propaganda. I fear though that many of Israel's media would have to be fined/closed or this would law woud end up as a dead letter.

Posted by: Moshe at Apr 17, 2007 5:13:55 PM

UK media is finally showing its face and alas, it is not as beautiful as Diana's...

What we do do for Power backed by Money...Sad, but not surprising - let's just blame the weather.

Posted by: galiah at Apr 17, 2007 5:17:11 PM

Why not ban any reporter or the paper he or she represents who voted for that resolution. It is about time that Israel showed that it is not a puppy to be trodden on. Perhaps that might bring them to there senses. No one could say that this was not democratic but merely in effect a natural treaction

Posted by: peter at Apr 17, 2007 5:17:26 PM

Looks like these journalists will have to go back to using typewriters, since most probably, the intel chip in their computers was designed by Israelis . . .

Posted by: Dvora krevat at Apr 17, 2007 5:21:12 PM

The NUJ's thinking is totally absurd.
Mixed up world we live in.

Posted by: Bordy, Linda at Apr 17, 2007 5:23:14 PM

Well, it appears that the old Brit snobbery, aka anti-Semitism has rolled to the surface. I hope they include in their boycott some recent Israeli medical discoveries.

I think that perhaps the Jewish community in Britain should let the media know that they will find other outlets for their advertising and subscription.

Posted by: E. Bert at Apr 17, 2007 5:24:29 PM

Perhaps the UK journalists are hoping that pandering to the Palestinians will lead to the release of their kidnapped colleague. Strangely, the only remaining western journalist. Don't they ever question why?

Posted by: Judy Newman at Apr 17, 2007 5:26:09 PM

The NUJ members who voted for a boycott have been "out in the sun too much!"

Posted by: Kokin, G. at Apr 17, 2007 5:26:56 PM

What else is new? England's days are numbered due to the large influx of Muslims living there and more entering everyday. Just like France. One day in the future the English may want to emigrate to Israel to get away from the Muslims.

Posted by: frisco at Apr 17, 2007 5:36:00 PM

Perhaps Israel should now deny entrance to the country to all British "journalists".

Posted by: S. Wortzman at Apr 17, 2007 5:50:23 PM

Israel is facing persecutions it does not deserve. Israel does not occupy anyone's country. It is arabs who are occupying Israel's ancient country (Gaza, Judea and Samaria). UK Journalists Union have wrong information it is basing as truth. Honest and correct stories must be demanded and not some anti-semetism type of stories.....

Posted by: Ernie P. at Apr 17, 2007 5:54:47 PM

Did the British Journalists also comment on the BBC TV journalist Alan Johnson being held prisoner by Palestinians?

Maybe they'll find a way to blame even this on the Israelis.

Posted by: Dr Cyril Sherer at Apr 17, 2007 5:59:10 PM

Should not the gentel and terribly talented, not to mention, intelligent, fair and balanced professionals of the UK Journalist's Union concern themselves with the kinapping and rumored decapitation of BBC reporter Alan Johnston by peace loving and Jeffersonian democrats inhabiting the social democtaric paradise of Gazza?

Posted by: erol araf at Apr 17, 2007 5:59:50 PM

It's often the case that a few nuts take over an organization because they've got little else to do and everyone else is just too busy to oppose their inhospitable methods of argumentation. Clearly the NUJ is just such an organization. The Israeli situation is very different from the South African and it takes a lot of willful ignorance not to notice: the protests will come from within the union and the floor will be cleaned eventually.

On a more serious note, I see, following your link, that:

Hamas official Ayman Taha told a gathering in the Gaza Strip on Sunday that the ruling Palestinian faction continues to see the abduction of Israelis as the only viable way to win the freedom of jailed Palestinian terrorists,..."

Posted by: Abu Nudnik at Apr 17, 2007 6:00:36 PM

The position taken by the British Journalists' Union can only come from prejudice and a bigoted agenda against Israel. The journalists know the facts and they contradict their decision. This decision undercuts any hope for plausability in their reporting in the future. This being the case I would strongly recommend that their journalists not be welcome in Israel in the future. They can stir up their propoganda and scoops elsewhere without our hospitality and our hopes for a fair representation of the events.

Posted by: Jeremy Szanton at Apr 17, 2007 6:07:14 PM

What's next? Is the UK Journalists' Union planning a dinner to honor David Irving for his historical writing about the first half of the twentieth century?

Posted by: Bernard Morcheles at Apr 17, 2007 6:07:43 PM