Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Is Norman Finkelstein debating himself these days?

I really don't relish going after Norman Finkelstein but I don't understand his obsession with attacking BDS, as if BDS is the enemy and as if BDS is the party that occupies and terrorizes in the Middle East region.  I have not seen this full video but someone sent me what he said about dear comrade Electronic Ali.  I did not like one bit how disrespectful Norman was toward Ali, and I did not like his "not wanting to say his name" bit.  I don't understand this rude and disrespectful tone.  You don't have a problem in naming Dershowitz, why wouldn't you name Ali?  Also, Norman: you have been really debating yourself in the last year: you basically make your debate easy by not debating BDS but by attributing a stance to BDS and then debating it.  That is not legitimate method of debate.  You basically say that BDS is in contradiction because on the one hand it claims that international law rules supreme but then refuses to endorse a two-state solution.  The only flaw in this argument is this: when did BDS say that it believes (like you) that international law rules supreme?  Who said that?  2) You claim that BDS has no position on Israel. Even the interviewer called you on that one. This is ridiculous.  3) Well, Norman: in the segment of the interview that I watched you claim that you want to teach BDS about how to reach "a broad public".  Really Norman? You honestly believe that you have been more successful than BDS movement in reaching "a broader public"?  I wish you go back devoting your energies and skills to the real enemy and I hope that you and I still agree that Israel is the real enemy and not BDS.