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Monday, 27 June 2011

Scottish gov't disavows Israeli boycott

ADAM KREDO

Many Jewish Scotch drinkers were drunk with anger -- almost to the point of vomiting -- when a small village in Scotland enacted a ban on Israeli-made goods last year.

The town, West Dunbartonshire, is home to many distilleries that produce a brand of booze considered sacred by many alcohol-guzzling Jews: Scotch whisky.

But when the West Dubartonshire Council passed a motion to boycott all Israeli goods in 2009, Jewish activists responded with a counter-boycott. As much as it pained their palettes, Jewish Scotch enthusiasts put an embargo on all whisky products originating from distilleries in West Durbantonshire. (This reporter, however, kept his bottle open, and imbibed with pleasure.)

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), not a Jew, was one of the few in Congress to take this issue seriously (which is a good thing). Kirk quickly realized that while the Scots may be perpetually sloshed, those in the West Durbantonshire Council were demonizing Israel in a serious way.


"The Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party have a responsibility to speak out against attempts to delegitimize and castigate a fellow democracy and strong Scottish ally like Israel," Senator Kirk said in a statement.

Kirk demanded that the Scottish Government take a stand: Are they on board with the local council's anti-Israel boycott?

When a powerful lawmaker like Kirk demands answers, he soon gets them: The Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party today strongly disavowed the West Dunbartonshire Council's boycott of Israel (via the British embassy).

Kirk praised the move.

"I welcome the Scottish Government's decision to disavow the West Dunbartonshire Council's boycott of Israel and urge the First Minister to take further steps to reaffirm the Scottish-Israeli relationship," he said in the statement. (Washington Jewish Week)
Score ONE against the BDS movement!

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