France Court Upholds 'BDS Is Discrimination' Ruling

“BDS is illegal in France,” wrote Pascal Makowicz, head of the legal department of the CRIF umbrella group of French Jewish communities, in a statement he published Tuesday on the group’s website. The actions of the people convicted, he added, “are completely illegal. If they say their freedom of expression has been violated, then now France’s highest legal instance ruled otherwise.”

France Court Upholds 'BDS Is Discrimination' Ruling

In a further demonstration of how 'freedom of speech' has clear, tangible double standards, France, the land of Voltaire and Charlie Hebdo, the 'bastion of laicete', has now criminalized merely suggesting or encouraging an economic boycott of Israel.
People who publicly say or write anything that encourages the BDS movement (which is a political strategy that aims to punish a country for its apartheid policies by economically boycotting anything that it produces) will be fined or even jailed.

In a recent case, a group of activists were fined $ 14,500 for distributing pamphlets that encouraged people to boycott Israeli products.

Again and again, we see that 'freedom of speech' is relative and conditional. We need to be cognizant of these facts and not buy the hype surrounding it.

What do you think?

It's no surprise that France would do this because their government licks Israels boots almost as much as the government here in America. Israel can do whatever it wants but no one better say nothing about it because it would be viewed as a hate crime.

a reply to: ElectricFeel

I think Israel has a good lobbying group. It sounds like the people promoting a boycott didn't do a good enough job at articulating the difference between the Israeli government and the Israeli people.

a reply to: ElectricFeel

France ruling elites have long time ago denied France's national interests and favoured Israel's.
Remember the Cherbourg frigate affair ?
France is often nicknamed 'the hexagon', the geometric pattern in the middle of the David star ...
In the French assembly 60 people have double-nationality.
The prime-minister is born Spanish and stated that he was irrevocably linked to Israel (not France ...) .
...

This goes on and on ...
Here is a thread (now closed) listing an interesting list of Zionist totalitarianism examples in France :
Why is Charlie Hebdo OK, but not Dieudonné ?

Do you know that Voltaire himself is censored in the latest re-edition of his classic texts in France ?
Guess what is the topic of the censored part ...

a reply to: ElectricFeel

You can't go boycotting a nation. That is an act of war and sanction. Who has declared war or imposed a blanket trade ban on Israel? Let me know and I will go tell Netanyahu and MOSSAD and the IDF because they don't know about it.

It is an act of war more commonly known as siege. You are denying a whole nation access to participation in International trade. You are starving them basically.

Israel is an ally of U.S and Europe. Since when do you lay siege to your ally?

That is the point of view I would argue from, but I'm in no mood to argue right now.

They're approaching it from a discrimination standpoint.

You can't discriminate against someone because he is Black.
You can't discriminate against someone because he is Gay.
You can't discriminate against someone because he is a Muslim.

But Jews? Hey, no problem!

Haven't we already learned that lesson? We, meaning mostly Europe, killed 8 million Jews a few years ago. And it wasn't just the Nazis. When Germany rolled into Poland the villagers asked their new masters, "Can we go kill the Jews?" the Nazis just shrugged. Clearly, left wing politics thinks the job isn't yet done. We killed the Jews last century because they were the 1% and showed how you could succeed with hard work and determination. Now we hate them because they defend themselves against rocket attacks into their neighborhoods and idiots blowing up buses full of Israeli school children.

We'll ALWAYS find a reason to hate the Jews, no matter what they do.

a reply to: Revolution9

Since when do you lay siege to your ally?

You mean like when Israel attacked the USS Liberty? Or when they gave out awards to the terrorist from the Lavon affair? Some ally.

a reply to: Revolution9

Jews boycotted Germany before any exterminations/deportations occurred. What is good for the goose is not good for the gander? This is blatant hypocrisy.

a reply to: schuyler

But Jews? Hey, no problem!

Not Jews but rather the nation of Israel and it's population is made up of Jews, Zionist, Christians and Muslim.

We, meaning mostly Europe, killed 8 million Jews a few years ago.

Not Europe but rather Germany and a few other nations don't include all of Europe because that's just an ignorant statement. The number is up to 8 million now? That pile of BS just keeps growing doesn't it.

Now we hate them because they defend themselves against rocket attacks into their neighborhoods and idiots blowing up buses full of Israeli school children.

No people hate them because of their brutal occupation of another nations land. It's people like you who buy into the Zionist propaganda that refuses to see that Israels treatment of the Palestinians is the reason why they are being attacked.

I guess these people are just looking for reasons to hate Jews huh?

I don't care what France or the UK say. I'm boycotting Israeli products until they end their occupation of the Palestinians. No one's entitled to my consumer dollars & I'll spend them however I want. And just as it was ok to boycott Apartheid South Africa until they stopped their policies, it's ok to boycott Israel for the exact same reasons.

And these people are such hypocrites anyway. How can someone advocate for a free market then beg governments to force or enforce this? Where's all the "small government", "less regulations" talk now?

a reply to: Revolution9

I'm not in the mood to argue either, however...
I do seem to remember, before the "hostilities" in the middle east "escalated", I was urged by the tube to enjoy "Freedom Fries" when a certain nation didn't toe the line...
So, free speech in the west, as precedent, may have been set as OK in people (&GOVPRESS) boycotting a country may already be set?
Again, not to argue, I respect the point you're stating, but just an observation.

In the meantime :

EU approves labelling of Israel settlement products

The European Union on Wednesday said it backed the labelling of products from Jewish settlements, in a move that Israel has warned will harm the peace process with the Palestinians.

At a meeting in Brussels, the European Commission, the EU's executive, adopted 'the Interpretative Notice on indication of origin of goods from the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967," said an EU official.

...

"This is a technical measure, not a political one," one Commission source who declined to be named said on Tuesday. "The occupied territory is not part of the sovereign state of Israel, so goods cannot be sold as 'Made in Israel'."

a reply to: Revolution9

Any of that only applies to governments.

If a human wants to avoid someone who is abusive, it's an act of conscience. All the laws on record can't prevent simple social ostracism as a means of curbing anti-social behaviour.

a reply to: ElectricFeel

I always find it funny when people speak of their own cultures values as if they are "universal".... assuming the whole world values the same things as they do.

The United States Constitution, and the First Amendment, apply ONLY to the United States, and are a written statement of that nations collectively held values.

Values are chosen by peoples, they are not inherent or universal.

Freedom of speech is not sacrosanct in France.
The use of language (in speech or writing) is considered very, very powerful here. It is seen as the way one can manipulate and influence the minds and actions of others. It is not considered impotent. Humans are not considered islands, but rather interdependant beings who are influenced and moved by their environment in every moment.

originally posted by: enlightenedservant


And these people are such hypocrites anyway. How can someone advocate for a free market then beg governments to force or enforce this? Where's all the "small government", "less regulations" talk now?

You've gotten a little mixed up - it is the Americans who are into "small government" and "less regulations" talk.

The french have a strong social net, and want it that way. They also insist on regulations in business, considering it necessary to keep corruption down.

originally posted by: Bluesma

originally posted by: enlightenedservant


And these people are such hypocrites anyway. How can someone advocate for a free market then beg governments to force or enforce this? Where's all the "small government", "less regulations" talk now?

You've gotten a little mixed up - it is the Americans who are into "small government" and "less regulations" talk.

The french have a strong social net, and want it that way. They also insist on regulations in business, considering it necessary to keep corruption down.

Yeah I meant the "Where's all the 'small government', 'less regulations' talk now?" part for the posters here, not the French government or French citizens. And Israel has a free trade agreement with the US (where I live). So I think it's hypocritical for them to push for free trade deals while simultaneously trying to force something this.

originally posted by: enlightenedservant

Yeah I meant the "Where's all the 'small government', 'less regulations' talk now?" part for the posters here, not the French government or French citizens. And Israel has a free trade agreement with the US (where I live). So I think it's hypocritical for them to push for free trade deals while simultaneously trying to force something this.

Ah! I was the one a bit mixed up! I didn't know who you were refering to.

Point taken!

originally posted by: Bluesma

originally posted by: enlightenedservant

Yeah I meant the "Where's all the 'small government', 'less regulations' talk now?" part for the posters here, not the French government or French citizens. And Israel has a free trade agreement with the US (where I live). So I think it's hypocritical for them to push for free trade deals while simultaneously trying to force something this.

Ah! I was the one a bit mixed up! I didn't know who you were refering to.

Point taken!

Nah, it was my fault. I should've been more clear. So I guess that means it's your victory?

(-starts moping then pretends a hair got in my eye-)

originally posted by: Revolution9


You can't go boycotting a nation.

Yes you can its called freedom of choose.

I can dam well choose whta products I buy.

originally posted by: Revolution9
It is an act of war more commonly known as siege. You are denying a whole nation access to participation in International trade. You are starving them basically.

Bull # Israel have more than enough.

originally posted by: Revolution9
Israel is an ally of U.S and Europe. Since when do you lay siege to your ally?

Your ally NOT MINE!

originally posted by: enlightenedservant

Nah, it was my fault. I should've been more clear. So I guess that means it's your victory?

(-starts moping then pretends a hair got in my eye-)

Don't be silly, there's no victor here. Just people talking, (or at worst, arguing)