Sage Spencer: May 2010

I just bought a Florida grapefruit instead of an Israeli one. For the first time, I made the conscious decision not to buy an Israeli product. I think that means that I just made the decision to boycott Israeli products.

I did not go the store today with the intention of boycotting Israeli products but I just arrived home with a Florida grapefruit when I would have otherwise chosen the other grapefruit, which happened to be grown in Israel. It was just by chance I noticed the Product of Israel sign; I rarely if ever look.

I have considered boycotting Israeli products before now. I almost did it immediately after the illegal wall was built in the occupied Palestinian territories. Each time I almost made the decision, I then relented, returning to belief in dialogue and constructive engagement. This decision has been a long time coming for me. As I now make it, part of me is ashamed that it took me this long to do so.

I always thought that if I ever did make the decision to boycott Israel, that any blog I wrote explaining why would be very long…but this one won’t be.

I am making this decision because the Palestinians deserve justice and I simply no longer believe, based on Israel’s actions, including the continued illegal settlements, that Israel has any intention of doing what is necessary to make that happen. Israel can have land or peace and they continue to choose land. I also believe that the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian war have the potential to create endless generations of suffering and I do not think the children being born today should have to pay for their parents’ refusal to do the right thing. Enough Israeli and Palestinian children have paid, in a myriad of ways, for their parents’ refusal to do the right thing.

Do I think this one girl boycotting the Israeli economy can bring peace? Of course not, but it is still the right thing to do at this point in time and if enough people do the right thing, who knows?

As a first step, I will no longer consciously purchase any product made in Israel. Why, because by supporting the Israeli economy I feel I am complicit in the oppression of the Palestinian people.

How do I go about doing that? I am not sure yet. After all, I just got home from the grocers, took a photo of my Florida grapefruit and sat down at my computer.

I do not know how many of the products I normally buy originate in Israel. One that I am aware of that does is Naot footwear. I have two pairs of Naot sandals. If my sandals were not Israeli, I would continue to buy them as they are very comfortable. I can find other sandals.

Every human being needs freedom in order to have dignity. As long as Israel keeps the Palestinians captive, it denies them freedom and therefore dignity. I hope that one day Israel will do the right thing. Israel is herself imprisoned and will never truly be free until she cedes denying freedom to the Palestinians.