Boycotting Occupation

When I'm in the States, Europe, or anywhere else around the world, I proudly boycott Israel--a state which maintains a 40+ year brutal occupation of another people and which practices Apartheid. I boycott both Israeli products and those that are non Israeli but which support Israel. I believe in using my individual buying "power" to make a political statement, which could be, if enough others joined me, a forceful tool, hopefully akin to the South African model just as the state of Israel is akin to the South African state.

Two nights ago a friend came over for dinner. And I was so incredibly embarrassed as he went through the sparse products in my house. Handsoap--Israeli. Fresh mushrooms--Israeli. Milk--Israeli. Okay, I admit there are alternatives. A bar of Palestinian soap, but I love liquid handsoap. Canned mushrooms or no mushrooms, but I love fresh mushrooms. Arabic milk, but I heard it's not safe to drink. I wonder who told the woman who told me that the Arabic milk brand isn't safe? I never questioned that.

I don't get to have other things I love like breakfast burritos and tofu, so I am sure I can give up these products on the basis of moral responsibility. The point is this, it has always been easy for me to boycott Israel from afar. But here, under occupation, Israel is like a cancer and it's everywhere. Boycotting Israel doesn't mean choosing The Tea Leaf and Coffee Bean over Starbucks. That was a simple choice. There was a choice.

Boycotting Israel means not buying things that I see as essentials. Boycotting Israel means rethinking what is essential, and so I'm considering this question, and I think that life is essential, and so long as Israel disregards and robs that life (9 year old killed Friday), how can I invest in this Apartheid economy? So, I guess that means no more mushrooms or liquid handsoap for now, but when I put it in perspective, the sacrifice doesn't seem all that great.

I guess, in perspective also, is the weakness of my actions. So could you please send the same message to Israel and spread the word that Palestine has asked you to challenge occupation by boycotting Israel? Let's join the oppressed and since our governments won't do shit for them, let us use our precious individual choice to collectively fight injustice.