Campaign against Max Brenner stores a disgrace

The recent sight of rowdy groups of protestors targeting outlets of the Israeli owned Max Brenner chocolate shop chain in Australia is truly disturbing to anyone with even a skerrick of historical knowledge.

Attacks on Jewish businesses occurred regularly in Nazi Germany as part of that abhorrent regime’s systematic campaign of anti-semitic violence, intimidation and mass murder.

The justification offered by the protestors – who claim to be supporting self-determination for the Palestinian people – makes no sense at all.

Max Brenner is a perfectly legal business, operating quite properly in Australia, with ultimate ownership being a large Israeli company. 

It is mystifying to understand how the Palestinian cause is to be advanced by seeking to prevent this company from carrying out its lawful business.

The analogy offered between sanctions against apartheid South Africa, and this campaign, is not just invalid but deeply offensive.

The former South African regime systematically discriminated against many of its citizens based on race. By contrast, Israel is a vibrant, multiparty democracy where both Jewish and Arab citizens have full rights of citizenship. 

It is particularly troubling that the so called ‘BDS’ (boycott, divestment and sanctions) campaign is supported by NSW Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon. 

If the Greens have any pretensions to be considered a responsible party, they should immediately repudiate and condemn these disgraceful anti-Semitic acts of violence and intimidation which constitute the ‘campaign’ against Max Brenner stores.