The BDS boycott campaign is redolent of 1930s Germany

When Brendan O’Brien again calls for people to support the BDS campaign against Israel, by reinforcing British film director, Ken Loach’s “call on London cinemas not to host the London Israeli Film and Television Festival”, because “it is at least partly promoted and financed by the Israeli government”, he justifies it as an equitable response to the suppression of a proposed Palestinian cultural festival in East Jerusalem in 2009 (Irish Examiner, Letters, June 13).

Perhaps a visit to the Imperial war Museum, in London, might give Mr O’Brien a different perspective. Perhaps he might rethink the call for a boycott, after spending an hour in the museum’s permanent Holocaust exhibition. This identifies the early Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses as a causational tool in the exclusion of Jews from Germany. Even the most vociferous anti-Israel critic should make an analogy between the present call for a boycott and the dreadful consequences of the Nazi-inspired Jewish boycott of the 1930s.

Mr O’Brien’s call echoes last year’s attempt to boycott a Jewish film festival at the Tricycle Theatre, in London, which was met with protests from multiple strands of society who pointed out the festival’s inclusivity.

I cannot reconcile the claims of the protesters that they are anti-Zionist, but not anti-Semitic. If anyone can enlighten me as to how this is possible, then I will gracefully acknowledge my mistake.

Dr. Kevin McCarthy

Kinsale

Co Cork