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Boycotting Israel and the South Africa-Apartheid Analogy

(Washington Post) David Bernstein - Advocates of an economic and cultural boycott of Israel often compare their cause to the international boycott of South Africa in the 1980s, with "Israel's occupation of Palestinian land" deemed an analogous crime to South Africa's apartheid. But what if South African history had developed like Israeli-Palestinian history has? What if Nelson Mandela, while speaking of peace and reconciliation in English to Western audiences, gave speeches in African languages promising that he would fight to drive whites out of South Africa until blacks won a total victory? What if a rival black group, opposed to negotiations, began a bombing campaign against South African whites in Johannesburg and Capetown, specializing in blowing up civilian buses? What if South Africa's president offered a settlement well within the parameters of the result the international community expected, but Mandela refused the offer, and failed to make a counter-offer? What if Mandela then unleashed terrorist forces against white South Africa, targeting buses, wedding halls, bars, and cafes, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of white South Africans? The writer is a professor at the George Mason University School of Law.
2014-02-20 00:00:00
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