THE CONSEQUENCES OF BOYCOTTING ISRAEL

If You’re Going to Boycott Israel - Do it Properly! By Barry Shaw
Abstract: Boycotting Israeli goods and products is likely to hit people harder than they may imagine. This article reviews some of the Israeli medical, research, computer soft/hardware, cellular phone and security technologies without which the quality of life to which many ordinary people are accustomed would suffer greatly.

OK. So I understand you are ticked off at Israel and in love with the Palestinians. That’s fine with me, as long as you have truly weighed all the facts. You want to boycott Israel? I’ll be sorry to miss you, but if you are doing it - do it properly. Let me help you.

Check your medications. Make sure you do not have tablets, drops, lotions, etc., made by Abic or Teva. It may mean you will suffer from colds and flu this winter but, hey, that’s a small price to pay in your campaign against Israel, isn’t it? While we are on the subject of your Israeli boycott and the medical contributions to the world made by Israeli doctors and scientists, how about telling your pals to boycott the following: An Israeli company has developed a simple blood test that distinguishes between mild and more severe cases of Multiple Sclerosis. So if you know anyone suffering from MS, tell them to ignore the Israeli patent that may more accurately diagnose their symptoms. An Israeli-made device helps restore the use of paralyzed hands. This device electrically stimulates the hand muscles, providing hope to millions of stroke sufferers and victims of spinal injuries. If you wish to remove this hope of a better quality of life to these people, go ahead and boycott Israel. Young children with breathing problems will soon be sleeping more soundly, thanks to a new Israeli device called the Child Hood. This innovation replaces the inhalation mask with an improved drug delivery system that provides relief for child and parent. Please tell anxious mothers they should not use this device because of your passionate cause.

These are just a few examples of how people have benefited medically from the Israeli know-how you wish to block.

Boycotts often affect research. A new research center in Israel hopes to throw light on brain disorders such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease. The Joseph Sangol Neuroscience Center in the Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer Hospital aims to bring thousands of scientists and doctors to focus on brain research. A researcher at Israel’s Ben Gurion University has succeeded in creating human monoclonal antibodies which can neutralize the highly contagious smallpox virus without inducing the dangerous side effects of the existing vaccine.Two Israelis received the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Doctors Ciechanover and Hershko’s research and discovery of one of the human cells most important cyclical processes will lead the way to DNA repair, control of newly produced proteins, and immune defense systems. The Movement Disorder Surgery program at Israel’s Hadassah Medical Center has successfully eliminated the physical manifestations of Parkinson’s disease in a select group of patients with a deep brain stimulation technique. For women who undergo hysterectomies each year for the treatment of uterine fibroids, the development in Israel of the ExAblate 2000 System is a welcome breakthrough, offering a non-invasive alternative to surgery. Israel is developing a nose drop that will provide a five-year flu vaccine.

These are just a few of the projects that you can help stop with your Israeli boycott.

But let’s not get too obsessed with medical research; there are other ways you can make a personal sacrifice with your anti-Israel boycott. Most of Windows operating systems were developed by Microsoft-Israel. So set a personal example. Throw away your computer! The Pentium NMX Chip technology was designed at Intel in Israel. Both the Pentium 4 microprocessor and the Centrium processor were entirely designed, developed and produced in Israel.Voice mail technology was developed in Israel. The technology for the AOL Instant Messenger ICQ was developed in 1996 in Israel by four young Israeli whiz kids. Both Microsoft and Cisco built their only R & D facilities outside the U.S. in Israel.

So due to your complete boycott of anything Israeli, you now have poor health and no computer.

But your bad news does not end there. Get rid of your cellular phone! Cell phone technology was also developed in Israel by Motorola, which has its biggest development center in Israel. Most of the latest technology in your mobile phone was developed by Israeli scientists.

Feeling unsettled? You should be. Part of your personal security rests with Israeli inventiveness, borne out of our urgent necessity to protect and defend our lives from the terrorists you support. A phone can remotely activate a bomb, or be used for tactical communications by terrorists, bank robbers or hostage-takers. It is vital that official security and law enforcement authorities have access to cellular jamming and detection solutions. Enter Israel’s Netline Communications Technologies with their security expertise to help the fight against terror. A joint, non-profit, venture between Israel and Maryland will result in a five-day Business Development and Planning Conference next March. Selected Israeli companies will partner with Maryland firms to provide innovation to the U.S. need for homeland security.

So you can vilify and demonize the State of Israel. You can continue your silly boycott if you wish. But I wish you would consider the consequences, and the truth. Think of the massive contribution Israel is giving to the world, including the Palestinians - and to you - in science, medicine, communications, security. Pro rata for population we are making a greater contribution than any other nation on earth.We can’t be all bad.....