Anti-BDS Action Causes Rift Between Israeli Government And Embassy In UK

London, 28 Dzulhijjah 1437/30 September 2016 (MINA) – The Israeli embassy in London protested to the Israeli Foreign Ministry this week about the activities of the Strategic Affairs Ministry in coordinating efforts against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign in Britain.

The embassy cable, seen by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, accuses “the ministry of ‘operating’ British Jewish organisations behind the embassy’s back in a way that could put them in violation of British law and undermine Israeli-British relations.”

According to the paper: “When Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan visited London about two weeks ago, embassy officials met several times with senior Strategic Affairs Ministry officials to coordinate activities against the local boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.”

Although the embassy urged Erdan’s team “not to pose as the embassy” in its dealings with British groups, a senior Strategic Affairs Ministry official subsequently “asked a senior official in Britain’s Jewish community to use his connections to thwart an anti-Israel campaign by the Palestinians.”

Haaretz reports that “the Jewish official was surprised to be approached by the Strategic Affairs Ministry and immediately voiced his objections to the embassy, both orally and in writing, as well as to the heads of other British Jewish organisations.”

The cable went on: “Attempts to act behind our back have happened before and will again, but ‘operating’ Jewish organisations directly from Jerusalem, with no coordination and no consultation, is liable to be dangerous.”

“Operating like this could encounter opposition from the organisations themselves, given their legal status; Britain isn’t the US!” the embassy added.

The legal problem, Haaretz explained, “stems from the fact that most British Jewish organisations are defined as charities.” But “efforts to counter BDS, especially if directed from Jerusalem, could be considered political activity, or even activity on behalf of a foreign government on British soil.”

The cable urged the Israeli government to desist from direct contact with pro-Israel groups in Britain, noting that “the embassy works closely and in full coordination with Jewish organisations.”

In a separate but related development, the director general of the Strategic Affairs Ministry has warned that 2017 will be a “very problematic year”, due to the 50th anniversary of the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration.

“These dates are going to be used to intensify anti-Israel activities,” Sima Vaknin-Gil said. “So we are now preparing a plan to handle this. We must be ready.”(T/P004/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)