The Israeli Law Center, AKA Shurat HaDin is continuing its prosecution of Australian academics who specifically boycott Israeli academics for simply being Israeli.
For some great background see this Op Ed in the Jerusalem Post comparing Australian and Israeli treatment of racial and other minorities. It’s not a pretty picture for Australia though nobody goes quite as far as calling Australia an apartheid state!
The following notice will be posted on the Facebook page of a BDSM protest event that is being called in support of academics against whom Shurat HaDin has filed suit. UPDATE: it’s posted! Here is a direct link to the notice on the page.
They’re pointing out that under Australia’s laws (which have no form of free speech protection that US Citizens would recognise) just showing up to protest against Israelis for being Israelis is most likely illegal.
WARNING NOTICE TO BDS ACTIVISTS FROM THE ISRAEL LAW CENTER
Criticism of and protest regarding the policies of the Israeli government are perfectly legal.
When that protest extents to boycotting Israeli businesses and professors whose only connection to the Israeli government is that Israel is their national origin, that is unlawful racial discrimination.
When those protests extend to intimidation of Israelis and Jews, that is unlawful racial discrimination.
It is lawful to criticise Japan’s policies. It is not lawful to boycott Japanese people and businesses because of disagreement with those policies.
It is lawful to criticise India’s policies. It is not lawful to boycott Indian people and businesses because of disagreement with those policies.
It is lawful to criticise Israel’s policies. It is not lawful to boycott Israeli people and businesses because of disagreement with those policies.
If you keep on the right side of this line you will not be prosecuted.
