Letter About Boycott Controversy: Written While Waiting On Line at the Food Coop

This story is making its way around the world. I just noticed that there's an article Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper (actually they republished the article that appeared in The Jewish Daily Forward article).

My Friend Gilly Youner wrote this letter to the editor while standing on line at the Food Coop. She writes: "This is the letter I sent to the Linewaiter's Gazette -dont know yet
if they will print it( I wrote the original draft standing in line, a
little bit shaky from the emotional aspects)…

Linewaiters’ Gazette,
Park Slope Food Coop
Att: Letters to the Editor
Brooklyn, NY 11215

To Hima B. who did not sign her last name to her letter to the editor:

As an American and an Israeli, I fully support all forms of peaceful protest, and it is certainly your right, at least in this country, to boycott any products you choose. I fully deplore the loss of life of civilians, and disagree with many of the tactics used and decisions made by all parties in this situation in Israel, in Gaza. But what did you boycott when armed Palestinians pulled my old family friend Avi Boaz out of his car in Bethlehem in 2002 and shot him dead, or when Palestinian terrorists came to my neighborhood in Netanya, and massacred families who were sitting down at a Passover dinner?

Did you boycott all American-made products when the U.S. began the war in Iraq and killed civilians there? Why ask the Food Co-op to make arbitrary black-and-white decisions, in a world of varied grays. Peace was achieved in Ireland through negotiations, how about asking the Food Coop to support the peacemakers in this process? There are many groups working on that right now, and I’d be surprised if many co-op members are not already involved in some of them.

Sincerely,
Gilly Youner
February 2009

2 thoughts on “Letter About Boycott Controversy: Written While Waiting On Line at the Food Coop”

  1. update: letter was printed (minus the address lead) along with other quite vocal and succinct letters… http://www.foodcoop.com/files_lwg/lwg_2009_03_12_vDDn6.pdf
    I hope the dialogue continues on the peace process, and the coop can certainly be a part of that.
    we all get burnt out on these issues, but its good to revisit, and re-inspire activity, if some good can come out of it.

  2. FYI for a quick list of some of the groups, type in “Palestinian Israeli Peace groups” in Google, there are a huge selection, various approaches…or if you like, type “Israeli Palestinian Peace groups”!

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