To each one his/her hobby

Another superb Burston: Boycotting Israel as moral masturbation.

Just for the sake of argument, let's suppose that you're a British academic. You believe strongly that the occupation must end, that the Palestinians should have an independent state, that Israel's military and diplomatic policies are wrongheaded to the point of immorality.

What to do? Simple. Find the one group within Israeli society which has consistently, vigorously and courageously campaigned against the occupation since its inception.

Then attack them.

There is more, much more where it comes from, so go and read it. I will conclude the quoting with this:

Perhaps this is why the whole boycott campaign smacks of a uniquely far-left British brand of moral masturbation, a desperate, delusional, sterile, supremely self-contained form of non-activism that risks nothing even as it changes nothing.

Only one technical remark: seeing some of the more prominent boycott sponsors, I would suggest that that "moral" qualifier is not strictly necessary...

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