About Israel's "Isolation"

Indian Prime Minister Modi is now visiting Israel, in the first visit ever from an Indian head of government. He is, predictably, being very warmly received--and judging from public events and statements, is returning the feeling.

His visit is a good occasion to consider all the efforts--and there are very many--to isolate Israel. One thinks back to the old Arab boycott, which was for years observed by multinationals from all over the globe; the current BDS movement; and to the recurrent UN votes against Israel. But as the Modi visit shows, Israel is winning the fight.

This week, for example, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee passed another offensive resolution about Jerusalem, condemning Israel for archeological excavations there. (Needless to say, there has never been a resolution condemning destruction of archeological artifacts or of Jewish religious sites by any Arab nation or group.) What's interesting about the vote is that the resolution did not get a majority. It passed with ten in favor (Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Lebanon, Tunisia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Turkey, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, and Cuba), three against (the Philippines, Jamaica, and Burkina Faso), and eight abstaining (Angola, Croatia, Finland, Peru, Poland, Portugal, South Korea and Tanzania). So, ten in favor, eleven not in favor. Look also at the composition of the votes: Israel lost all the Muslim-majority states except Burkina Faso. Of those countries where there is no Muslim majority, the vote was three nasty dictatorships (Cuba, Zimbabwe, Vietnam) in favor, Philippines and Jamaica against, and eight abstentions. Or visualize it another way: No European or Sub-Saharan African state voted for the resolution. Among other things, it seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu's diplomatic efforts in Africa are paying off.

I suppose it will be a while before more Muslim states, and especially Arab states, stop this indefensible voting pattern--and recognize its harmful effects on otherwise valuable organizations like UNESCO. But meanwhile, they have anyway lost the battle. Modi's visit--combined with the fact that he is not also going to Ramallah--is a triumph for Israel, as is its growing commerce with India and China and the extremely fast-growing Chinese investment. BDS and isolation of Israel is the sad cause of European and American leftists and anti-Semites, who are increasingly being isolated by people and governments that find them and their cause backward, foolish, and bigoted. This fight against BDS needs to continue wherever BDS efforts are made, such as on American campuses and in some European cities, but those engaged in combatting BDS should realize something symbolized by the Modi visit: they are winning.