CONTENTS

Israel Pushes Europe
On Boycott Legislation

JOEL BAINERMAN

T

he Arab boycott of
Israel has been the
longest lasting set of
sanctions in modern history.
However, it isn't entirely clear
whether the Arabs have had
any more success in their
economic war against Israel
than its armies have had on
the battlefield.
Israeli economic officials
are taking no chances and are
preparing for Europe 1992 by
reinforcing their efforts to
have European Community
countries pass stiff anti-
boycott legislation.
The Arab boycott is dif-
ferent from a traditional em-
bargo as it operates on three
levels: Arab countries don't
trade with Israel; Arab coun-
tries require countries which
do business with them to
sever their ties with Israel,

Israel becomes
increasingly
vulnerable as her
economy develops.

and Arab countries demand
that firms which do business
with them cut ties with third
party companies which do
have business relations with
Israel.
In a conference recently
held in London to discuss
ways of battling the economic
boycott, Reuven Merhav,
director general of Israel's
Foreign Ministry, said the
"code of silence" in Israel
regarding the Arab boycott
issue and the success in the
U.S. in countering it have
created the illusion that the
boycott no longer exists.
Yet Israel becomes increas-
ingly more vulnerable to the
economic boycott as her
economy develops and in-
dustry grows more
sophisticated. When the
country was primarily a sup-
plier of low-tech consumer
goods, companies dealt with
small firms abroad who were
not bothered by the Arab
threats. As Israeli industry
moved towards more advanc-
ed high-tech products its
economic relations became
more expansive and inter-
related with multinational
companies, many of which
have significant dealings
with the Arab world.
Before the oil embargo of

Joel Bainerman is a
Jerusalem-based business
journalist.

1973, Israel's policy was to
keep a low profile on the
boycott issue. It was
American Jewish groups such
as the Anti-Defamation
League of B'nai B'rith and
the American Jewish Con-
gress which ultimately forced
American congressmen to
take up the issue and pass
stringent anti-boycott
legilation.
Bruce Soul, senior official
at the U.S. Department of
Trade and Commerce dealing
with the Arab boycott, says
that American industry
receives 12,000 inquiries a
year from the Central Boycott
Office on their ties to Israeli
firms. U.S. law impels an
American firm to inform the
government when such infor-
mation is requested.
Yet no such anti-boycott
legislation has ever been
passed in Israel, and many of
Israel's own textile manufac-
turers voluntarily leave off
labels of origin on their pro-
ducts in order not to cause
complications with their
customers. Legislators in
Israel want new laws passed
to prevent any foreign com-
pany from importing their
products to Israel via third
party countries.
Israeli officials in Brussels
says that many European in-
dustralists, traders and im-
porters take extensive
measures to comply with the
Arab bycott, even beyond
what the Arabs demand.
Avi Primor, Israel's am-
bassador to the European
Community in Brussels,
believes that the only way to
overcome the boycott in
Europe will be through
legislation. As 1992 ap-
proaches, Israel's anti-boycott
effort must intensify as coun-
tries like Italy and Greece,
which have no anti-boycott
legislation, will be the yard-
stick used to cater to the
lowest common denominator.
Yet getting the appropriate
legislation passed will be dif-
ficult given the current
hostility towards Israel by
many member countries due
to their objections to Israel's
policies in the West Bank and
Gaza.
Tom Sweke, of the
Jerusalem office of the ADL,
says that next to South
Korea, Japan probably has
the worst record in com-
pliance with the Arab
boycott. However there are
signs that this trend is chang-
ing as the Japanese are eager
for access to Israeli
Continued on Page 12

26

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SPORTS

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54

54

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BUSINESS

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ENTERTAINMENT

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98

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105

FOCUS

Family Match

"

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DEPARTMENTS

30
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46
64
78

Inside Washington
Insight
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Synagogues
Travel
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88
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102
104
113
133

Seniors
For Women
Engagements
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Classified Ads
Obituaries

CANDLELIGHTING

69

5:04 p.m.
Friday, January 12, 1990
6:10
p.m.
Sabbath ends Jan. 13

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

7

CONTENTS

OPINION

