The Brandeis Center strongly condemns Harvard University’s suspension of SodaStream, the do-it-yourself soda and water machine, from campus dining services. It is no more than a clever ploy by supporters of the Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement to hurt the Israeli economy, and in no way furthers the proclaimed human rights concerns of the students in favor of the suspension. Source: The Harvard Crimson The Harvard Crimson revealed this morning that the Harvard University Dining Service (HUDS) succumbed to pressure by anti-Israel activists, discontinuing use of SodaStream products, in response to Sodastream’s operations in territory that is disputed between Israel and Palestinians. “These machines can be seen as a microaggression to Palestinian students and their families and like the University doesn’t care about Palestinian human rights,” said Rachel J. Sandalow-Ash ’15, a member of the Harvard College Progressive Jewish Alliance. HUDS’ action, however, seems to disregard the opinions of many pro-Israel students on campus, as well as the many merits of SodaStream and how the company works to protect Palestinian rights. This action is incredibly disturbing, and laced with anti-Semitism. “Make no mistake about it,” LDB President Kenneth L. Marcus explained, “this attack on Sodastream is every bit as deplorable as any other anti-Israel boycott, divestment or sanction (BDS). It is an attack on Israel that bolsters efforts to delegitimize the Jewish state.” The Brandeis Center rebuffed efforts to differentiate Harvard’s action from the broader BDS movement. Marcus commented, In many ways, these micro-BDS efforts are more dangerous than broader campaigns against the entire country of Israel, because they are sneakier and more deceptive. They target one or two companies, or a short list of Israeli politicians or universities. And they claim that they are not advocating boycotts against the entire Jewish nation. But they are based on the notion that it is okay to apply different standards to Israelis than to the rest of the world’s peoples. And they ultimately end up in the same place. All anti-Israel boycotts, whether limited or comprehensive, advance the same agenda, which is to deny Israel normalcy and legitimacy. This is a deeply anti-Semitic campaign and it must be understood as such. In addition to the anti-Semitism laced to this campaign, this is simply not a well-thought out strategy from a human rights standpoint. SodaStream employs 500 Palestinians, along with 450 Israeli Arab and 350 Israeli Jewish citizens, providing equal wages to all. This greatly helps Palestinian workers, as Israeli wages are about four times more than what they would earn in the Palestinian Authority, if they were lucky enough to have a job (unemployment is between 30-40%). SodaStream feeds and provides health insurance to about 5,000 Palestinians, as each Palestinian SodaStream worker provides food and health insurance for ten. Additionally, the SodaStream factory in Area C of the West Bank actually operates under the Oslo Accord of 1993– the agreement of the Palestinians themselves – that Area C will operate under the Israeli administration until the final borders are drawn. In no way will boycotting SodaStream, and throwing SodaStream workers into unemployment, promote peace Harvard’s President Drew Faust has previously been quick to speak out against anti-Israel academic boycotts in the past. In a letter written to President Faust today, LDB respectfully urged Faust to reverse HUDS’ decision to boycott SodaStream. Harvard University President, Drew Faust LDB President Marcus wrote that in particular “we are concerned that HUDS’ actions created an environment that Israeli and Jewish students will reasonably perceive to be hostile. The decision to isolate and disparage Israel in this manner will signal that Harvard takes a disparaging view of Israelis and Jews. Such messages are incompatible with Harvard’s values and U.S. law.” We are awaiting a response from President Faust, but we only hope she follows her own precedent and reverses this troubling, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic decision.