Prof. Neve Gordon of Ben-Gurion University, a third-generation Israeli who suffered severe war wounds resulting in physical disabilities, has come out with a strange proposition.  The only way that Israel can save itself from what he considers its destructive path is by pressure from the outside world:

I am convinced that outside pressure is the only answer. Over the last three decades, Jewish settlers in the occupied territories have dramatically increased their numbers. The myth of the united Jerusalem has led to the creation of an apartheid city where Palestinians aren’t citizens and lack basic services. The Israeli peace camp has gradually dwindled so that today it is almost nonexistent, and Israeli politics are moving more and more to the extreme right.

It is therefore clear to me that the only way to counter the apartheid trend in Israel is through massive international pressure. The words and condemnations from the Obama administration and the European Union have yielded no results, not even a settlement freeze, let alone a decision to withdraw from the occupied territories.

I consequently have decided to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement that was launched by Palestinian activists in July 2005 and has since garnered widespread support around the globe. The objective is to ensure that Israel respects its obligations under international law and that Palestinians are granted the right to self-determination.

Of course his use of the adjective, “apartheid state,” is not without controversy, and has resulted in charges of being anti-Israeli.  His response?  You just don’t agree with what I say.

However, earlier this year he opposed an international boycott, prefering pressure within Israel and the importance of the Israeli people in making a decision.

Why a shift on this issue?

I say this because Israel has reached a historic crossroads, and times of crisis call for dramatic measures. I say this as a Jew who has chosen to raise his children in Israel, who has been a member of the Israeli peace camp for almost 30 years and who is deeply anxious about the country’s future.