NEW YORK (JTA) — The Israel Action Network released a new manual aimed at fighting the delegitimization of Israel.
The advocacy group, created by the Jewish Federations of North America in partnership with the Jewish Council on Public Affairs, put out a document called IAN FACTS aimed at countering efforts to isolate the Jewish state.
"IAN FACTS was compiled to respond to a growing demand from across North America and the globe to examine and share effective strategies for countering assaults on Israel’s legitimacy, including boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) attempts and other campaigns,” said Israel Action Network managing director Geri Palast. “These strategies were forged on many different fronts, including divestment resolutions within mainline Protestant Churches and labor unions, anti-Israel activity online, annual Israeli Apartheid Week activities on college campuses, and boycotts targeting Israeli goods and services."
The manual includes examples of dos and don’ts based on the experiences of its members in the field. Citing the victory last year by Israel supporters against a proposed boycott of Israeli products at the Park Slope Co-Op in Brooklyn, the manual emphasized engaging with "local community leaders to defeat BDS resolutions" and remembering "to tailor responses to BDS resolutions to the unique values and character of your community."
