Recently, in a letter written to wealthy capitalist Haim Saban, which was released online, Hillary Clinton declared her full-throttled opposition to the BDS movement.
Numerous news outlets ranging from Politico, Jewish Daily Forward, Haaretz, and Mondoweiss wrote about this letter, each having their different perspective. One thing is clear: Puder PR, Saban’s PR agency, released the letter possibly with the coordination of the Clinton campaign. This firm bills itself as “the only communications firm specializing in Jewish affairs” that operates in Israel and the US, on its LinkedIn, and has clients ranging from the Jewish Federation, Friends of the IDF, and the World Jewish Congress to and the Israeli American Council, putting it squarely within the realm of Zionism. [1] Beyond this, it is important to connect the dots between Clinton, Saban, and Zionism itself.
While the letter seems to have a PR-tone to it, reminding me of the form letters I would receive from congresspeople when I sent them emails about certain issues, I still think a critical viewpoint can be helpful. In the letter, Clinton expresses “alarm” about the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement and calls it “a global effort to isolate the State of Israel.”