For several decades now, the world has been plagued by the AIDS/HIV virus with very little hope for a real cure. Millions have died while scientists worldwide, scramble for a vaccine. While they might have not all worked closely together, scientists from various countries continue their intensive research. This might not even come as a surprise to some, but Israel is among the leaders in the AIDS/HIV cure research.
Israeli scientists have now identified a protein that would reduce the virus in infected patients by more than 95% in about a week. Needless to say, this a breakthrough for the medical community that brings our global community very close to a real cure as opposed to the current various medications that simply postpone and/or slow down the HIV virus.
The drug is currently being heavily tested before it can hit the market, but the big difference that gives hope to the researchers, is the fact that the protein that they have discovered actually kills the infected cells giving the virus no chance to return in the previously infected patient. This is huge!
So, as it appears, we might be months or maybe even weeks before it can be officially announced that there is a cure for AIDS. This is great news for most people, but there is a group that will be faced with an ethical dilemma the minute the vaccine comes out, and that if of course the supporters of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS.)
The BDS people have been promoting a boycott agenda since the BDS movement was started in 2005 by no other than Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. The movement promoters have convinced many liberals and quite a few “Christians” to divest from firms who do business with Israel “the occupier.” Evangelical denominations such as PC USA, United Methodists and Lutherans –while not monolithically speaking–have joined in the fight against Israel.
In 2014, PC USA voted to divest from Motorola, Hewlett-Packard and Caterpillar because all three corporations were found doing business in Israel, related to the settlements in the disputed territories. Many have followed corporately and individually all across the world with a big push on US campuses and in Hollywood.
Frankly, just about anybody can boycott companies such as Motorola, Hewlett-Packard and Caterpillar because none of it will disrupt their daily, comfortable lives. Along the same lines, people can easily stop buying Israeli products and food items without too much disruption in their regular routines. So they boycott and they tell others to do so. But what happens when you corner someone and challenge them to be consistent in their pseudo-ethical convictions? Who will stop using a cell phone or a personal computer because it contains critical technology that was invented by Israelis? Virtually nobody!
So, when the AIDS vaccine or pill comes out, BDS people will have a choice to make. Will those in need of the medication snub the Israeli discovery to make their point against Israel (as unjustified as it has been?) or will they look the other way and adopt the new miracle cure? Most likely the second option and this where I find fault with the current BDS people.
The doctors administering the AIDS/HIV cure will never discriminate based upon race, creed, color, sex or political leanings. The vaccine will not boycott those who boycott Israel. So BDS promoters should be consistent with their own code of ethics. If some within the BDS ranks are infected with AIDS/HIV– and I certainly hope that none are–are they willing to die for their conviction against Israel?
The Israeli scientists responsible to find the cure for AIDS/HIV would not even blink before administering it to an infected Palestinian if the need existed. So to the world often blindly promoting the boycott of Israel, it would behoove you to look into the facts about the Middle East crisis. You need to realize that the very people you accuse of cruelly taking the lives of poor Palestinian victims are the very people who one day soon will bring the world the cure for AIDS/HIV. If and when BDS people use the AIDS/HIV cure, they will have proven one more time that they have no conscience and a very warped code of ethics.
— by Olivier Melnick
Melnick is a Jewish believer in Jesus and serves with Chosen People Ministries as the Northwest Regional Director. He has written and published over 300 articles and a book on anti-Semitism entitled, “They Have Conspired Against You: How to respond to the new anti-Semitism.” Melnick blogs regulary at www.newantisemitism.com.