Lander, Goldman spar over Park Slope Food Coop after Israel boycott vote

Park Slope Food Coop members voted to approve a boycott of fewer than 10 goods produced in Israel by a 67% to 31% margin during a Zoom general meeting. The boycott amendment was adopted after an earlier resolution lowered the threshold required to enact a boycott from a 75% supermajority to a simple majority. Brad Lander and Rep. Dan Goldman maintained their opposition to the boycott even after the vote passed. Both candidates had previously said they would have voted against the boycott, despite agreeing on that point in a Democratic primary. Goldman described the boycott as antisemitic, while Lander objected to that characterization and argued the focus should remain on opposing the Israeli government rather than antisemitic tropes.

"Members voted to approve the boycott of less than 10 goods produced in Israel by a vote of 67%-31% during a general meeting conducted over Zoom on Tuesday night. That amendment was adopted after members passed another resolution lowering the threshold required to enact a boycott from a 75% supermajority to a simple majority."

"Both Goldman and Lander had said they would have voted against the boycott - a notable instance where the candidates agree in an otherwise contentious Democratic primary. Still, the candidates sought to differentiate themselves over their reasons for opposing the boycott, with Goldman continuing to describe it as antisemitic, and Lander objecting to that characterization."

""When you start hearing in the debate about this kind of thing, the concept of 'Jewish supremacism,' which is a old, antisemitic trope used by David Duke and the Klan, then we are getting away from whatever the objective is to oppose the Israeli government," said Goldman, who added that the vote created a division at an o"

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