BDS fail of 2012. Record Tourism in Israel

The year isn't even over yet, but it looks  like 2012 will set a new record  for incoming tourism to Israel.. Nearly 3.3 million visitors arrived in Israel up to the end of November 2012, and even more are expected for the Christmas holiday season.

Thats a massive BDS fail.

According to Al Awda's Eyad Kishawi, in an article published in  Al-Jazeerah, January 19, 2006 "Divestment from Israel in its 5th year"  (Yes, divestment started in 2001, and has been been failing for over 11 years now) there is only one strategic call:    "Material isolation of Israel until Palestinian exiles are repatriated to their towns of origin and receive reparation for lives and properties destroyed by Israel.".  Eyad Kishawi is calling for the end of Israel as a Jewish state,  and BDS is a tool for achieving this goal.

Tourists are flocking to Israel, Eyad.  Your dream of an isolated Israel is failing.  What happens to a dream deferred?

From YNET 

To date, the year 2012 will end as a new record year for incoming tourism. About 3.3 million visitors arrived in Israel up to the end of November 2012, and of these 60% were Christian tourists (52% Catholic; 21% Protestant and 10% Orthodox)

About half of all Christian tourists are pilgrims. Most of the Christian visitors to Israel also visit Bethlehem passing through Rachel’s Crossing and the various offices work to facilitate a welcoming, fast and comfortable transfer every day of the year.

According to the ministry’s 2011 Incoming Tourism Satisfaction Survey, about 87% of pilgrims were first-time visitors. Most pilgrims visit Capernaum, Yardenit, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Mount of Olives, Via Dolorosa and Bethlehem.

Source countries where pilgrims represent a very high rate among those visiting include Indonesia (83%), Nigeria (82%), Poland (69%), Portugal (59%), Romania (57%), India (50% and Brazil (49%).  

Eyad considers divestment a 20 year process, but even he must be grinding his teeth  just about now.   If the goal of  BDS was the isolation  and the eventual destruction of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people his movement is failing.  BDS at 11 is no further than achieving its goal than BDS at 5.