Israeli skater and influencer Noam Liebman has spoken out against the decision to restrict access to skateboarding products in Israel.
As we previously reported, DLXSF has officially ended their distribution to Israel and the Jewish skaters were bummed about it.
READ MORE: DLXSF Boss Jim Thiebaud Announces End to Israel Distribution Across All Brands
Liebman then argued that the boycott does little to address the conflict and only ends up hurting young skaters who had nothing to do with it.
He believes the decision was heavily influenced by public pressure, with ordinary kids paying the price for a political situation they neither created nor control.
For him, taking away access to some of skateboarding's biggest brands does not help Palestinians, improve conditions on the ground, or bring people any closer to peace.
He also believes skateboarding has something that politics has struggled to achieve for decades, this is the ability to bring people together without asking them to agree on everything.
In Jerusalem, the local skate scene includes both Arab and Jewish skaters who share the same parks, streets, and passion for riding. According to Liebman, these spaces can offer a rare break from the hostility surrounding the conflict. For a few hours, people from different backgrounds can simply skate together.
READ MORE: Crailtap Distribution Cuts Off Israel, Ends All Sales of Girl, Chocolate and Royal
He acknowledges that Palestinians are currently suffering far more than Israelis and that Israel carries greater responsibility for changing the situation.
However, he also argues that years of violence, hostility, and rejection have created a cycle that continues to separate both communities.
His concern is that isolating young skaters will only make those divisions worse.
He believes people who genuinely want to help should look at ways to bring communities together, not take away one of the few things that already connects them.
Liebman also had a direct challenge for Jim Thiebaud.
Rather than supporting a decision that cuts Israeli kids off from skateboarding brands, he wants the skateboarding industry to consider using its influence to create opportunities for Palestinian and Israeli youth.
One idea is to support organizations that bring children from both communities together through shared activities.
READ MORE: Skate Influencer Zach Moldof Slams Skateboarders Protesting Israel, Calls Them “Posers”
These programs could give young people an opportunity to meet, build friendships, and challenge the negative attitudes they have grown up around.
Another suggestion is to put together a small Palestinian and Israeli skate team. Give the kids boards, bring them together, send them on a tour, and document the experience.
Let the rest of the world see young people from both communities sharing something they love without allowing the conflict to define their relationships.
This would be a much better use of skateboarding's influence, according to him. It would give young Palestinians and Israelis an opportunity to connect through something that has always welcomed people from different backgrounds.
His argument is not that skateboarding can solve the entire conflict. But he believes the community has an opportunity to do something meaningful for the next generation.
READ MORE: Girl and Chocolate Reject Tel Aviv Skate Shop Collaboration Over Genocide Concerns
As Liebman puts it, a boycott does not build a bridge. It removes one.
He wants the skateboarding industry to think about what its decisions actually accomplish and who ends up paying the price.
Taking products away from young skaters does not bring communities together. Giving them a reason to meet, skate, and understand each other might.
What do you think? Should skateboarding brands use their influence to bring Palestinian and Israeli youth together?
Liebman Posted:
"@dlxsf and @jimthiebaud are boycotting Israel.
Don’t allow skateboarding to become a tool for division. If you truly want to stand for social justice, here are some practical solutions that bring people together instead of pushing them apart. 🛹🤝"