Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a movement promoting boycotts, divestments, and economic sanctions against Israel. The movement is coordinated by the BDS National Committee.
BDS states that it's objectives are to pressure Israel to:
- Withdraw from territory captured after 4 June 1967
- Remove of the separation barrier in the West Bank
- Provide for full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel
- Allow Palestinian refugees to return to the former homes in Israel
In contrast much of its activism takes a broader approach and often seeks to de-legitimise Israel. Prominent BDS activist Omar Barghouti has stated his opinion on Israel:
"Definitely, most definitely, we oppose a Jewish state in any part of Palestine. No Palestinian, rational Palestinian, not a sell out Palestinian, would ever accept a Jewish state in Palestine." [1]
BDS is modeled after the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Its proponents compare the Palestinians' plight to that of apartheid-era black South Africans. Protests and conferences in support of the movement have been held in several countries. Its mascot, which features on its logotype, is Handala, a symbol of Palestinian identity and "right of return".
Some critics accuse the BDS movement of antisemitism, a charge the movement denies, calling it an attempt to conflate antisemitism with anti-Zionism. The Israel lobby in the United States has made opposing BDS one of its top priorities. Since 2015, the Israeli government has spent millions of dollars to promote the view that BDS is antisemitic and have it legally banned in foreign countries. BDS supporters see it as a human rights movement.
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