Having failed to stop the rise in worldwide support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian freedom, justice and equality, Israel is now launching a desperate and dangerous fight back.
Take action now: Sign our appeal to the UN about Israel’s war of repression on BDS
At Israel’s request, governments in the US, UK, France, Canada and elsewhere are introducing anti-democratic legislation and taking other repressive measures to undermine the BDS movement. In France, one activist was arrested simply for wearing a BDS t-shirt. Israel is using its security services to illegally spy on BDS activists across the world.
Israel has just imposed an effective travel ban on BDS movement co-founder Omar Barghouti. Israel has confirmed that it is considering revoking Omar’s permanent residency status. Following threats against Omar by Israeli ministers, Amnesty International expressed concern “for the safety and liberty of Palestinian human rights defender Omar Barghouti”.
Suport the #RightToBoycott: Sign our appeal to the UN about Israel’s war of repression on BDS
Israel’s huge campaign of repression against human rights defenders and the BDS movement is designed to shield it from being held accountable for its violations of international law.
The BDS movement is fighting back and asserting that we have a #RightToBoycott and that we’re going to continue to take action in support of Palestinian freedom, justice and equality.
Here on this page you’ll find a range of links to resources and statements from organisations in support of the #RightToBoycott. We’ll keep this page updated as things develop.
From the Palestinian BDS National Committee
- Briefing – BDS: a Legitimate Human Rights Movement to be Respected and Protected by States
- Factsheet: Israel’s attacks on the BDS movement
- Press release: Israel imposes effective travel ban on BDS movement co-founder, steps up anti-BDS Repression
- Statement: Israel’s legal warfare on BDS fosters repression and McCarthyism across the world
Statements
- Amnesty International: Israeli government must cease intimidation of human rights defenders, protect them from attacks
- Human Rights Watch – executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division speaks in support of Omar Barghouti
- Swedish government: BDS is a civil society movement. Governments should not interfere in civil society organization views
- European civil society: More than 300 human rights and aid organisations, church groups, trade unions and political parties from across Europe have called on the EU to uphold its legal responsibilities and hold Israel accountable
- International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) – declaration on the right to participate and call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)
- Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC) – welcomes pronouncements of European goverments in support of right to BDS .
Media coverage
- Andrew Cuomo and Other Democrats Launch Severe Attack on Free Speech to Protect Israel
- Glenn Greenwald: Greatest Threat to Free Speech in the West: Criminalizing Activism Against Israeli Occupation
- Newsweek: coverage of travel ban on Omar Barghouti
- AP: Boycott leader accuses Israel of imposing travel ban
- AFP: Israel boycott campaigner ‘prevented from travel’
Other resources
- RightToBoycott.org website – an online resource and organising hub against the attacks on BDS in the US. Operated jointly by Palestine Legal, the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and Jewish Voice for Peace.
- New York Civil Liberties Union – Legislative Memo: In Opposition of Prohibiting Politically Motivated Boycotts.
- Harvard Law Review: Analysis – South Carolina Disqualifies Companies Supporting BDS from Receiving State Contracts.