The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) is a global Palestinian-led movement promoting boycotts, divestments and sanctions against the State of Israel. Its objective is to pressure Israel to meet what it describes as Israel's obligations under international law,[1] defined as withdrawal from the occupied territories, removal of the separation barrier in the West Bank, full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and "respecting, protecting, and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties".
BDS is modeled after the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.[2][3] Its proponents compare the Palestinians' plight to that of apartheid-era black South Africans.[4]
History
Oh July 6, 2004, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) called for an international boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutes. The rational for this boycott is that Israeli academics and aiding the oppression of the Palestinian people by Israel. Among the many groups this initial movement received endorsements from are[5]:
- General Union of Palestinian Women
- Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees
- Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions
- Palestinian Journalists' Federation
- Palestinian Lawyers' Association
- Palestinian League of Artists
- Palestinian NGO Network, West Bank
- Palestinian Writers' Federation
- Teachers' Federation
On July 9, 2005, the Palestinian Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel was openly made. This movement was endorsed by over 170 Palestinian organizations. It represents all of the Palestinian people. The BDS National Committee (BNC) was founded in November of 2007 as part of the Palestinian BDS Conference, which was held in Ramallah. The BNC is currently made up of the following members:[6]
- Agricultural Cooperatives Union
- Civic Coalition for the Defense of Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem
- Coalition for Jerusalem
- Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine
- Federation of Independent Trade Unions
- General Union of Palestinian Peasants
- General Union of Palestinian Teachers (GUPT)
- General Union of Palestinian Women
- General Union of Palestinian Writers
- Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition
- Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (STW)
- National Committee for Grassroots Resistance
- National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba
- Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Initiative (OPGAI)
- Palestinian Bar Association
- Palestinian Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
- Palestinian Economic Monitor, Palestinian Federation of New Unions
- Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees (PFUUPE)
- Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU)
- Palestinian Medical Association, Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)
- Palestinian National Institute for NGOs
- Palestinian Trade Union Coalition for BDS (PTUC-BDS)
- Palestinian Union of Postal, IT & Telecommunications Workers, Popular Struggle Coordination Committee (PSCC)
- Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations
- Union of Palestinian Farmers, Union of Professional Associations
- Union of Public Employees in Palestine-Civil Sector
- Union of Youth Activity Centers-Palestine Refugee Camps
- Women Campaign to Boycott Israeli Products
Goals and Methods
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement has the following goals: Israel withdrawing from Arab lands and the removal of the Wall, Arab-Palestinians receiving full equality and fundamental rights, and the right of the Palestinian people to return to their homes and Israel obeying UN Resolution 194.[3] BDS has currently called for the boycotts of the following companies:[7][8][9]
- Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories, Limited[10]
- AXA S.A.[11]
- Carrefour[12]
- HP Inc. and the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE)[13]
- Israeli agricultural produce
- Puma SE[14]
- RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.[15]
- Sabra Dipping Company, LLC[16]
- Siemens AG[17]
- SodaStream International Ltd.[18]
BDS has currently targeted the following companies for its divestment campaigns:[8][9]
- Barclays plc[19]
- Caterpillar Inc. (CAT, Inc.)[20]
- Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (Grupo CAF)[21]
- Chevron Corporation[17]
- Elbit Systems Ltd.[22]
- G4S and its parent company, Allied Universal[23]
- Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.[8]
- HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.[24]
- Israeli banks, particularly Bank Hapoalim and Bank Leumi[20]
- J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited (JCB)[25]
- Mekorot[20]
- TKH Security B.V.[8]
- Aktiebolaget VOLVO (AB VOLVO)[26]
BDS has also called for pressure against these companies but has not called for a boycott on strategic grounds:[8][9]
- Airbnb, Inc.[27]
- Amazon.com, Inc.[28]
- Booking.com[29]
- Expedia Inc.[29]
- Google LLC[28]
- The Walt Disney Company[30]
BDS also supports these organic grassroots boycott campaigns that it did not initiate:[8]
- Burger King Corporation (BK)[8]
- Domino's Pizza, Inc.[31]
- McDonald's Corporation[31]
- Papa John's International, Inc., d/b/a Papa Johns[31]
- Pizza Hut[31]
- Starbucks Corporation[32]
- Wix.com Ltd.[8]
Additionally, BDS calls for boycotts of all academic, cultural, sports, and tourism engagements taking place in or sponsored by Israel or its lobby groups and complicit institutions.[9]
References
- ↑ Template:Harvnb
- ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=hnsOCwAAQBAJ&pg=PP2#v=onepage&q&f=false
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "What is BDS?". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=odEO0JqAuzMC&pg=PA62#v=onepage&q&f=false
- ↑ Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (2004-07-06). "Call for an Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ↑ "Palestinian BDS National Committee". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ↑ "Know what to boycott". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 "Act Now Against These Companies Profiting from the Genocide of the Palestinian People" (2023-11-05). BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) (2023-10-08). "URGENT ACTION ALERT for meaningful support for Palestinians" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Adri Nieuwhof (2009-12-02). "Boycott of Ahava Dead Sea products makes an impact" The Electronic Intifada; BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "AXA Divest". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ↑ "BOYCOTT CARREFOUR". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Boycott HP". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ↑ "Boycott Puma". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ↑ Ben Norton (2014-09-14). "Boycott RE/MAX protests flood the US during Week of Action" Mondoweiss; BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Sami Kishawi (2011-01-17). "‘Undip Sabra’ campaign hits DePaul’s bulletin boards and cafeteria cash registers" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 "SIEMENS AND CHEVRON: STOP FUELING APARTHEID AND CLIMATE DISASTER". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ↑ Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) (2018-08-22). "“SodaStream is Still Subject to Boycott”" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Barclays: Don’t Bank on Apartheid". Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Palestinian BDS National Committee (2014-08-15). "Freedom and justice For Gaza: Boycott action against 7 complicit companies" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "CAF get off Israel's apartheid train". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Palestinian BDS National Committee (2021-03-10). "Striking back against Elbit Systems" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Stop G4S". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) (2022-06-07). "Hyundai Heavy Industries: End Complicity With Apartheid" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem calls for boycott in response to Beit Safafa highway" (2014-02-03). BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories (2012-10-26). "“Boycott businesses that profit from Israeli settlements” – UN Special Rapporteur" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) (2019-05-08). "Pledge to #deactivateAirbnb on May 15, Nakba Day" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 "No Tech For Apartheid". No Tech For Apartheid. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network (2020-10-13). "Tourism in Service of Israeli Occupation and Annexation" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) (2023-04-27). "Palestinians call to boycott Marvel's apartheid Israel superhero movie" BDS Movement. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 @BDSmovement (2023-10-23). Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Joan Zahra Dark (2023-11-07). "What You Should Know About the BDS Movement and the Companies on Its Boycott List" The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2023-11-10.