BDS
MOVEMENT - INTERNATIONAL
News:
What is the BDS movement,
led by Palestinian groups against Israel?
What's
in the news?
●
An article published in a German newspaper
last week accused Indian poet and curator Ranjit Hoskote of “anti-Semitism” and
sympathizing with the BDS movement
BDS
Movement:
●
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
(BDS) movement, initiated in
2005 by over 170 Palestinian groups, seeks international support for
Palestinian rights.
●
It is an anti-racist,
human rights movement inspired by the South African anti-apartheid
movement.
Demands
of BDS Movement:
BDS advocates
nonviolent pressure on Israel until it aligns with international
law, emphasizing three demands:
●
Ending
the occupation and colonization of Arab lands.
●
Recognizing the rights of
Arab-Palestinian citizens in Israel.
●
Respecting the rights of Palestinian
refugees to return to their homes as outlined in UN
Resolution 194.
The
resolution, adopted in 1948, addresses the displacement of Palestinian
refugees during the Israeli-Arab war, emphasizing the right to return and
receive compensation.
Features:
●
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
(BDS) movement calls for boycotting Israel’s government, associated
institutions and companies involved in human rights violations.
●
It targets sponsors like
Puma for their association with the Israel Football Association,
including teams in illegal settlements.
●
Divestment campaigns urge entities to
withdraw investments, while sanctions campaigns seek government action
against Israeli apartheid.
●
The movement strategically focuses on
selected companies for maximum impact, cautioning against lengthy lists
that may be less effective.
Israel's
Response:
●
Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin
Netanyahu, has linked the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement
to anti-Semitism, accusing its founders of seeking the end of the Jewish
state.
Counter
Argument by BDS:
●
BDS counters that criticizing
Israel’s violations of international law should not be
equated with anti-Semitism, emphasizing the right to critique a
state’s unjust actions.
Despite Israeli officials
downplaying its threat, the government’s consistent references to BDS have
sparked criticism within Israel, with some arguing that officials are
inadvertently drawing more attention to the movement.
Economic
Impact of BDS:
●
In recent years, a few brands and
celebrities, including Ben and Jerry’s and Pink Floyd member Roger Waters,
have refused to work or perform in Israel, aligning with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS)
movement.
●
However, the impact of these
scattered efforts on Israel’s economy is challenging to measure,
especially considering the longstanding policy of Arab states to boycott
Israel.
●
BDS acknowledges the entrenched
support for Israel but asserts its potential as a powerful tool in ending
Western support for Israeli apartheid and settler colonialism.