The BDS movement today Alys Samson Estap alysbdsmovement

The BDS movement today Alys Samson Estapé alys@bdsmovement. net

Growing isolation towards Israel’s impunity – 70 years of Israeli apartheid ongoing Nakba, regime of occupation, apartheid and colonialism over the Palestinian More and more people and institutions decide they do not want to be complicit population Israel can only maintain the ongoing oppression to Palestinians with international support

The BDS campaign • How, when and why does BDS start? • 170 organizations –broadest Palestinian coalition • A year after the Hague declares the Wall illegal • Inspired in South-Africa struggle against apartheid

What is BDS? • Non-violent strategy • Rejects all forms of racism, sexism and discrimination • Calls for Palestinian human rights to be respected • Represents: Palestinians in the diaspora, Palestinians living under occupation in Gaza and the Westbank and Palestinians living in 48 • Lead by Palestinian population

Institutions are taking a stand • Apartheid Free Zones -> over 100 institutions in the Spanish State. Guide for the protection and promotion of Human rights in public procurement • Cities in Italy and the Spanish state calling for a two-way military embargo of Israel • Norway gives green light to boycott settlements • Ireland will vote on settlement banning in July • UN Human Rights council voted for a military embargo

Presbyterian church Alongside Israel/Palestine mission, U. S. Campaign for Palestinian Equal Rights, American Muslims for Palestine, St. Louis Palestine Solidarity Committee, Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace, and St. Louis Jewish Voice for Peace • Opposing anti-BDS legislation at the state and federal level • Receiving the call from the National Coalition of Christian Organizations in Palestine to stand firmly in solidarity with Palestine • Opposing Israel’s illegal annexation of Jerusalem and its discriminatory practices against Palestinians • Encouraging authentic Jewish-Christian relationships that recognize systemic inequality and are grounded in a mutual commitment to work together for justice • Opposing Israel’s discrimination against Palestinians and other citizens of Israel, and calling for U. S. diplomatic action toward equality • Urging RE/MAX to stop facilitating sales in Israeli settlements • Condemning Israel's attacks on protesters in the Great March for Return and blockade on Gaza • Rejecting normalization efforts that ignore the power imbalance between Palestinians and Israelis

Divestment victories • Last July: • Mennonite Church USA voted to support divest from companies that profit from violations of Palestinian rights • The World Communion of Reformed churches called its member churches worldwide to examine their investments related to the situation of Palestine • Government pension funds in Sweden, Norway, New Zealand Luxembourg and investors including George Soros, the Bill Gates Foundation, the huge TIAA-CREF public sector pension fund in the US, Dutch pension giant PGGM and Norwegian bank Nordea have divested from companies targeted by the BDS movement

BDS in the UK • 1) G 4 S victory • 2) Stop arming Israel – In the past two years alone, the government has approved export of over £ 230 m worth of arms and military technology, including jets and naval gunboats • HSBC • Why it is a strategic campaign • Over 60 MPs have signed to suspend arms export to Israel • 3) UK Government and Israel. Prince William’s visit

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