Using the tools of Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS)
Suzanne Weiss, February 2024
To Toronto Independent Jewish Voices (IJV)
Genocide in the world, until now took place away from public eye. The world did not see the Jewish Holocaust. They barely heard of it even after the war.
A big difference between our struggle against Israeli apartheid today and that of South Africa is the unprecedented support for Israel by imperialism which shields Israel from international law – although Israel’s crimes are seen by the world in live stream.
How this is done, Omar Barghouti emphasizes:
- By the US who props up Israel with military arms and funds and with the complicity of the imperialist countries such as Canada.
- And it is done by dehumanizing Palestinians with lies in racist narrative.
The US amplifies fabrications and propaganda with the complicity of their military, diplomatic, political, corporations, and institutions.
Omar Barghouti points out that we can use pressure above all against Israel — because unlike South Africa, Israel is extremely dependent on the global markets.
We can do this with the world campaign of Boycott Divestment and Sanctions.
We in Canada have for years supported the Palestinian right to be free from the Israeli occupation.
We have stood in these years with the majority of the peoples throughout the world to end Apartheid –and now in the last four months with the staggering genocide — which aims to eradicate the existence of the Palestinian people.
We’ve had immense demonstrations throughout the world indicating our solidarity and love for our Palestinian sisters and brothers. It’s has been inspiring. And we continue to have them. We’ve had various projects which have brought the Palestinian struggle in view to Canadians.
We take note that Israel warns that the killing will continue until it is satisfied. And the US and its supporters turn a blind eye.
What should we do?
Naomi Klein says it’s time that we focus on the method of BDS. She agrees with Barghout that Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a powerful method because it is goal oriented: We strive to achieve Palestinian rights.
The intent of BDS is to choose a target, to be strategic. It isn’t enough to have legal arguments. It isn’t enough to be ethical. We have to be impactful to be effective.
BDS challenges the complicity of the chosen target, whether it be the governmental, its structural organizations, corporations, or institutions, and demands it to break with complicity – because these links sustain Israel in some way. Without these links, Israel cannot continue its criminal genocide.
Importantly, BDS challenges the media complicit in the dehumanization of the Palestinians done by Israel. We, the defenders of Palestinian freedom, focus on humanity: Palestinians deserve freedom, justice, equality, self-determination, dignity, –like everyone else.
What is the strength of Boycott Divestment and Sanctions?
BDS is a way to apply pressure in forcing Israel to heed the opinion of the world’s peoples, and to submit to international law.
Omar Barghouti is quoted with emphasis by Naomi Klein, “It is a profound ethical and moral obligation in these times to act to end the complicity –to do no harm.”
BDS is a movement of strength with broad global support of tens of millions. BDS is led a Palestinian leadership, the largest coalition in Palestinian society.
BDS mobilizes pressure through organizations, through global collective effort. BDS invites everyone to participate to push for policy changes.
BDS is a rights movement, anchored in the Declaration of Human Rights. It is a world movement. It is intersectional.
BDS allies with movements against anti Semitism, against Black racism, Islamophobia, sexism, anti Queer discrimination, and for Indigenous rights. These movements could also use BDS and in that way add strength to achieving world justice against racist complicity. Palestine freedom is part of that intersectional movement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dQlFgMhxcI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfVwIbTt4pc