Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
Palestinian-led movement demanding international sanctions against Israel / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a nonviolent[2][6] Palestinian-led[7] movement promoting boycotts, divestments, and economic sanctions against Israel. Its objective is to pressure Israel to meet what the BDS movement describes as Israel's obligations under international law,[8] 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".[9] The movement is organized and coordinated by the Palestinian BDS National Committee.[10]
Abbreviation | BDS |
---|---|
Formation | 9 July 2005 (2005-07-09)[1] |
Founder | Omar Barghouti,[2] Ramy Shaat[3] |
Type | Nonprofit organization |
Purpose | Boycotts, political activism |
General Coordinator | Mahmoud Nawajaa[4] |
Main organ | Palestinian BDS National Committee[5] |
Website | bdsmovement.net |
BDS is modeled after the Anti-Apartheid Movement.[11] Its proponents compare the Palestinians' plight to that of apartheid-era black South Africans.[12] Protests and conferences in support of the movement have been held in several countries. Its mascot, which features on its logotype, is Handala, a symbol of Palestinian identity and "right of return".[13]
Some critics accuse the BDS movement of antisemitism,[14][15][16] a charge the movement denies, calling it an attempt to conflate antisemitism with anti-Zionism. The Israel lobby in the United States has made opposing BDS one of its top priorities.[17] Since 2015, the Israeli government has spent millions of dollars to promote the view that BDS is antisemitic and have it legally banned in foreign countries.[18] BDS supporters see it as a human rights movement.[19]