Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led, global movement for freedom, justice and equality. BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.

BDS is inspired and inspiring. It draws inspiration from decades of Palestinian popular resistance, from the South African anti-apartheid struggle, from the US Civil Rights movement, among others. It inspires Palestinians and supporters of Palestinian rights worldwide to speak truth to power, to challenge  hegemonic, racist power structures and to assert that Palestinian rights must be respected and implemented.  

Israel is occupying and colonising Palestinian land, discriminating against Palestinian citizens of Israel and denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes. It is maintaining a regime of occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid over the Palestinian people.

World governments fail to hold Israel to account. Companies and institutions help Israel to oppress Palestinians. In response, Palestinians are calling for nonviolent grassroots boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaigning against Israel.

Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS call urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law by:

1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall
   International law recognises the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Gaza and the Syrian Golan Heights as occupied by Israel.
2. Granting Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel their right to full equality
3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194

Ten years since its launch, BDS is now widely supported by unions, academic associations, churches and movements across the world.

As a result of BDS pressure, major companies, such as Veolia, Orange and CRH are withdrawing from the Israeli market after following campaigns over their involvement in Israeli projects that violate international law. The UN and the World Bank say that BDS is starting to have a significant economic impact. Thousands of artists including major celebrities like Roger Waters and Lauryn Hill now refuse to play in Israel.

Israel is increasingly worried that the BDS movement is making it a pariah state in the way that South Africa once was.

Visit bdsmovement.net/what-is-bds for more information.

Source: bdsmovement.net/faqs 

The BDS movement is leading a change in public opinion in Western societies in regards to Israel. The rapidly growing widespread support for Palestinian rights is making it harder for governments to maintain their unconditional support for Israel,

In the US, where the Israel lobby has a strong hold on Congress, polls indicate an unprecedented  determining shift in the so-called “bipartisan” support for Israel in the country.

A 2015 Luntz poll of “opinion elites” shows that 76% of Democratic opinion shapers say Israel has too much influence in the US, with 47% of Democrats agreeing that Israel is a “racist” country. Close to 31% of those leading Democrats, the poll shows, are ready to support BDS.

Another poll from 2015 shows that 49% of Democrats favor “sanctions or more serious action” against Israel.

A 2014 poll by an Israel lobby group in the US reveals that 15% of Jewish Americans support a full boycott of Israel.

Of course, support for Israel remains deeply entrenched, but the BDS movement is showing that it can become a hugely powerful tool in ending western support for Israeli apartheid and settler colonialism.  

In Europe governments are taking steps compatible with  the movement’s general  approach, such as measures that enforce the EU’s non recognition of Israel’s claim of sovereignty in the occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories. These include warning businesses to stay away from illegal Israeli settlements, excluding Israeli entities operating in the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem) from funding and recognition, and considering cutting all financial transactions and ending business deals with Israeli banks that fund the occupation.

Source: bdsmovement.net/faqs

The 2005 call for BDS is endorsed by all major political parties, trade union federations, refugee rights associations, academic unions, farmers’ organizations, NGO networks, women’s unions, youth movements and others.

The signatory organisations to the 2005 call represent Palestinians living under occupation in the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinian citizens of Israel and Palestinians in exile (predominantly refugees).

The BDS call is the most widely supported document in the last few decades of Palestinian history.

Palestinians living under Israel’s regime of colonial oppression cannot possibly boycott Israel completely. Support for boycotting Israeli goods in the OPT has grown tremendously since the Israeli massacre in Gaza in 2014.

According to a World Bank report, Israeli exports to the Palestinian economy dropped by 24% in the first quarter of 2015. The report attributes this to a growing Palestinian boycott, despite the obstacles of Israel’s effective control of Palestinian economic activity. 

A recent poll of Palestinian public opinion in the OPT, conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, shows 86% support for BDS.

Source: bdsmovement.net/faqs

Thanks to the strategic campaigning of people and organisations all over the world, the global BDS movement is having a real impact. For example:​

• BDS was a major factor behind the 46% drop in foreign direct investment in Israel in 2014, according to a UN report. A Rand Corporation study predicts BDS could reduce Israel’s GDP “by 1 to 2 percent” annually over the next 10 years, while a World Bank report reveals that Israel’s exports to the Palestinian economy have dropped by 24% in the first quarter of 2015.
• French multinational Veolia has completely withdrawn from Israel after a BDS campaign over its role in Israel’s colonisation of Palestinian land cost it billions of dollars in lost contracts.

• Top Israeli weapons manufacturers complain of a plummeting exports “crisis,” partly due to “less desire for Israeli-made products.”

• Major international companies including Orange, G4S and Unilever have announced steps to end their participation in Israel’s crimes.

• Thousands of artists including Roger Waters from Pink Floyd, Faithless, Lauryn Hill, Brian Eno and Elvis Costello have refused to play in Israel.

• Academic associations and student unions, most notably in the US, Canada, South Africa and the UK, now support BDS. A number of churches have divested from companies involved in Israel’s occupation.
• Israel regards BDS as a “strategic threat” to its ongoing oppression of Palestinians. Some Israelis are calling for modest changes to Israeli policy.

Check out BDS’ Impact page for more information.

Source: bdsmovement.net/faqs

The first simple step that people can take is to boycott products of companies that are complicit in Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights. Take a look at BDS’  What to boycott page for more details.

One of the most useful things you can do is to get actively involved in a BDS campaign near you that targets a particular product, company or institution.

There are BDS campaigns in dozens of countries all across the world, and hundreds of organisations actively participate in the BDS movement. It’s easy to get involved with a campaign near you and that matches your interests. If not, start your own!

Check out BDS’ get involved section and our get involved page for more information.

Source: bdsmovement.net/faqs