More than 200 academics from 50 Italian universities have signed a call for the boycott of Israeli academic institutions until Israel complies with international law. This is the first time a significant number of Italian academics have taken a public stand in support of the Palestinian-led campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS).
On Monday, Virginia’s General Assembly passed by for the day joint resolution HJ177 – a bill which opposes any attempt to economically or politically boycott Israel, including its economic, academic, or cultural institutions. Virginia is the most recent state to introduce a bill that officially condemns people, companies, schools, and other organizations that partake in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a movement that has gained significant momentum in 2015, particularly across college campuses and within religious organizations.
As reported in Ha’aretz, Israel is trying to capitalize on the entertainment industry’s biggest night by stuffing Oscars gift baskets with an all-expense-paid trip to Israel for 2 valued at $55,000. Israel isn’t merely aiming to boost its tourism industry but, rather, to enlist unwitting movie stars in a counter-campaign against the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions – BDS – movement that aims to hold Israel accountable to international law and end the nearly half-century occupation of Palestinian lands.”
The United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination points out with alarm that Israel maintains two separate educational systems for its citizens — one for Jewish children and another for the children of the Palestinian minority — a structure that reinforces the profound segregation of Israeli society in everything from matters of citizenship and marriage to housing rights.
A law being proposed in New York would create an official blacklist of supporters of the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. Legal experts and activists say the measure is reminiscent of the McCarthy era and could have drastic consequences for individuals, organizations or firms who engage with the campaign to pressure Israel to respect Palestinian rights.
A report released today by Ireland’s largest multinational CRH confirmed the global cement giant has divested from its 25% stake in the Israeli cement market. The company has been a focus of a sustained campaign calling for such a divestment from the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) and other groups for over a decade, due to the role its Israeli subsidiary Nesher Cement plays in supplying materials for the building of Israel’s illegal separation wall, checkpoints and settlements.
2015 was a landmark year for the BDS movement. The list below is a detailed round-up of victories over the past year. Not only did the movement demonstrate BDS can have a real economic impact on Israel, Justice for Palestine has become a key issue for students and youth across the world and Israel’s reaction has shown this “soft” power is having a real impact.
By Palestine Center Interns
Last week, the Palestine Center hosted its first speaker of the fall, author and Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Chris Hedges. In a lecture entitled “Building the BDS Movement for Justice in Palestine,” Hedges asserted that the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement is the only remaining avenue by which activists can effectively advocate for the rights of Palestinians.
Josh Ruebner: This provision… makes it a “principal negotiating objective” of the United States “to discourage politically motivated actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel” in current negotiations with the European Union over the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
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