The animal rights community is increasingly responding to the Palestinian call for BDS. Animal rights activists are speaking out against Israeli Veganwashing by publicly supporting the BDS movement.
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a peaceful call made by Palestinian civil society for the international community to boycott Israel until Palestinian human rights are recognised.
In 2006, Palestinian civil society made a call to action. They launched the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This movement was inspired by the non-violent international boycott against apartheid mobilized in South Africa in the 1970s. BDS calls for the international community to show solidarity with Palestinians, and put pressure on Israel to end the occupation, through the method of boycott.
Anyone can support the BDS movement. Support comes from all across society: the Irish Senate endorses BDS, as do human rights advocates like Alice Walker, Angela Davis, Desmond Tutu, Stephen Hawking, US Congress women Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, Pink Floyd, Faithless, Lauryn Hill, Brian Eno, Elvis Costello and Natalie Portman.
“I am a supporter of BDS as a just and justified means of ending Israeli occupation of Palestine.” Alice Walke
BOYCOTTS involve withdrawing support from Israel’s apartheid regime, complicit Israeli sporting, cultural and academic institutions, and from all Israeli and international companies engaged in violations of Palestinian human rights
DIVESTMENT campaigns urge banks, local councils, churches, pension funds and universities to withdraw investments from the State of Israel and all Israeli and international companies that sustain Israeli apartheid.
SANCTIONS campaigns pressure governments to fulfil their legal obligations to end Israeli apartheid, and not aid or assist its maintenance, by banning business with illegal Israeli settlements, ending military trade and free-trade agreements, as well as suspending Israel’s membership in international forums such as UN bodies and FIFA.
Demand 1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the wall.
Demand 2. Granting Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel their right to full equality.
Demand 3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN Resolution 194.
There have been many key BDS victories. For example, Adidas stopped working with Israeli sports teams; HSBC bank divested from an Israeli weapons manufacturer; and the Co-operative stopped sourcing fruit and vegetables from Israeli settlements.