DiEM25’s Endorsement of the BDS Movement - Glasovanje članov DiEM25

For the first time in history, humanity is witnessing the livestreaming of a genocide. The organised destruction of the Palestinian people by the settler-colonial Israeli regime continues unabated despite global mass protests, countless UN resolutions, multiple orders from the International Court of Justice, and the initiation of procedures by the International Criminal Court.

The international system has, once again, failed the people of Palestine. As a movement of conscience, it is our duty to increase global pressure to halt this genocide, end the occupation, dismantle Israeli Apartheid and achieve a just peace, as outlined in our position on Palestine. 

This would require, among other things, increasing the pressure on corporations, institutions, states and other entities that are complicit in sustaining the Israeli Apartheid state beyond mere rhetoric: endorsing the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement that “works to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law.”

Initiated in 2005 by Palestinian civil-society organisations and inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, BDS calls for non-violent measures against Israel to meet the following demands:

1. Ending Israeli occupation and colonisation of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall

2. Recognising the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and

3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.

The BDS movement seeks to achieve these demands through:

• Boycotts that 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 which 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 to 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. 

Please note that the BDS movement calls for boycotts of activities, events and projects which legitimise or otherwise enable Israel’s regime of apartheid, settler colonialism, and occupation. It explicitly says it “does not call for or condone boycotts of individuals because of their Israeli or Jewish origin or identity”. In other words, BDS targets complicity, not identity. 

Importantly, the BDS Movement has recognised that normalisation is a key strategy of Israel which seeks to “make occupation, apartheid, and settler colonialism seem normal.” This requires adopting anti-normalisation tactics, which involve refusing to “participate in projects, events, or activities that promote the normalcy of the Israeli state as a legitimate entity or that would create a parity in the relationship between oppressor and oppressed.” 

BDS enjoys widespread grassroots support and intersects with various social justice movements, while Israel considers it a 'strategic threat' due to its sustained influence. Examples of this impact include:

• Significantly raising global awareness about Palestinian rights and highlighting the complicity of corporations in maintaining Israel’s occupation and apartheid practices.

• Challenging the platforming of Israeli entities that seek to normalise Israeli settler-colonialism.

• Extensive economic repercussions for Israel, such as:

• The withdrawal of Veolia, a French company, from the Jerusalem Light Rail project after some European city councils excluded it from tenders due to sustained BDS pressure.

• The exit of Orange telecom from Israel following intense BDS campaigns in France and Egypt regarding its activities in the occupied territories.

• Divestment from Israeli entities by major corporations, trade unions, universities, and pension funds, including Axa, General Mills, Danske Bank, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, San Francisco State University, and Luxembourg and Norwegian state pension funds, among others, through BDS campaigns.

Our support for BDS would be realised through the following where possible: 

• Declaring DiEM25 an Apartheid-Free Zone, affirming its stance as an Anti-Apartheid organisation; 

• Supporting new and ongoing BDS campaigns where feasible; 

• Encouraging local groups to collaborate with their BDS counterparts and participate in their respective campaigns;

• Utilising our social media platforms to amplify BDS and its campaigns among our supporters;

• Hosting events, webinars, and teach-ins to inform the public and dispel misconceptions about BDS;

• Publishing articles, op-eds, and research papers advocating for BDS;

• Publicly engaging in European Union debates related to BDS;

• Mobilising support for BDS in the face of state repression; and

• Integrating BDS into our policy agenda.

Please note that endorsing BDS would mean that we respect its core principles and guidelines, i.e.

• Palestinian Civil Society Call for BDS (2005)

• Academic Boycott Guidelines (2014)

• Cultural Boycott Guidelines (2014)

• Anti-racist Principles of BDS (2017)

• Statement on Affiliation with the BDS Movement and Use of the BDS Acronym (2019)

• Anti-normalisation Guidelines (2022)

• Apartheid Free Zone Organizing Guide (2024)

Do you approve of DiEM25 endorsing the BDS Movement?