We, representatives of Palestinian civil society, call upon internationalcivil society organizations and people of conscience all over the world toimpose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa inthe apartheid era. We appeal to you to pressure your respective states toimpose embargoes and sanctions against Israel. We also invite conscientiousIsraelis to support this Call, for the sake of justice and genuine peace.
IJANencourages its members to take up actions in support of the, "Call fromPalestinian Civil Society for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel." (Click here for a link to the full call.) Rather than lead BDS efforts, IJAN encouragesand supports participation of its members in local, national and internationalcampaigns. Where such organizing is not yet happening, we encourage our membersto identify like-minded organizations to develop a BDS campaign plan, startingwith some actions that individuals can do themselves, with a few friends orfellow IJAN members, and/or with other organizations.
Youdon't need to wait for an organized campaign to participate in some of thefollowing BDS activities described below. IJAN can support you in gettingconnected with people all over the world who are involved in BDS work. Thereare also many tool kits and resources created in Palestine and available on-line-several ofthese are listed below.
1) Consumerboycott of Israeli goods: http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/9
Individual consumers can show theiropposition to Israel'sproject by participating in a consumer boycott of Israeli goods and services. Aconsumer boycott works in two ways: firstly by generating bad publicity for theoffender and secondly by applying economic pressure for change.
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The Israeli barcode starts with 729
Doit yourself! Go to the BDSMovement website above for the details on the following 5 easy things you cando to participate in the consumer boycott of Israeli goods.
1. Don't buy Israeli goods
2. Identify and lobby retail outlets that stockIsraeli goods and ask them to de-shelve Israeli products
3. Boycott and picket outlets that do not respondto lobbying
4. Set up a local campaign and website promotingthe boycott
5. Take it a step further... http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/9
2) Academic/cultural boycott: http://www.pacbi.org/
The Palestinian Campaign for theAcademic and Cultural Boycott of Israel was launched in Ramallah in April 2004by a group of Palestinian academics and intellectuals to join the growinginternational boycott movement. The Campaign built on the Palestinian call fora comprehensive economic,cultural and academic boycott of Israel issued inAugust 2002 and a statement made by Palestinian academics and intellectuals inthe occupied territories and in the Diaspora calling for a boycott of Israeliacademic institutions in October 2003.
We, Palestinianacademics and intellectuals, call upon our colleagues in the internationalcommunity to comprehensivelyand consistently boycott all Israeli academic and cultural institutions as a contribution to the struggle to end Israel'soccupation, colonization and system of apartheid, by applying the following:
ð Refrainfrom participation in any form of academic and cultural cooperation,collaboration or joint projects with Israeli institutions;
ð Advocatea comprehensive boycott of Israeli institutions at the national andinternational levels, including suspension of all forms of funding andsubsidies to these institutions;
ð Promotedivestment and disinvestment from Israel by international academicinstitutions;
ð Worktoward the condemnation of Israeli policies by pressing for resolutions to beadopted by academic, professional and cultural associations and organizations;
ð Support Palestinian academic and culturalinstitutions directly without requiring them to partner with Israelicounterparts as an explicit or implicit condition for such support.
3) Sports Boycott: http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/5
International sporting events can playan important role in shaping a country's image in the rest of the world. Asporting boycott of Israelwould send a powerful message that its policy of occupation, expulsion andracism against Palestinians is unacceptable.
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Swiss activists disruptsIsrael's World Cup qualifier, September 2007
Do it yourself! Go to the BDS Movement website for thedetails on the following 3 easy things you can do to participate in the sportsboycott: http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/5
For the BDS campaign to be successful,fans, players and sporting institutions need to be drawn into concertedlobbying efforts. The first step is to transform perceptions of Israel, building a climate in which teams andplayers refuse to play in Israeli sports grounds, not because of any potential"danger" or "risk", but as a statement of protest against Israel's occupation and apartheid.
1. Identifying and lobbying clubs who maintainrelations with Israel
2. Lobbying pro-Palestinian sports bodies, clubsand personalities
3. Lobbying sports personalities who lend their support to Israel
4) Divestment from the Israeli Economy: http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/4
Divestment (or disinvestment) means putting and end toinvestments in Israeland companies supporting Israeli occupation and apartheid.
Encourage and pressure individuals, financialinstitutions and companies to shed their investments in Israel in order to curb the profits of Israel'swar and apartheid economy. To raise awareness about Israel'spolicies and true nature among companies, and encourage them to use theireconomic influence to put pressure on Israel to end the discriminationand expulsion of the Palestinian people and the occupation of their land.
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Doit Yourself! Go to the BDS Movementwebsite for the details on the following 4 ways to divest from Israel: http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/4
1. Get rid of your own investments in Israel
2. Lobby financial institutions:
3. Put pressure on organizations that you are amember of
4. Shareholder Activism
5) Pressure local government to divest from and enforce sanctions on Israel: http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/6
Action at the level of local andregional governments aims to cut all ties between municipalities or regionalcouncils and Israelat cultural, economic, and diplomatic levels. This can be achieved by passingmeasures or resolutions targeting Israeli produce, institutional ties andc
ooperation or investments and bonds the local government may hold in Israel.
Doit Yourself! Go to the BDS Movementwebsite for the details on the following 4 ways to pressure your localgovernment to divest from and pass sanctions against Israel: http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/6
1. Motions, resolutions and twinning
2. Engage with your local politicians
3. Establish a local campaign group to put pressureon local politicians and administrations
4. Link local activism to other BDS campaigns
6) Organize your union to divest from and enforce sanctions on Israel:http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/124
A trade union boycott of Israel means that trade unions cut economic,social and political ties with Israeland build ties with Palestinian unions. Trade unions should respond to the BDScall that has, among others, been put forward by the major Palestinian tradeunions. Palestinian workers are suffering under Israeli apartheid policies ofexploitation that aim to bring in the profits necessary to maintain theoccupation. Trade unions globally must transform workers solidarity intopractice and ensure that they are not indirectly providing financial support tothe Occupation by propping up the Israeli economy.
Doit Yourself! Go to the BDS Movementwebsite for the details on the following 3 ways to pressure your union to divestfrom and pass sanctions against Israel:http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/124
1. Motions, measures and resolutions
2. Form or join a "Friends of Palestine" group inside your union
3. Show the commitment of your union at nationaland international level
The following two websites offer a vast selectionof educational materials, posters, toolkits, sticker templates and othermaterials to support BDS efforts:
The BDS Movement: http://www.bdsmovement.net/
Stop the Wall Campaign: http://www.stopthewall.org/
