BDS Strategy

The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement employs a multi-faceted, nonviolent strategy inspired by the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Its goal is to pressure Israel to comply with international law by ending occupation, granting equal rights to Palestinian citizens of Israel, and respecting the right of return for Palestinian refugees. Below is a breakdown of BDS’s core strategies:

1. Boycott Campaigns

Targeting economic, cultural, academic, and sports institutions complicit in Israeli violations.

A. Consumer & Economic Boycotts

• Goal: Pressure companies profiting from Israeli occupation.
• Examples:
  • HP (Hewlett-Packard) – Targeted for providing technology to Israeli military checkpoints.
  • Sabra Hummus – Boycotted for ties to an Israeli company supporting the IDF.
  • Puma – Campaigns against its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (due to teams in settlements).
  • McDonald’s & Starbucks – Sometimes targeted due to perceived pro-Israel stances.

B. Cultural & Academic Boycotts

• Goal: Isolate Israel’s cultural and academic institutions to protest state policies.
• Examples:
  • PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel) – Calls for boycotting Israeli universities and cultural events.
  • Artists & Musicians – Pressure to cancel performances in Israel (e.g., Lorde, Roger Waters, Elvis Costello).
  • Film Festivals – Push to exclude Israeli government-funded films.

C. Sports Boycotts

• Goal: Exclude Israel from international sports until it complies with human rights laws.
• Example: Campaigns to ban Israel from FIFA (football/soccer).

2. Divestment Campaigns

• Goal: Push institutions (universities, churches, pension funds) to withdraw investments from companies complicit in Israeli occupation.
• Key Targets:
  • Banks & Financial Institutions (e.g., HSBC, Barclays, Bank of America) for investing in arms companies supplying Israel.
  • Tech & Security Firms (e.g., Caterpillar, Elbit Systems, G4S) for supplying bulldozers used in home demolitions or surveillance tech.
  • University Endowments – Student-led movements (e.g., Students for Justice in Palestine) demand divestment from Israel-linked firms.
• Successes:
  • United Methodist Church (U.S.) divested from Israeli banks.
  • Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund excluded some Israeli companies.
  • University of California (UC) and others faced major divestment campaigns.

3. Sanctions Advocacy

• Goal: Lobby governments to impose official sanctions on Israel until it complies with international law.
• Key Approaches:
  • Ending Arms Trade: Campaigns to stop weapons sales to Israel (e.g., UK arms exports to Israel).
  • Settlement Goods Bans: Push for laws banning products from illegal settlements (e.g., EU labeling rules).
  • ICC & UN Pressure: Push for International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations and UN resolutions.
• Successes:
  • South Africa downgraded its embassy in Israel.
  • Ireland passed a bill banning settlement goods.
  • Several European cities adopted “Israeli-free zone” policies.

4. Grassroots Mobilization & Public Awareness

• Protests & Direct Actions:
  • Disruptions at Israeli embassy events.
  • Blockades of ships carrying arms to Israel (e.g., Block the Boat campaigns).
• Social Media & Digital Campaigns:
  • Viral hashtags (e.g., #BDS, #FreePalestine).
  • Pressure on celebrities and corporations to cut ties with Israel.
• Legal & Legislative Efforts:
  • Fighting anti-BDS laws in the U.S. and Europe.
  • Supporting lawsuits against corporations involved in occupation (e.g., Airbnb faced legal action over settlement listings).

5. Building International Solidarity Networks

• Labor Unions: Many unions (e.g., South Africa’s COSATU, Ireland’s ICTU) endorse BDS.
• Churches & Faith Groups: E.g., Presbyterian Church (USA), Quakers support selective divestment.
• Indigenous & Racial Justice Movements: Links with Black Lives Matter, Native American groups for joint struggles.

Challenges & Counter-Strategies

• Legal Pushback:
  • Anti-BDS Laws (e.g., U.S. states penalize companies that boycott Israel).
  • Germany & France restrict BDS activities, citing antisemitism.
• Corporate & Political Opposition:
  • Israel invests heavily in counter-BDS lobbying (e.g., Canary Mission targets pro-BDS students).
  • Brand Israel campaigns promote Israeli culture to soften its image.

Effectiveness of BDS

• Symbolic & Economic Impact: While not yet forcing major policy changes, BDS has:
  • Damaged Israel’s international reputation.
  • Cost companies millions (e.g., SodaStream moved factories due to boycotts).
  • Influenced public discourse on Palestine worldwide.
• Long-Term Goal: To make support for Israel as controversial as apartheid South Africa.