The United Nations and BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions): Modern Antisemitism

UN Platform for Palestine

Statements (continued)


International Federation for Human Rights, Accredited by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  • "[T]he time has come for a call for sanctions against Israel at the UN Security Council - including ... divestments from Israel, the suspension of the EU/Israel association agreement and a halt on all military trade and cooperation with Israel."

    (Excerpt from "Urgent resolution on Palestine Presented by Al-Haq for the 39th FIDH Congress," International Federation for Human Rights, 23-27 August 2016, last accessed August 24, 2017)

Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Accredited by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  • "[T]he Palestinian story of injustice didn't start only 50 years ago. It started 100 years ago when the British Empire decided it would give our land to European colonisers in the Zionist movement. It continued 80 years ago when Zionist paramilitaries expelled 750,000 of my people...Then 50 years ago, in just six days, the remnant of our homeland passed also into the hands of Israel, and to exile was added a brutal regime of apartheid...[J]oin the Palestinian-led global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement that aims to compel Israel to end injustice...Let retailers know its unacceptable to help fund the Israeli war machine!"

    (Excerpt from ""WATCH: National Demonstration for Freedom & Justice in Palestine," Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, June 2017, last accessed on August 24, 2017)



    • (Excerpt from "IPSC – Boycott Israeli Potatoes Picket, Rathmines," Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, undated, last accessed March 21, 2017)

  • "Individual consumers can show their opposition to Israel's Apartheid policies against the Palestinian people and violations of international law by participating in a consumer boycott of Israeli goods and services."

    (Excerpt from "Boycott Israeli Goods," Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, undated, last accessed March 7, 2016

  • "Send a message to your MEP to ask the EU representative at the Kimberley Process meeting in Washington on June 4th to call for a ban on Israeli diamonds that fund war crimes...It is important that we voice our concerns about the trade in diamonds from Israel that fund war crimes and crimes against humanity...Diamonds exported from Israel are therefore helping to fund gross human rights violations in Palestine as well as Israel's clandestine nuclear weapons programme..."

    (Excerpt from "Israeli Blood Diamonds – Please contact your MEPs re: KP meeting in Washington," Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, May 10, 2012, last accessed August 25, 2016)

  • "The year 2012 was an amazing year full of many successes in the campaign for the cultural boycott of Israel... The fall of South African apartheid was preceded by the movement by artists of conscience to boycott "Sun City." A similar anti-apartheid movement is rapidly growing; and musicians increasingly do not want to perform in Israel. The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, Habima, Batsheva, and the Cameri Theater continued to be sent to perform abroad as "cultural ambassadors" for Israel. This year people who oppose apartheid gathered in many cities to raise awareness of the complicity of these artists. Almost all Batsheva performances were protested. Demonstrations took place in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Italy, throughout the UK and in Edinburgh, Scotland.

    Looking ahead to 2013:... All artists are invited to respect the boycott..."

    (Excerpt from "2012 Summary of the Cultural Boycott of Israel", Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, January 1, 2013, last accessed August 15, 2016)

  • "The Israeli Embassy in Ireland will be hosting a state-sponsored 'Made in Israel' film and television festival. In line with the Palestinian call for a cultural boycott of Israel, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign will hold a silent vigil for Gaza outside the 'gala opening' at Cineworld on Parnell Street, Dublin 1 from 6pm – 7.30pm on Wednesday 4th December."

    (Excerpt from "Vigil for Gaza at the Gala Opening of the 'Made in Israel' film festival", Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, December 4, 2013)

  • "Send a message to your MEP to ask the EU representative at the Kimberley Process meeting in Washington on June 4th to call for a ban on Israeli diamonds that fund war crimes...It is important that we voice our concerns about the trade in diamonds from Israel that fund war crimes and crimes against humanity...Diamonds exported from Israel are therefore helping to fund gross human rights violations in Palestine as well as Israel's clandestine nuclear weapons programme."

    (Excerpt from "Israeli Blood Diamonds", Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, May 10, 2012, last accessed August 15, 2016)

  • "Israeli Apartheid Week is an annual international series of events held across the globe. The aim is to educate people about the nature of Israeli apartheid against the Palestinian people and to build the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement locally and globally. Last year, IAW took place in over 60 cities across the globe and this year the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign is proud to again host a series of events in Ireland."

    (Excerpt from "Israeli Apartheid Week 2012 (20 – 27 February)", Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, February 15, 2012, last accessed August 15, 2016)

  • "Mr Archbold concluded with a call for a boycott of Israel, "Just as Israel models itself on the old racist regime in South Africa, so too must we must model our response on the boycott policy that contributed so much to the ending of Apartheid."

    (Excerpt from "Petition: Thousands demand that Dunnes stop stocking Israeli goods" in Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, July 29, 2010, last accessed February 28, 2012)

Islamic Human Rights Commission, Accredited by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and with Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC
  • "The movement for freedom, justice and equality for Palestinians opposes Israel's occupation, colonization of Arab lands and its apartheid system.... This briefing has been written by and for BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] activists to explain how the charge of antisemitism applies to Zionism itself. Indeed, they are racist political twins... Zionism historically argued that antisemitism was inherent in non-Jews and thus would always persist.. Early Zionists accepted stereotypes commonplace at the time: that Jews, especially Eastern European Jews, were backward. They were seen as having become degenerate because they lacked a homeland, so settling Palestine would uplift and cleanse them. For example Pinhas Rosenbluth, later Israel's Justice Minister, wrote that Palestine was 'an institute for the fumigation of Jewish vermin'... Zionism has always depended on support from antisemitic elites...During the early stages of the Third Reich, moreover, the Nazis and Zionist organizations shared an outlook on Jewish separation... When Nazi Germany introduced antisemitic laws and promoted physical attacks on Jews, the Jewish diaspora in other countries organized an effective campaign for an international boycott...The Nazi regime's accomplice to beat the boycott was the World Zionist Organisation (WZO).... The Holocaust strengthened Zionist efforts to gain international support for a Jewish state in Palestine. Most Jewish refugees sought escape to Western Europe or the USA but were blocked by immigration controls – supported by Zionist organisations – and so migrated instead to Palestine. Zionist colonisation depended on racist institutions which still operate today... Zionist militias attacked Palestinian civilians during the 1940s until the 1948 declaration of independence for Israel. In 1947-48 this terror campaign led to the expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians from their homes. Several massacres panicked Palestinians to flee their homeland... Zionism sought to replace the indigenous population with colonial-settlers as the 'New Jew'... As in the 1930s, Zionism and racist Right-wing politics have continued to converge... Throughout Europe most major racist parties are antisemitic, Islamophobic and pro-Zionist... By claiming to be 'the State of the Jews', Israel implicates all Jews in Israel's wars, occupation, land thefts, expulsions and other crimes."

    (Excerpt from "Zionism and Antisemitism: Racist Political Twins – A J-BIG Briefing", Islamic Human Rights Commission, February 6, 2013)

  • "Hundreds of British nationals, including Muslims, civil and anti-war activists, and anti-Zionist Jews have taken part in the annual Al-Quds Day demonstration in London...The demonstrators gathered at Portland Place, outside BBC Radio theatre, to protest against the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Afterwards, demonstrators marched through central London to Trafalgar Square where they listened to speeches addressing the Palestinian issue...Demonstrators carried Palestinian and Hezbollah flags and various anti-Zionist placards reading "Zionism is racism", "freedom for Palestine", "end occupation", "end the killing", "end the Israeli Apartheid", "stop funding genocide", "right vs. might", "63 years of occupation must end", "silence is complicity" and "boycott Israel"...Moreover, the Pro-Palestinian demonstrators chanted: "we are all Hezbollah", "end the occupation now", "Zionism terrorism", "we are all Palestinians".

    (Excerpt from "Al-Quds Day demonstration in London" in Islamic Human Rights Commission, August 22, 2011)

  • "Most of the Israeli date crop – up to 80%, is exported, mainly to Europe where it has around 10% market share. In 2005, dates were Israel's leading fruit export. If you oppose the settlements target their dates...The Israelis prefer to employ children – even issuing them official work permits, as they can climb trees faster, work for less and it's easier to cheat and humiliate them."

    (Excerpt from "Boycott Israeli Dates this Ramadan", Islamic Human Rights Commission, October 16, 2010, last accessed July 13, 2016)

Jewish Voice for Peace, Accredited by UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  • "What is JVP's position on BDS?: The boycott/divestment/sanctions movement (BDS) encompasses a variety of tactics and targets. JVP rejects the assertion that BDS is inherently anti-Semitic...JVP defends activists' right to use the full range of BDS tactics..."

    (Excerpt from "Jewish Voice for Peace and BDS," Jewish Voice for Peace, undated, last accessed August 25, 2016)

National Lawyers Guild, Accredited by UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  • "On behalf of the National Lawyers Guild, we write in support of the lawsuit filed on November 29, 2011, against the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI) which seeks a judgment directing the SBI to divest from Israel Bonds."

    (Excerpt from "NLG Urges Minnesota to Divest from Israel Bonds," National Lawyers Guild, December 16, 2011, last accessed August 25, 2016)

Palestinian Return Centre, Accredited by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People

  • "Hundreds have demonstrated in Paris in protest against the Israeli occupation’s crimes against the Palestinian people."

    (Excerpt from Facebook post: “Hundreds have demonstrated in Paris in protest against the Israeli occupation’s crimes against the Palestinian people.” Palestinian Return Centre, October 28, 2022, last accessed November 22, 2022)
Palestine Solidarity Committee/South Africa, Accredited by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  • "The Palestine Solidarity Committee supports the international campaign to isolate the apartheid Israeli state - as apartheid South Africa was isolated by the international community. Consequently, the PSC supports the academic, consumer and cultural boycott of Israeli institutions, organisations and products."

    (Excerpt from "PSCSA Boycotts"; Palestine Solidarity Committee/South Africa, July 19, 2006)

Palestinian NGO Network, Accredited by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  • "The participants in the meeting stressed the need for Palestinian political forces and civil society organizations to formulate a common program that would include the following principles: ...Mobilising solidarity campaigns at the international level and demanding a full boycott, divestment and the imposition of sanctions against Israel, until it fully complies with its obligations under international law by ending its occupation, oppression and racial discrimination...Coordinating the efforts of Palestinian organizations that focus on Israeli violations of international law, with the objective of advocating a boycott against Israel... Demanding that the PLC drafts a special law on boycotting Israel and approaches international parliaments to push towards imposing sanctions on Israel, due to its flagrant and persistent violations of international law and international humanitarian law."

    (Excerpt from "A statement issued by Palestinian civil society organizations condemning Israel's War Crimes in Gaza and Lebanon," Statement issued at Palestinian NGO Network conference, July 17, 2006; Palestinian NGO Network)

Palestine Solidarity Campaign - United Kingdom, Accredited by UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People


(Excerpt from "Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS)," Palestine Solidarity Campaign – United Kingdom, last accessed August 24, 2016)

Palestine Solidarity Campaign Thailand, Accredited by UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  • "Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions

    "...We call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions because:
    Israel destroys Palestinian lives, livelihoods and homes daily, refuses to stop building its illegal settlements and apartheid wall on stolen land, continues to control Gaza while slicing the West Bank into Bantustans, denies Palestinian refugees their right to return, grows produce and sets up industrial zones on stolen Palestinian land, and operates an apartheid, racist system on both sides of the 'green line'.

    ... Here in Thailand we are trying to raise awareness among all people living in Thailand of the injustices in Palestine and the possibilities of BDS. We are also working on encouraging divestment among companies that use Israeli products."

    (Excerpt from "Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions", Palestine Solidarity Campaign Thailand, last accessed February 24, 2014)

Troicaire, Accredited by UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  • "...We therefore make the following recommendations:
    ...
    The EU must: Introduce an EU-wide ban on trade with Israeli settlements.

    While settlement imports continue:
    • There should be a legally enforceable requirement to mark the origin of all goods (including manufactured goods) originating in Israel, the settlements and occupied Palestinian territory.
    • The EU should revise the technical arrangement for customs with Israel, to introduce a more robust customs regime for settlements products, where the burden of proof for identifying settlement products is placed on the exporting country, Israel.
    • Official EU trade figures should differentiate between trade with the EU and Israel (within its recognised 1967 borders), and trade with the EU and the settlements.
    For the Irish and UK governments:
    • The Irish and UK governments should push within the EU for the introduction of an EU-wide trade ban on settlement produce.
    • The Irish and UK governments should demonstrate leadership by implementing individual member state bans on settlement produce.
    For retailers operating in Ireland:
    • Retailers should cease stocking goods from Israeli settlements.
    • Retailers should cease trading with any Israeli suppliers which source products from Israeli settlements..."

    (Excerpt from "Sustaining Injustice: EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian Territories," Troicaire, September 2012, last accessed March 21, 2017)

United Methodist Church - General Board of Global Ministries, Accredited with Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC and by UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Associated with DPI
  • "Coalition President Dimitri Diliani said that...if what Israel practices against Christians was practiced anywhere in the world against Jews, that place would be boycotted by the international community at once."

    (Excerpt from "Separation wall of Jerusalem breached" in the General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, undated; last accessed December 24, 2011)

US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Accredited by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People


    (Excerpt from "PETITION: Boycott HP, Technology of Israeli Apartheid!" U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, undated; last accessed on August 23, 2017)