To say the BDS movement is anti-Semitic is a like saying Italian food is Italian. The whole point of the BDS movement is anti-Antisemitism.
BDS stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. It is a Palestinian led movement intent on bringing international pressure against Israel by boycotts of all things Israeli – cultural, academic, and financial.
By Divestment – urging banks, pension funds, universities, and all financial institutions to withdraw investments from the State of Israel.
By sanctions – campaigns to pressure governments to sanction Israel by banning all forms of business with Israel, ending military trade and free trade agreements, and suspending Israel’s membership in international forums such as the UN and FIFA.
The BDS movement clearly stands in solidarity with the Palestinians. In an interview, Omar Barghouti, a leading BDS spokesman, was asked if their intent means that Jews cannot have their own state, he said, “Not in Palestine.” The word Palestine refers to the entire area of Israel and the Palestinian territories.
While leaders of the BDS movement insist it is not anti-Semitic, many Israelis and international Jews say it is, using the “three-D test” to differentiate reasonable criticism of Israel from anti-Antisemitism.
The three-D test: does the criticism de-legitimize Israel, does it apply a double standard, does the criticism demonize Israel?
The BDS movement does all three, its critics say. By questioning Israel’s right to exist, it delegitimizes the State of Israel. A double standard is applied when Israel is singled out for its treatment of its Arab citizens when minorities in many countries, including Arab, and including Palestinian areas, suffer far more. BDS supporters also demonize Israel when they make declarations such as, “Israel is a great danger to humanity.” At the same time, many Palestinian Arabs call for the annihilation of Jews in Palestine.
Is the BDS movement anti-Zionist? Unequivocally yes. BDS leader, Omar Barghouti said, “A Jewish state in Palestine in any shape or form cannot but contravene the basic rights of the indigenous Palestinian population and perpetuate a system of racial discrimination that ought to be opposed categorically.”
The BDS movement rejects Israel’s right to exist, it encourages Palestinians to demand the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their land before the 1948 war of independence, which Israel would never accept. It pressures only one side to make concessions and discourages any bridge building efforts between Palestinians and Israelis so as not to “normalize” Israel. All such positions are counterproductive to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Legislatures in at least 35 states have passed laws and executive orders designed to discourage government agencies from contracting with or investing in companies that support the BDS movement. Many such laws have passed with wide bi-partisan support.
By Pastor Rich Jones
