Jewish voices, in Israel and elsewhere, supporting the BDS movement

European Jews for a Just Peace

Network organisation of Jewish European peace groups: Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Near East – Austria; Union des Progressistes Juifs de Belgique; European Jews for a Just Peace Denmark; Union Juive Francaise pour la paix; Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in Middle East – Germany; Network of Jews Against Occupation - Italy; A Different Jewish Voice – Netherlands; Jews for Israeli-Palestinian Peace – Sweden; Jewish Socialists' Group - United kingdom; Jews for Justice for Palestinians - United kingdom

"The time has come to translate our criticism of and opposition to the Israeli governments and policies into effective, non-violent actions like the BDS campaign. While the effect may seem symbolic in the first instance, such actions will activate a citizen base which will put pressure on the EU and national governments and Israeli society and government."

http://jipf.nu/ejjp/ejjps-bds-deklaration

American Jews for a Just Peace

An alliance of activists in the United States

"American Jews for a Just Peace believes that the power of moral suasion alone will not alter the facts on the ground in modern day Israel and what is left of Palestine. The Israeli state's inexorable march toward the obliteration of the Palestinian nation within the borders of historic Palestine is nearly complete, and no amount of rhetoric, good intentions, and pleas alone will alter that fact.

"In light of this reality, and of the tragic, inhumane, and illegal siege of Gaza and occupation of the West Bank, AJJP joins and endorses the call from Palestinian Civil Society to mount a global campaign of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel. We do this in the same spirit that the people and nations of the planet united to end the apartheid regime in South Africa, by applying non-violent economic sanctions of such magnitude that the offending state has no alternative for its economic survival other than to end its inhumane and unjust practices. We believe there is no one way to engage in boycott, divestment, and sanction practices and that the range of potentially effective actions is limited only by the imagination and commitment of those who advance their strategies and call."

http://www.ajjp.org/about

Independent Jewish Voices (Canada)

A group of Jews in Canada

"Whereas there will be no lasting peace without implementation of international law, United Nations resolutions and respect for the human rights of both Palestinians and Jewish-Israelis [...] Therefore be it resolved that Independent Jewish Voices will [...] Support the Palestinian call for a campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and complies with the precepts of international law, including the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194."

http://ijvcanada.org/ijv-vji-statements-enonces/communique-de-presse/ijv-votes-to-support-palestinian-call-for-bds/

Breaking the Law of Return

Over 100 Jews from the United States

"Today there is a growing transnational movement for boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel, called for by Palestinian civil society and supported by activists, artists, and academics around the world, including an increasing number of conscientious Israelis. As part of this campaign, we pledge to boycott the “law of return.” As an act of political and ideological divestment, we repudiate the claims the State of Israel makes on us as potential citizens."

http://usacbi.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/breaking-the-law-of-return/

Naomi Klein

Canadian award-winning journalist, syndicated columnist, author

"There is a debate among Jews [...] about whether the lesson of the Holocaust should be 'never again to anyone', or 'never again to us.' […] it is precisely because of what we experienced as Jews that we must denounce racism, denounce systems of segregation wherever they crop up, even and especially when they crop up amongst our own."

" [..] part of the reason why there is so little interest in peace within Israel - [there are] two reasons: one is the fact that it is possible to live a relatively normal, fun life in Israel; and the other is that Israeli companies are not feeling the pinch from war."

" […] Everything would be fine if we used words that barely register and tactics that barely worked... But we are here to reject that. We are here to use language that resonates and reaches people. And we want to use tactics that actually work."

http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/465

Judith Butler

American post-structuralist feminist philosopher

"The idea is that we cannot participate in cultural institutions that act as if there is no occupation or that refuse to take a clear and strong stand against the occupation and dedicate their activities to its undoing".

"One cannot 'set aside' the radical impoverishment, the malnutrition, the limits on mobility […] the exercise of state violence in both Gaza and the West Bank and talk about other matters in public [when visiting Israel]. If one were to talk about other matters, then one is actively engaged in producing a limited public sphere of discourse which has the repression and, hence, continuation of violence as its aim."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1152018.html

Sarah Schulman

Novelist and Professor in the City University of New York

"In November 2009 I had the honor of being invited to keynote the Tel Aviv LGBT studies conference, and very much wanted to attend. However, when I learned that it was being held at Tel Aviv University, I decided to instead go on a solidarity visit to anti-Occupation venues in Israel as well as meeting with Palestinian LGBT groups in the West Bank. LGBT audiences came to alternative venues to speak with me, so I was able to dialogue with queer audiences without undermining the Boycott. Although it took a lot of conversation and thought before I decided to participate in Boycott in this way, the trip convinced me that this was the right decision.

"LGBT people in Israel and Palestine are deeply involved in the anti-occupation movement, and they need and want our support of Boycott and Sanctions. I participated in a demonstration against the Wall in Bilin, and easily half of the Israelis supporting the Palestinian villagers were queer. The "Boycott Me" movement among Israeli academics is growing. I met with two different Palestinian LGBT organizations who clearly articulate the relationship between LGBT liberation and the Boycott and want and need our help. Economic pressure - on the model of the South Africa Divestment Movement- is the primary popular strategy for change in Israel and Palestine. American students are now increasingly involved in getting their schools to divest, and the LGBT community can be a dynamic force in this effort. Through conversation and thought, the LGBT community will expand our freedom visions to include Palestinians human rights."

Invincible

Detroit based Hip-Hop artist

"Israel– you should be ashamed \ Kill and maim 1,000's of civilians in our name \ Claim you hitting terrorists but children in your aim \ Even murder relief workers blood spilling from they brain \ While they tried to drive the ambulance, damn they couldn't stand a chance \ Even bomb students, hospitals, mosques, Rafah, and Khan Yunis \ Shot em in the back like the cops to Oscar Grant… \ And in each case the good ol' united states sponsored that \ 7 million a day that we pay tax and AIPAC's lobbyists is robbin us \ Sometimes it feels like they're ain't no stopping this \ BUT now no body can deny it cuz you made it too obvious \ Naked truth exposed like the emperor's clothes \ The struggles getting hotter and the temperature rose \ Since 1948 when you formed the state \ Palestinian people still defending their homes \ They aint been surrendering, NO \ Boycott Divest and Sanction..."

"The Emperor's Clothes" http://emergencemedia.org/node/118

BOYCOTT! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within

Over 100 Israeli citizens and residents

"We, Palestinians, Jews, citizens of Israel, join the Palestinian call for a BDS campaign against Israel, inspired by the struggle of South Africans against apartheid [...] We stand against all forms of racism and oppression, and support and encourage BDS actions as a legitimate political activity and a necessary a means of non-violent resistance."

http://boycottisrael.info/node/2/

Rachel Giora

Israeli feminist and Professor of Linguistics

"I am writing to express my support of your actions toward helping the boycott movement become engulfing and effective [...] In light of Israel's widely documented disregard for international laws exercised in our area for so many years, culminating in two recent wars against civilians in Lebanon and Gaza, it is left for us citizens of the world to attempt to hold up a mirror to Israel's real face in the hope that it will give it a chance to choose justice and peace over occupation."

http://www.bricup.org.uk/documents/israel_unis/Giora.pdf

Udi Aloni

Israeli-American film maker

"The aforementioned violations of human rights are precisely the reason why many Jews all over the world have joined the BDS campaign, a key issue for those of us who are trying to prevent violence against Israel while simultaneously countering its arrogant and aggressive policies against the Palestinians living under its rule."

"The most provably-effective form of pressure known to us so far is BDS. Thus, BDS action does not amount to negative, counter-productive action, as many propagandists try to portray it. On the contrary, BDS action is a life-saving antidote to violence. It is an action of solidarity, partnership and joint progress. BDS action serves to preempt, in a non-violent manner, justified violent resistance aimed at attaining the same goals of justice, peace and equality."

http://usacbi.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/udi-aloni-why-we-support-the-non-violent-bds-movement/

Ilan Pappe

Israeli-British Professor of History

"We should not tire from mentioning the alternative in the 21st century: BDS -- Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions -- as an emergency measure -- far more effective and far less violent -- in opposing the present destruction of Palestine. And at the same time talk openly, convincingly and efficiently, of creating the geography of peace."

http://www.arabworldbooks.com/arab/ilanpappe.htm

Michel Warschawski

Israeli Journalist, writer, founder of the Alternative Information Center (AIC)

"The BDS campaign was initiated by a broad coalition of Palestinian political and social movements. No Israeli who claims to support the national rights of the Palestinian people can, decently, turns it back to that campaign: after having claimed for years that “armed struggle is not the way”, it will be outrageous that this strategy too will be disqualified by those Israeli activists. On the contrary, we have all together to join “Boycott from within” in order to provide an Israeli backup to that Palestinian initiative. It is the minimum we can do, it is the minimum we should do."

http://ijvcanada.org/israel/yes-to-bds-an-answer-to-uri-avnery/