BDS

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement, colloquially the BDS Movement, is a Palestinian-led global campaign seeking political activism against Israel for "occupying and colonizing Palestinian land, discriminating against Palestinian citizens of Israel and denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes." The movement, which takes its cues from the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, was created in 2005 as calls grew in the international community to pressure Israel on behalf of the Palestinian cause. It is often criticized for being antisemitic in its opposition to Zionism and promoting the de-ligitimization of Israel and denying the country its right to exist and self-determination. Movement goals The BDS Movement calls for non-violent yet punishing measures against Israel until it ends what is seen as an occupation of rightfully Palestinian territory and a dismantlement of the West Bank separation barrier. BDS also pushes for full equality of Palestinians and the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes in accordance with United Nations Resolution 194, adopted December 11, 1948. The movement uses protests and cultural boycotts to target Israeli businesses in the West Bank or events with connects to Israel. BDS is a key player in the international Israeli Apartheid Week, a series of lectures and rallies across college campuses against Israeli activity in the West Bank. BDS supporters have successfully gotten some artists from cancelling concerts in Israel, even when the concerts were not scheduled to take place in the West Bank. In addition, business boycotts are a common tactic employed by the movement, targeting Israeli businesses, notably the soft drink company SodaStream and Israeli banks Bank Hapoalim and Bank Leumi. Supporters are urged to refrain from buying goods or using services from Israeli companies or from companies which do business in Israel. Criticism Multiple organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, classify the BDS movement as antisemitic, citing the double standards Israel is held to that apply to no other country in the world. Other claims of antisemitism highlight that BDS supporters engage in antisemitic activity and deny Israel's right to self-determination. Critics also point out BDS closely parallels the Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses in the era right before World War II. Critics also note that the calls to boycott Israeli businesses, which themselves employ Palestinian workers, inadvertently harm Palestinians, the people the BDS movement claims to support. The European Union has expressed opposition to the boycott of Israel, and motions have been passed across the world condemning the movement. A non-binding motion in Ontario, Canada called to "reject the 'differential treatment' of Israel by the BDS movement," while 21 states in the United States have passed anti-BDS laws. French anti-hate speech law has been used against BDS activists. Support BDS enjoys endorsements from the African National Congress and branches of the Green Party in England, Wales, Scotland and Canada. Pink Floyd musician Roger Waters is a noted supporter of the BDS movement, as are Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu and novelist Alice Walker.

Are the new sanctions a threat to Israel's economy, or just election season theater?

JPost editor-in-chief Zvika Klein and Deep Dive's host Jacob Laznik break down the UK-led move, Israel's diplomatic counter-punch, and what it means with the election weeks away.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2026|ByJERUSALEM POST PODCASTS

The new 9/11 Memorial Wall is seen at One Police Plaza in New York, on September 9, 2026.

Twenty-five years after 9/11: Looking back at the 'Before Times' for American Jewry

Despite the conspiracy theories that tried to pin the attacks on Israelis and Jews, the dominant narrative was that Israel and the United States were engaged in battle against a common enemy.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2026|ByANDREW SILOW-CARROLL/JTA

Azealia Banks performs at O2 Academy Brixton in London, England.

From 'F*** Israel' to a return to Tel Aviv: Azealia Banks schedules third Israeli concert

Banks’ relationship with the country has been highly publicized, erratic, and deeply polarized: Banks first stood up to the BDS movement in 2018 ahead of an early Tel Aviv show.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2026|ByTZUF TZIMERING, JERUSALEM POST STAFF

A man passes by an Israeli flag and a supermarket wall painted in the Jewish settlement of Karnei Shomron on September 9, 2026 in Karnei Shomron, West Bank.

'Not as bad as it sounds': Former attaché downplays UK-led settlement boycott impact

"Beyond the diplomatic steps Israel took yesterday - which I think were spot on - Israel also has economic leverage. Trade between Israel and the UK is roughly balanced," said Shmuel Ben-Tovim.

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CUNY ordered to disclose all investments in companies with alleged ties to Israel

CUNY agreed to a settlement and to provide all its stock and bond holdings for every fiscal year since January 2020. This is to be done within the next 15 days.

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Ireland's new €53m. jet may struggle in fog as government rejects Israeli-made landing system

Ireland’s new government jet was purchased without FalconEye, an Elbit co-developed system that helps aircraft land in fog, despite officials denying any operational limits.

AUGUST 4, 2026ByJAMES GENN

Ireland's new government jet, which lacks the Elbit-manufactured FalconEye technology that allows it to land in fog.

'Queers for Palestine' and the intersectionality trap fueling antisemitism - analysis

How a theory of overlapping oppression became, for some, a framework for anti-Israel activism

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Protesters in France hold a sign that reads FEMINISTS AND QUEER PEOPLE STAND WITH GAZA during the 2026 Suburban Pride which took place in Aubervilliers in support of LGBTQ people in working class neighborhoods in June.

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High Court urges int'l aid groups to drop petitions challenging Israel’s refusal to register them

The petitions concerned the registration framework through which international humanitarian organizations receive recommendations for visas and work permits for their foreign employees.

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British lawmakers press government for immediate ban on Israeli West Bank settlement imports

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Member of Parliament Abtisam Mohamed looks on on the day Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a ministerial statement on Hamas' October 7 attack anniversary and the Middle East at the House of Commons, in London, Britain, October 7, 2024.

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Dinaw Mengestu attends the PEN America 2026 Spring Literary Gala at American Museum of Natural History on May 14, 2026 in New York City.

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