BDS (Boycotts Divestment Sanctions ) Movement Toolkit

CONSUMER BOYCOTT - Individual consumers can show their opposition to Israel’s project by participating in a consumer boycott of Israeli goods and services. A consumer boycott works in two ways: firstly by generating bad publicity for the offender and secondly by applying economic pressure for change. Pressurise supermarkets and shops into removing goods of Israeli origin – from their shelves. Encourage companies who make use of Israeli technology and components to find alternatives and join the boycott. Focus the attention of the world on Israeli occupation and apartheid and expose those who bankroll the Israeli regime; and to foster an environment in which it is unacceptable to promote Israeli policies.

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ACADEMIC/CULTURAL BOYCOTT - Academic and cultural collaboration boosts Israel’s image on the international stage. By refusing to participate in cultural exchange, artists and cultural institutions globally can send a clear message to Israel that theiroccupation and discrimination against Palestinians is unacceptable. In particular, the academic boycott can have significant impact on the establishment that is responsible for promoting theories and knowledge necessary for the pursuit of Israeli policies of occupation and discrimination.

SPORTS BOYCOTT - To stop Israel from promoting itself as a “fair player” via the participation of its sporting teams and individuals in international and bilateral competitions and to raise public awareness about discrimination and occupation of Palestinians. Exclude Israel from sporting events and within global competitions such as the World Cup, Olympics etc. Promote Palestinian presence and right to participate in international sporting events as a way to support their right to identity and self-determination.

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DIVESTMENT Encourage and pressure individuals, financial institutions and companies to shed their investments in Israel in order to curb the profits of Israel’s war and apartheid economy. To raise awareness about Israel’s policies and true nature among companies, and encourage them to use their economic influence to put pressure on Israel to end the discrimination and expulsion of the Palestinian people and the occupation of their land.

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COOPERATION AGREEMENT SANCTIONS
The campaign against cooperation agreements with Israel targets free or preferential trade agreements, joint research and development agreements and projects as well any other sort of bilateral or multilateral agreements forged by Israel.
Aims
• Ensuring that Israel is not rewarded for its crimes with preferential treatments
• Curbing Israeli profits from its apartheid and occupation policies
• Acting as targeted sanctions, the end of cooperation agreements paves the way for a full scale sanctions regime
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT SANCTIONS
Action at the level of local and regional governments aims to cut all ties between municipalities or regional councils and Israel at cultural, economic, and diplomatic levels. This can be achieved by passing measures or resolutions targeting Israeli produce, institutional ties and cooperation or investments and bonds the local government may hold in Israel.
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MILITARY SANCTIONS
Raise awareness among the general public about Israel’s extensive involvement in the arms trade and the role of the arms trade in the continuing occupation. Bring the debate about Israel´s nuclear and conventional weapons arsenal and its criminal use as well as the implications of arms trading with Israel into the mainstream of public debate. Pressure governments to implement a blanket arms embargo on Israel. Bring forward legal prosecutions of Israel’s war criminals and arms traders and companies supporting Israeli war crimes.
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TRADE UNION BOYCOTT
A trade union boycott of Israel means that trade unions cut economic, social and political ties with Israel and build ties with Palestinian unions. Trade unions should respond to the BDS call that has, among others, been put forward by the major Palestinian trade unions. Palestinian workers are suffering under Israeli apartheid policies of exploitation that aim to bring in the profits necessary to maintain the occupation. Trade unions globally must transform workers solidarity into practice and ensure that they are not indirectly providing financial support to the Occupation by propping up the Israeli economy