Palestine: Boycott, Localism, and Global Activism

Abstract

The Palestinian campaign for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) vis-à-vis Israel has been the focus of intense debate. For Palestinians and their supporters it is an expression of non-violent action in pursuit of basic rights: for partisans of Israel it is often viewed as a manifestation of anti-Semitism and an attempt to promote “delegitimisation” of the Jewish state. This chapter addresses the origins of the BDS movement as a Palestinian initiative prompted by acute crisis within the national movement. Mobilising social movement theory, it examines the trajectory of BDS within global movements for social justice. It considers the response in Israel and the implications for wider public attitudes to the Israel-Palestine conflict.