About BDS
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian civil society-led movement for freedom, justice and equality which upholds the simple principle that Palestinians have the same rights as the rest of humanity.
Israel has illegally occupied and colonised Palestinian land since 1948, discriminating against Palestinian citizens of Israel and denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes from which they were forcibly expelled. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS call urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law.
BDS is a global movement made up of unions, academic associations, churches and grassroots movements across the world. Launched in 2005, it is having an ever-larger impact and is effectively challenging international support for Israeli apartheid, settler-colonialism and now genocide.
Ongoing injustice
For close to 80 years, Israel has denied Palestinians their fundamental rights and has refused to comply with international law.
Israel maintains a regime of settler colonialism, apartheid and occupation over the Palestinian people, which is only possible because of international support. Governments fail to hold Israel to account and provide it with diplomatic cover, while corporations and institutions across the world help Israel to oppress Palestinians.
Because those in power refuse to act to stop this injustice, Palestinian civil society has called for a global citizens’ response of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality.
What are Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions?
B is for BOYCOTT: Boycotts involve withdrawing support from Israel’s apartheid regime, complicit Israeli sporting, cultural and academic institutions, and all Israeli and international companies engaged in violating Palestinian human rights.
D is for DIVESTMENT: These campaigns urge banks, local councils, churches, pension funds and universities to withdraw investments from the state of Israel and all Israeli and international companies which support the occupation regime.
S is for SANCTIONS: Such campaigns pressure governments to fulfil their legal obligation to hold Israel accountable, e.g. by ending military trade, free-trade agreements and expelling Israel from international forums like the UN and FIFA.
How can I get involved?
Everyone can play a part in the Boycott campaign locally, by boycotting Israeli products when they see them – and urging shops not to stock them. This BDS Movement article contains lots of useful information about how the Boycott campaign works.
In light of Israel’s appalling ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Boycott campaign is really gaining traction. This was most recently evidenced by the decision of Co-op members at their AGM in June 2025 to implement a Boycott of Israeli goods.
What’s happening in Brighton & Hove?
BHPSC has actively promoted the BDS call for many years and regularly campaigns around the city on the issue. Recent targets include Barclays Bank, Puma and Waitrose supermarket on Western Road (below).
Divestment campaigns by necessity usually involve mass mobilisations, pressuring organisations to withdraw their investments from complicit companies. Locally, a campaign is building to demand that East Sussex County Council divests its multi-million pension fund investments from companies complicit in Israel’s apartheid and genocide. Watch this space for updates!
