Since Palestinians called for Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) in 2005, the movement has achieved significant successes at the local, national and global levels, bringing hope and renewal to the struggle for justice for all Palestinians.

The basic demand of BDS is that Israel ends its historical and ongoing oppression of Palestinians, and that all Palestinians are entitled to the same rights and dignity as the rest of humanity. The BDS call urges non-violent pressure on Israel until it complies with international law by ending its occupation of Palestinian territories, granting equal rights to Palestinian citizens of Israel and recognising the right of Palestinian refugees to return.

The thirtheen-year old movement, led by Palestinian civil society, has gathered support from organisations, grassroots groups, municipalities, university groups and citizens around the world, and with this global reach it is putting increasing pressure on Israel and on international complicity to end the ongoing oppression of Palestinians. However, the movement has also faced challenges, including Israel’s ongoing effort to criminalise BDS activism.

To discuss the historical roots of the BDS movement, its successes, challenges, tools and tactics, Cafe Palestine will welcome Ziyaad Yousef, who has coordinated BDS campaigns globally with the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC). To put BDS into local context, we will also welcome Fiona Ben Chekroun from Intal Globalize Solidarity who will tell us about the upcoming BDS campaign in Belgium in 2019-2020. As part of a European-wide campaign, Belgian activists will call the AXA financial and insurance group to withdraw its investment from the Israeli weapon firm “Elbit” and other companies who profit from the Israeli occupation.

Join us on Thursday 7 November at 19:00 in Café Boom (rue Plétinckx / Pletinckxstraat 7, 1000 Brussels).

The event will be in English | Free entrance.