Boycott
Boycott Israeli products, companies, and cultural and academic institutions that are complicit in violations of Palestinian rights.
How can you boycott?
Consumer boycott is a high priority for BDS. Everyone can take part in boycotting Israeli products.
Familiarise yourself with the specific priority boycott targets here.
If you are unsure whether a specific product comes from Israel, you can check it on Gaza.nu.
The BDS boycott strategy
Boycott is an effective way to put pressure on a country, its companies and institutions in order to achieve change.
It is an important principle that boycott campaigns should be directed at priority targets. This way the campaigns have a greater effect and a longer lifespan.
When BDS selects companies for boycott campaigns, the movement particularly considers:
Complicity
Companies that directly or indirectly contribute to violations of Palestinian rights. This includes, among others, companies in the arms industry, or that support the occupation through the supply of equipment, oil or gas.
Convergence
Campaigns are prioritised if the companies are already criticised by other movements for, for example, climate impact or poor working conditions. This increases the pressure on companies such as Amazon.
Visibility
Well-known international brands often receive more media attention and are therefore obvious targets. This includes HP, Siemens, Microsoft, Amazon, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Ahava and SodaStream.
Results
Boycott campaigns must achieve results, and can last for years. Companies such as Puma and Carrefour are examples of campaigns where sustained pressure has had an effect.
When large companies withdraw, it can influence other companies to do the same. The goal is to create a chain reaction in which companies avoid cooperation with Israel out of concern for their reputation.
Categories of boycott targets
BDS divides boycott targets into three categories:
Priority boycott targets
A complete boycott of these brands, carefully selected because of each company’s documented complicity in Israeli apartheid.
Organic boycott targets
These boycott campaigns have arisen in various contexts, but are actively supported.
Pressure targets
These targets should be boycotted when reasonable alternatives exist. It can also take the form of pressure through lobbying, peaceful disruption, social media pressure, strategic litigation, etc.
An Israeli company can only avoid boycott if it:
- Demonstrably is not involved in occupation, apartheid or settlements.
- Publicly recognises Palestinians’ rights under international law, especially refugees’ right to return (UN Resolution 194).
No Israeli companies meet both requirements, and therefore a boycott of all Israeli companies is encouraged.
