We call upon the European Parliament in Brussels to take the moral leadership in the international fight against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which demonizes Israel and legitimizes anti-Israel rhetoric whilst advocating openly for Israel’s elimination.

In recent months, leaders from across the political spectrum, from the Liberal government of Canada to the Conservative government in Britain, have recognised  that boycotts against Israel are illegal under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and GATT agreements.  Moreover, the French High Court has decreed that BDS constitutes incitement to discrimination, hatred or violence against a person or group of persons because of their origin or their membership in an ethnic group, nation, a race, or religion.

“Now the time has come for the European Parliament to take one step further and condemn those acts that have historically preceded violence and pogroms; namely boycotts and the singling out of Jewish businesses, which today are organized under the banner of BDS,” said Tomas Sandell, Founding Director of the European Coalition for Israel. 

The words ‘NEVER AGAIN’ have to be followed by actions, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her speech at  the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) conference in Berlin in March. Surveys show that antisemitic incidents rise after BDS activities on university campuses and colleges. 

As citizens and organisations from many EU countries, we call upon the European Parliament to take a firm stand against BDS and make clear that discriminating against Israel is illegal and will not be tolerated by the EU.

Thank you.