Over the past several years, a number of psychologists and psychological organizations have written and/or endorsed statements supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) of Israel. 

Isolation and Punishment

The BDS campaign against Israel demonizes Israel in order to turn it into an isolated, pariah state—separating Israel’s government, businesses, universities, and people from their partners abroad. In addition, BDS aims to punish all Israeli academic, cultural, and civil society institutions, as well as individual Israeli citizens. 

Demonize and Delegitimize

BDS’s explicit goal is the elimination of the world’s only Jewish state. Social media campaigns have been employed to demonize and delegitimize Israel by spreading falsehoods and disinformation under the guise of social justice when, in fact, Israel is a thriving, pluralistic democracy. Endorsement of BDS represents a double standard as it singles out Israel for boycotts while ignoring countries and governments with flagrant human rights violations. BDS prioritizes blaming Israel instead of uplifting Palestinians, opposes coexistence, and discourages negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. 

Violation of Ethical Principles

Psychologist’s support for BDS clearly violates the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles, including but not limited to, the Principles of Integrity, Justice, and Respect for People’s Rights and Dignity, and the Ethical Standards of Boundaries of Competence, Unfair Discrimination, Harassment, and Cooperation with Other Professionals.

Hostility and Violence

Supporting BDS creates a hostile and unsafe environment for psychologists, psychology students, trainees, clients, and community members of all political persuasions, religions, and ethnicities. Antisemitic violence has increased on campuses that pass BDS resolutions. 

Marginalization and Exclusion

Jewish psychologists, students, trainees, and their allies have been marginalized and silenced as support for BDS has become a test of one’s progressive beliefs. Moreover, institutional support for BDS has resulted in Israeli scholars and universities losing funding and research opportunities, and has negatively impacted faculty and students who wish to study in Israel or work with their Israeli colleagues. Israeli and Jewish scholars have been excluded from leadership positions and awards, and their work has been erased simply because of their ethnic, religious, and/or political affiliations.

Support for BDS is antithetical to the practice of inclusion, equity, and justice and the mission of psychologists to help others and do no harm. Therefore, we urge all psychology associations and organizations to unequivocally condemn any and all support for Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS) of Israeli individuals, organizations, and institutions. 

Please join your colleagues by signing and sharing in support of this statement.

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