Publicerad 2018-01-09, uppdaterad 2019-04-23
Israel blacklists 20 solidarity organizations, whose members will be denied entrance to Israel and consequently to Palestine. The Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden (PGS) is one of the organizations, along with, among others, Jewish Voice for Peace, American Friends Service Committee (Quakers) in the USA and the Palestine Committee of Norway. The stated reason is their support for BDS.
Entrance denial means, in addition, that PGS cannot visit the child and youth organizations with which we cooperate with in the West Bank. We will thereby not be able to monitor the projects that have received Swedish governmental support. In order to get to the West Bank and Gaza we have to travel via Israel. Even the Palestinian borders to Jordan are controlled by Israel.
This is a means by which Israel attempts to limit the international solidarity movement that supports the Palestinian struggle for independence and human rights. Israel directs significant resources towards limiting the boycott movement, which is rapidly expanding and developing around the world. Companies remove their investments, many people refuse to buy Israeli products, and artists will no longer perform there.
In 2005, 170 Palestinian civil society organizations launched the BDS call, encouraging global support of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel until the occupation ceases. BDS is a non-violent method in the struggle for a free Palestine and just peace. The movement emanates from international law and gathers inspiration from the struggle against apartheid in South Africa where boycott was an important part of the resistance and global solidarity. For The Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden supporting BDS is obvious.
Israel is welcomed in international settings and has beneficial cooperation with, among others, the EU. For Israel to blacklist democratic organizations that strive for international law and human rights is completely unacceptable.
The Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden urges other solidarity organizations and the Swedish government to immediately work against travel limitations to Israel and effectively to Palestine.
The full list: France-Palestine Solidarity Association, BDS France, BDS Italy, The European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, The Palestine Committee of Norway, Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, War on Want, BDS Kampagne, American Friends Service Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, Code Pink, Jewish Voice for Peace, National Students for Justice in Palestine, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, BDS Chile, BDS South Africa, BDS National Committee