Why I Support the BDS Movement Against Israel
The Palestinians are poor. They are powerless. They have no voice or
influence in the halls of power. They are demonized. They do not have
well-heeled lobbyists doling out campaign contributions and pushing
through pro-Palestinian legislation. No presidential candidate is
appealing to donors—as Hillary Clinton did when she sent a letter to media mogul Haim Saban
denouncing critics of Israel—by promising to advance the interests of
the Palestinian people. Palestinians, like poor people of color in the
United States, are expendable.
Justice for Palestine will never come from the traditional
governmental institutions or political parties that administer power.
These institutions have surrendered to moneyed interests. Justice will
come only from us. And the sole mechanism left to ensure justice for
Palestine is the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement
against Israel. Sanctions brought down the apartheid regime of South
Africa. And they are what will bring down the apartheid regime of
Israel. BDS is nonviolent. It appeals to conscience. And it works.
Smoke and fire from an Israeli strike rise over Gaza City in July 2014. (Hatem Moussa / AP )
