A New Activists Network for the BDS Campaign

Over the weekend of the 2nd to 4th October an impressive gathering of 69 BDS activists from 12 different organizations in the UK, Ireland, Norway and France met at Wooler Youth Hostel in Northumberland to discuss the development of a more effective European BDS programme against Israel. The Northern Palestine Solidarity Network was one of the sponsoring organizations for this event, and members of its PSC branches were there in strength

Workshops on a wide range of BDS actions provided an opportunity for experienced campaigners to share their knowledge and experience with those new to BDS. Vital new links and relationships were forged over the residential weekend, definite plans for new collaborative campaign actions were made and the framework for a new activist network (The Boycot Israel network- BIN) was established to enable the work, begun at Wooler, to continue and expand.

Linda Tabar, representing PACBI, eloquently put the call from Palestinian Civil Society for a comprehensive boycott of all Israeli institutions and activities that support the Israeli apartheid state and it was unanimously agreed that determining how best to answer this call would be the objective of the weekend.

Discussion in the workshop sessions focussed on a wide range of possibilities for BDS action. Discussions covered boycott activities at supermarkets, both at national and street level and experiences and advice about direct action was shared. The whole group agreed on a number of collaborative projects, beginning with a nationwide week of action that would be focussed on selected specific retail stores. Discussions about complicit firms – Veolia, Eden Springs, Ahava, Agrexco etc - produced similar ideas and plans for future joint actions. This session benefited from the presence of an activist from the French Coalition against Agrexco who reported an action in Montpelier that involved over 1500 protestors. The need for urgent attention to the arms trade with Israel was highlighted, as was the significance of the diamond trade to the Israeli
economy.

Scottish PSC provided an invaluable insight into the history and current activities of the Jewish national Fund (JNF), which is a registered charity in the UK, and has a prodigious ability to raise funds apparently without check. Its significance and role in the establishment and maintenance of the racist state of Israel was discussed. A small research team was set up to investigate and analyse the JNF’s activities further and to identify ways to challenge its charitable status in the UK.

The session on the academic and cultural boycott included an in-depth analysis of the guidelines that were developed by PACBI and have been adopted by the PSC BDS Committee and the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine ( BRICUP). Members of the two committees described some practical examples of the implementation of the guidelines and discussed the occasional difficulties in interpretation and application that can occur in specific practical circumstances. These discussions are ongoing and will feature in future meetings.

The interaction between students, very effectively represented by a large Action Palestine contingent, was a major focus of the weekend. Strong connections were made between the participating organizations and the students. We anticipate that these connections will substantially increase the profile and impact of the BDS campaign on campuses around the country.

The final session focussed on the creation of a new communication network connecting all the organizations that are committed to working for BDS and wish to join in. It was agreed that the mechanism will be the minimum required to enable the network to function efficiently with minimal administrative effort. This will include regular workshops, the next one being planned for March 2010 at some location in the midlands.

Volunteers to set up the system were identified, as were individual representatives for each organization.

The weekend demonstrated the intention of a wide range of active and accomplished groups and individuals to work together to support and strengthen the efforts of the Palestinian people to end the military occupation and apartheid in their homeland.