The Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions Campaign National Committee (BNC)

The broad consensus among Palestinian civil society about the need for a broad and sustained Campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) resulted in the Palestinian Call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel that was launched in July 2005 with the initial endorsement of over 170 Palestinian organizations. The signatories to this call represent the three major components of the Palestinian people: the refugees in exile, Palestinians under occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the subjugated Palestinian citizens of the Israeli state.

The efforts to coordinate the BDS campaign, that began to grow rapidly since the 2005 call was made public, culminated in the first Palestinian BDS Conference held in Ramallah in November 2007. Out of this conference emerged the BDS National Committee (BNC) as a coordinating body for the BDS campaign within Palestine. The goals of the BNC are:

• To strengthen and spread the culture of Boycott as a central form of civil resistance to Israeli occupation and apartheid;
• To formulate strategies and programs of action in accordance with the 9 July 2005 Palestinian Civil Society Call for BDS;
• To form the Palestinian reference point for BDS campaigns worldwide;
• To form the national reference point for the anti-normalization campaigns within Palestine;
• To coordinate the various BDS campaign efforts in all locations;
• To organize a yearly conference of the organizations and initiatives involved in the BDS campaign.

The tasks of the BNC include:

• Campaigning & Awareness Raising, both within Palestine, and by preparing and disseminating resources to campaigns worldwide;
• Holding Conferences & Training local activists and organizations on BDS campaign work;
• International Advocacy, aimed at developing a clear official Palestinian position adopting the BDS campaign, as well as monitoring and confronting international efforts towards normalization with the apartheid regime;
• Rapid Response to projects and initiatives that have normalization with the apartheid regime as their declared or implicit goal, as well as setting clear standards through which initiatives and projects can be assessed;
• Coordinating the BDS Campaign in Arab countries;
• Support & Encouragement for BDS initiatives worldwide;
• Activating & Operating the BDS campaign website (www.bdsmovement.net);
• Media Advocacy and Campaign Materials aimed at disseminating and raising awareness about the importance and development of the BDS movement in Palestine and worldwide;
• Developing and pushing forward the BDS campaign goals, strategies and tactics in accordance with the 2005 Palestinian Civil Society call for BDS.

The current members of the BNC are:

Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO)
Occupied Palestine and Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI)
Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (Stop the Wall)
Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
Ittijah: Union of Arab Community Based Associations
Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine
Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU)
General Union of Palestinian Workers
Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition
Federation of Unions of Palestinian Universities' Professors and Employees
General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW)
Charitable Organizations Union
Independent Federation of Unions – Palestine (IFU)
Palestinian Farmers Union (PFU)
National Committee for the Commemoration of the Nakba
Civil Coalition for Defending the Palestinians' Rights in Jerusalem