BDS roundup: The victories of 2012

Boycott actions and victories took place across the globe in 2012. 

Nedal Eshtayah APA images

2012: A year of BDS successes

Worldwide: From Glasgow to Cairo, Jerusalem to Olympia, activists tirelessly campaigned on behalf of the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement to hold Israel accountable for its ongoing human rights violations.

Here’s a look back at The Electronic Intifada’s coverage of the significant BDS victories of 2012.

January:

February:

  • US singer/songwriter Cat Power canceled her performance in Israel.

  • In Canada, the University of Regina’s student body adopted a BDS motion “as a means of pressuring Israel to comply with international and human rights law.”

  • US jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson canceled her performance in Holon. She announced, “as a human rights activist, I identify with the cultural boycott of Israel.”

  • Israeli cosmetics company Ahava — which pillages resources from the Dead Sea in the occupied West Bank, and produces the cosmetics in an illegal settlement colony while labeling them as “made in Israel” — was de-shelved across Japan. DaitoCrea, the Japanese distributor for Ahava’s cosmetics line, announced that they would immediately stop carrying Ahava products because of that company’s fraudulent labeling policy.

  • A judge threw out a lawsuit by Israel lobby group against Olympia Food Co-op in Washington, US, protecting the co-op’s decision not to carry Israeli products and uphold the boycott.

March:

April:

May:

June:

July:

August:

September:

October:

November:

December:

More BDS successes and activism can be found on this excellent, comprehensive list compiled by Don’t Play Apartheid Israel, which readers are encouraged to check out.

The year 2012 saw significant growth of the Palestinian-led boycott movement and 2013 will surely and steadily build upon these victories worldwide.

Please keep us informed of your BDS actions by emailing us at info@electronicintifada.net.

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Comments

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Thank you so much for sharing this information. If I reference your name and publication, would you allow me to use the info to write a letter to VT colleges, and others?

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El 2013 continua la CAMPAÑA BDS.
Publiquen los nombres de los NIÑOS MÁRTIRES DE PALESTINA, que sus nombres se expandan por toda la tierra.
SALUDOS Y MIL BENDICIONES FRATERNAS A PALESTINA.
El retorno.
P.D. Incluyan la traducción en castellano, si fuera posible.

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Worth a mention are the protests and disruptions of the Israeli Batsheva Dance Group performances by the 'Don't Dance with Israeli Apartheid' alliance at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland in August 2012.
This brought public support from the Scottish National poet Liz Lochhead and generated publicity in the press, radio and TV.
A great event for the cultural boycott of 'Brand Israel' and it continued in October and November throughout the UK when Batsheva returned to tour.

Marvellous to read this list though, so many victories across the world.

Nora Barrows-Friedman

Nora Barrows-Friedman's picture

Nora Barrows-Friedman is a staff writer and associate editor at The Electronic Intifada, and is the author of In Our Power: US Students Organize for Justice in Palestine (Just World Books, 2014).