BDS is free speech, says Dutch government

An activist holds a sign calling for the boycott of Israel during a demonstration marking the 68th year of the Nabka, the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, in Berlin, Germany, on 15 May.
Anne Paq ActiveStills

The Netherlands has affirmed that activism calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions on Israel is a form of free speech.

In response to parliamentary questions from Green Left MP Rik Grashoff, Dutch foreign minister Bert Koenders said that “statements or meetings concerning BDS are protected by freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, as enshrined in the Dutch constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.”

Koenders also said that the Dutch government regularly discusses BDS with Israel and makes clear to Israel that it “opposes a boycott of Israel, but that endorsing BDS falls under freedom of expression.”

The Dutch foreign minister’s comments are a serious blow to Israel’s relentless efforts to criminalize BDS and silence supporters of Palestinian rights.

At Israel’s urging, governments in the US, UK, France, Canada and elsewhere are introducing anti-democratic legislation and taking other repressive measures to undermine the BDS movement.

Israel recently imposed a de facto travel ban on BDS campaign co-founder and Palestinian human rights defender Omar Barghouti and it seems intent on revoking his residency.

Israel has also said that it is using its intelligence services to spy on BDS activists overseas.

The Dutch government’s statement also comes as lawmakers in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, last week rejected a law that would have punished BDS activism.

Civil liberties groups and legislators had warned that the law would have violated fundamental free speech rights.

Previously, Sweden had been the only European government to recognize that BDS is a civil society movement and that governments should not try to impede it.

In March, the Swedish foreign ministry told The Electronic Intifada that BDS “is a civil society movement” and that “governments should not interfere in civil society organization views.”

Uniting to defend BDS

In a related development, 352 organizations from across 19 countries have published a statement urging the European Union to protect BDS as a form of free speech.

It is the most widely signed statement by European organizations on Palestine in many years.

The list of signatories includes the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Norwegian United Federation of Trade Unions, major Belgian civil society coalition CNCD and French Catholic organization Terre Solidaire.

Podemos, the leftist Spanish political party that won 21 percent of the popular vote in recent elections, has also backed the statement.

The groups urge the European Commission, the EU’s governing bureaucracy, to introduce “human rights guidelines guaranteeing freedom of speech and right to boycott and to use all other means you have in your disposal to support European citizens in their struggle to uphold basic human rights.”

Also among the signatories are six Irish parties including Sinn Féin and the Irish Green Party; France’s Left Party, Communist Party and New Anti-Capitalist Party and trade unions including Italy’s Fiom/CGIL and France’s Union Syndicale Solidaires.

In addition, more than 30 Belgian organizations including the ABVV/FGTB trade union federation and major Christian organization Broederlijk Delen have issued their own statement urging the Belgian government to resist calls by pro-Israel groups to legislate against BDS.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also made statements in response to the attacks on the BDS movement and its activists.

Israel’s dangerous and desperate attacks on the BDS movement appear to be having some unintended consequences: they are prompting European governments and some of the world’s best known organizations to declare their belief that BDS is an entirely legitimate movement.

UN appeal for #RightToBoycott

The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) is inviting supporters of free speech and Palestinian rights to co-sign an appeal to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein urging him to take action to protect the rights of Palestinian, Israeli and international BDS activists.

The BNC has also published a comprehensive legal briefing, “BDS: a legitimate human rights movement to be respected and protected by states,” that has more useful background and analysis.

Comments

Problem: By that logic

Permalink Af replied on Wed, 05/25/2016 - 23:51

Problem:

By that logic, Anti BDS is also free speech. Anti is simply the opposite of Pro (For).

So yes, BDS can continue. But so can Anti BDS. The Dutch just helped Israel in a BIG way.

Literally no one disputed the

Permalink Ali Abunimah replied on Thu, 05/26/2016 - 12:54

Literally no one disputed the right of anyone to disagree with BDS. What is in dispute is the right of governments to repress, harass and punish people for speaking and organizing in favor of BDS. Since the Israeli government has been backing such repression, it’s impossible to view this as a “favor” for Israel unless facts have completely no bearing whatsoever on your analysis of reality.

Thank you Ali for your

Permalink Airman Sparky replied on Thu, 05/26/2016 - 16:06

Thank you Ali for your concise knockdown of Af's absurd straw man/red herring/trolling.

Being anti-BDS and trying to

Permalink Kevin Schmidt replied on Thu, 05/26/2016 - 18:21

Being anti-BDS and trying to suppress and spy on BDS supporters are two different things. No one is trying to suppress or spy on anti-BDS supporters. So your strawman argument is completely illogical. Which means your user name is ironic.

You missed the main points in the article

Permalink L London replied on Fri, 05/27/2016 - 01:29

You seem to have skipped over all mentions in the article to
- spying (there's even a link to an article)
- revoking travel permission (ie. suppressing BDS activists)
- Amnestry and Human Rights watch saying they are against attacks which are taking place on BDS activists
- the decision in Canada to reject a law designed to punish BDS activism
.. despite all of Israel's desperate efforts. Read before you comment otherwise it looks like blatant hasbara.

Anti-BDS is free speech

Permalink Alan Roberts replied on Thu, 05/26/2016 - 19:41

No one in the BDS movement will disagree with you. All citizens of all countries should be free to decide the matter for themselves.

What BDS movement members object to are the actions of Israeli Lobbies in countries all over the world that try to get governments to outlaw BDS. This is anti-free speech. No doubt you agree with me.

BDS

Permalink Linda Kennedy replied on Thu, 05/26/2016 - 09:33

I am in complete agreement with the BDS movement. I believe in free speech and I will fight for my right to free speech. I furthermore condemn Israel for their inhuman assault against Palestine, it's human rights abuses & it's blatant war crimes.