RAMALLAH, Thursday, January 09, 2020 (WAFA) – In an open letter to members of the Austrian National Parliament and political parties, some 30 Palestinian civil society coalitions, human rights organizations and labor s today called on parliament members to oppose a resolution that would criminalize the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and peaceful activism for Palestinian human rights.
The resolution (141/A(E)) “Condemnation of Antisemitism and the BDS Movement” was tabled jointly by all elected political parties for discussion and vote in the Austrian parliament.
“We commend all genuine and serious efforts to combat antisemitism because, like you, we reject antisemitism as one of the most harmful forms of racism, especially in the light of rising anti-Jewish bigotry and hate crimes across Europe,” said the letter’s signatories.
“At the same time, we expect you to recognize that the fight against antisemitism must not be abused to suppress the fight against other forms of racism and racial discrimination, regardless of the perpetrator,” it added.
“In this regard, we wish to remind you that the International Criminal Court (ICC) recently announced that it is convinced that war crimes have been committed by Israel in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, and that it will open an official investigation. We expect you to recognize that it is legally wrong and morally and politically reprehensible to criminalize and suppress peaceful opposition to Israel’s crimes under the pretext of fighting antisemitism.”
The signatories stressed that “BDS is a global movement for Palestinian human rights that opposes Israel’s war crimes and human rights abuses with nonviolent means. Similar to the international movement that helped end apartheid in South Africa, it carries out peaceful campaigns for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) vis-a-vis institutions and corporations, Israeli or international, as well as governments, that assist or otherwise enable Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people and grant Israel impunity for its flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. The BDS movement is supported -- and led -- by the largest coalition in Palestinian civil society and enjoys broad support worldwide, including among Jews in the US and Europe.”
They added, “Bearing this in mind – and for the reasons explained below - we urge Austrian political parties and members of Parliament in the strongest terms to withdraw your tabled resolution, and to give it no vote or other support.”
They explained that the resolution “is based on a fraudulent definition of antisemitism that conflates peaceful protest against Israel’s war crimes and human rights abuses with antisemitism,” adding that this would “invite the wrong conclusion that criticism of Israel is always an expression of hatred of Jews.”
M.K.
