The BDS Campaign and Anti-Jewish Boycotts
The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel is a modern manifestation of antisemitic boycotts, echoing historical anti-Jewish actions. BDS aims to delegitimize Israel, often employing antisemitic language and tactics that demonize the Jewish state. This campaign has primarily gained traction on college campuses, where it threatens academic integrity and creates a hostile environment for Jewish students.
On campuses, BDS activists leverage institutional status to amplify their message, often targeting and isolating Jewish students for their perceived or actual support of Israel. This has led to the exclusion of Jewish students from progressive groups simply for being Zionists, furthering antisemitic tropes and inhibiting academic freedom.
The campaign’s impact on campuses is particularly concerning, as it exploits students’ passion for justice without providing adequate knowledge of the complex Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By presenting a biased, simplistic approach that singles out Israel, BDS works to deny Jews the right to self-determination masked as advocating for Palestinian rights.
Sources:
https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/boycott-divestment-and-sanctions-campaign-bds
https://ngo-monitor.org/key-issues/bds/about/
https://www.adl.org/resources/article/impact-divestment-campaigns-rising-antisemitism