BDS on Campuses a Threat But No Juggernaut

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has made inroads on American college campuses but is far from “taking over,” says a pro-Israel organization in a new report.

“While there was a significant increase in campus BDS campaigns this academic year, the rate at which BDS campaigns were defeated on campuses nationwide remained relatively static,” the Israel on Campus Coalition said in its annual report, quoted in The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

It warned, however, that if “the current trends on campuses nationwide persist, the result could be dangerously close to that reality” of BDS dominating the college scene.

The report said “there is no doubt that Israel’s detractors are increasing their efforts on college campuses across the country. They are using new tactics and in some cases reaching broad swaths of the campus population, simplifying a complex Middle East reality and latching on to other progressive social causes. They have also found success recruiting and supporting pro-BDS student government candidates who then introduce and pass anti-Israel legislation.”

But pro-Israel students are fighting back, “forming coalitions to educate the broader campus community, and working to build support for Israel on campus.”

According to the report, there has been an increase in activity by both Israel’s supporters and detractors on campuses nationwide.

During the 2014-2015 academic year, the ICC counted 1,630 anti-Israel events at 181 colleges and universities nationwide, and more than twice that number – 3,753 – of pro-Israel events at 213 schools.

This article appeared in print on page 30 of the August 26th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.