Israel Takes Offense in Battle Against BDS

Declaring a “switch from defense to offense,” the Ministry of Strategic Affairs on Sunday published a list of 20 international pro-BDS organizations to be banned from the country for their calls to boycott Israel.

“The boycott organizations need to know that the state of Israel will act to stop them and prevent their representatives from entering the country to harm its citizens,” Minister of Public Security and Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan said in a statement.

The ministry said that the list names the primary BDS groups, “who consistently and continuously act against the State of Israel by pressuring groups, institutions and states to boycott Israel. The groups’ activities are carried out via a campaign of falsehood and incitement, whose goal is to undermine Israel’s legitimacy around the world.”

Interior Minister Rabbi Aryeh Deri, who is responsible for regulating entry into the country, said:

“As the minister in charge of the Israel Entry Law, I made it perfectly clear that I would use my authority to prevent individuals and representatives of groups whose sole purpose is to harm Israel and its security, from entering its borders. These people are trying to take advantage of the law and our hospitality in order to act against and defame Israel,” he said.
Rebecca Vilkomerson, executive director of JVP (Jewish Voice for Peace), issued a statement saying the ban was “disconcerting but not surprising, given the further erosion of democratic norms and rising anxiety about the power of BDS as a tool to demand freedom.”

JVP claims more than 13,000 members. The complete list of BDS groups follows:

Europe:
• AFPS (The Association France Palestine Solidarité)
• BDS France
• BDS Italy
• ECCP (The European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine)
• FOA (Friends of al-Aqsa)
• IPSC (Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign)
• Norgeׂׂ Palestinakomitee (The Palestine Committee of Norway)
• PGS Palestinagrupperna i Sverige (Palestine Solidarity Association in Sweden)
• PSC (Palestine Solidarity Campaign)
• War on Want
• BDS Kampagne

United States:
• AFSC (American Friends Service Committee)
• AMP (American Muslims for Palestine)
• Code pink
• JVP (Jewish Voice for Peace)
• NSJP (National Students for Justice in Palestine)
• USCPR (US Campaign for Palestinian Rights)

Latin America
• BDS Chile

South Africa
• BDS South Africa

Other
• BNC (BDS National Committee)