A national meeting via video-conference was held between the Gaza Strip and West bank on 14 September 2009 to launch the national Campaign to Defend Public Freedoms and Human Rights and to Promote the Restoration of National Unity in Palestine. Over 150 r more
On October 2nd, 2009, the Palestinian Authority withdrew of its draft resolution supporting the recommendations contained in the Goldstone Report, resulting in a deferral of a vote to endorse the report in the Human Rights Council to March 2010. The repor more
The university of Trondheim in Norway may become the first university in the West to adopt an academic boycott of Israel, if a majority of its board votes in favor of the move at a meeting on the subject next month. more
In November 2009, the jury of the French National Consultant Committee for Human Rights in France selected the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) as one of the five winners more
( statement by the Palestinian NGO'S Network - PNGO ) Yesterday morning, May 6, 2010 at 6 am the Israeli General Security Service and Israeli police raided Ameer Makhoul's home in Haifa and arrested him. Makhoul, serves as General Director of Ittijah more
On Tuesday May 11, the Consul General of France in Jerusalem, Frédéric esagneaux, handed over a more
The Free Gaza flotilla, carrying around 700 pro-Palestinian activists from various countries, as well as approximately 10,000 tones of humanitarian aid, was headed for Gaza on Monday May 31st, 2010. While still travelling on international waters, 65 km of more
PNGO is an active member of the BNC, the National Committee for the BDS Campaign (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions against Israel).
The BDS Campaign was launched officially in 2004, when the Palestinian civil society released the Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. The aim of Boycott is to put pressure on the Israeli government until it complies with International Law and Human Rights principles. It emerged from the observation of the international communitys failure to take action to stop Israeli oppression of the Palestinian people, and is inspired by international boycott movement that helped bring an end to apartheid in South Africa.
"We, representatives of Palestinian civil society, call upon international civil society organizations and people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the Apartheid era. We appeal to you to pressure your respective states to impose embargoes and sanctions against Israel. We also invite conscientious Israelis to support this Call, for the sake of justice and genuine peace." (extract of the Call)
In this section, you will find:
- The Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel
- Information about the BNC
For more information and recent achievements of the BDS Campaign, visit the website www.bdsmovement.net
Palestinian Civil Society Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel
Until it Complies with International Law and Universal Principles of Human Rights
http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/52
One year after the historic Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which found Israel''s Wall built on occupied Palestinian territory to be illegal, Israel continues its construction of the colonial Wall with total disregard to the Court''s decision.
Thirty eight years into Israel''s occupation of the Palestinian West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Gaza Strip and the Syrian Golan Heights, Israel continues to expand Jewish colonies. It has unilaterally annexed occupied East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights and is now de facto annexing large parts of the West Bank by means of the Wall. Israel is also preparing - in the shadow of its planned redeployment from the Gaza Strip - to build and expand colonies in the West Bank.
Fifty seven years after the state of Israel was built mainly on land ethnically cleansed of its Palestinian owners, a majority of Palestinians are refugees, most of whom are stateless. Moreover, Israel''s entrenched system of racial discrimination against its own Arab-Palestinian citizens remains intact.
In light of Israel''s persistent violations of international law, and
Given that, since 1948, hundreds of UN resolutions have condemned Israel''s colonial and discriminatory policies as illegal and called for immediate, adequate and effective remedies, and
Given that all forms of international intervention and peace-making have until now failed to convince or force Israel to comply with humanitarian law, to respect fundamental human rights and to end its occupation and oppression of the people of Palestine, and
In view of the fact that people of conscience in the international community have historically shouldered the moral responsibility to fight injustice, as exemplified in the struggle to abolish Apartheid in South Africa through diverse forms of boycott, divestment and sanctions;
Inspired by the struggle of South Africans against Apartheid and in the spirit of international solidarity, moral consistency and resistance to injustice and oppression,
We, representatives of Palestinian civil society, call upon international civil society organizations and people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the Apartheid era. We appeal to you to pressure your respective states to impose embargoes and sanctions against Israel. We also invite conscientious Israelis to support this Call, for the sake of justice and genuine peace.
These non-violent punitive measures should be maintained until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people''s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law by:
1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall;
2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
The Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions Campaign National Committee (BNC)
( http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/126 )
The broad consensus among Palestinian civil society about the need for a broad and sustained Campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) resulted in the Palestinian Call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel that was launched in July 2005 with the initial endorsement of over 170 Palestinian organizations. The signatories to this call represent the three major components of the Palestinian people: the refugees in exile, Palestinians under occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the subjugated Palestinian citizens of the Israeli state.
The efforts to coordinate the BDS campaign, that began to grow rapidly since the 2005 call was made public, culminated in the first Palestinian BDS Conference held in Ramallah in November 2007. Out of this conference emerged the BDS National Committee (BNC) as a coordinating body for the BDS campaign within Palestine. The goals of the BNC are:
Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) Occupied Palestine and Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI) Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (Stop the Wall) Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) General Union of Palestinian Workers Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition Federation of Unions of Palestinian Universities Professors and Employees General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW) Charitable Organizations Union Independent Federation of Unions - Palestine (IFU) Palestinian Farmers Union (PFU) National Committee for the Commemoration of the Nakba Civil Coalition for Defending the Palestinians Rights in Jerusalem
Coalition for Jerusalem Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations Palestinian Economic Monitor Union of Youth Activity Centers - Palestinian Refugee Camps (UYAC)