Quakers pioneered boycotts in the 1800’s and see support for BDS as part of their ongoing work for justice.
American Friends Service Committee | AFSC Newsletter | Jan 7, 2019
We believe that all people, including Palestinians, have a right to live in safety and peace and have their human rights respected.
Throughout our history, AFSC has stayed true to our belief that there is “that of God” in every human being. Because of that, we have stood with communities facing oppression and violence around the world, opposing such evils as segregation, collective punishment and incarceration, colonization, economic exploitation, and genocide.
We now continue our legacy of speaking truth to power in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory, and around the world. We see our economic activism as a nonviolent witness against injustice.
That’s why AFSC supports the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement. Here’s what you to know:
For 51 years, Israel has denied Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory their basic civil, political, and human rights — in defiance of international law. Among other things, Palestinians don’t control their own economy, can’t travel without Israeli military permission, are denied access to religious sites, are restricted from accessing needed medical care, are denied educational opportunities, have their speech restricted, have their homes destroyed and their land confiscated, and can be arrested and detained indefinitely without charge or trial. The Palestinian BDS call seeks to change this situation using proven nonviolent social change tactics with support from the international community.
HolyLandJustice.org 